Batlacit's stats
- Review count195
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- First reviewFebruary 13, 2016
- Last reviewJune 19, 2024
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- Average rating4.4
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- Answer count55
- Helpfulness votes97
- First answerSeptember 21, 2016
- Last answerJanuary 21, 2022
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G915 TKL is a new class of wireless mechanical gaming keyboard with three selections of low-profile GL switches and pro-grade 1 ms LIGHTSPEED wireless. Capable of delivering up to 40 hours of non-stop gaming on a full charge. Fully customizable per-key and advanced LIGHTSYNC RGB technology to synchronize lighting with any content.
Customer Rating
5
Wireless without compromises
on June 22, 2020
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
There are a lot of mechanical keyboards on the market that feature advanced features catering to gamers and people looking to show off their design chops. There are slightly less mechanical keyboards on the market allowing people who want to enjoy the superior typing experience provided by a mechanical board without needing to worry about running a wire back to your computer. There is surprisingly little overlap between the two groups. But the G915 manages to fit into that narrow little sliver of the Venn diagram, and does so with surprising aplomb.
One of the first things I noticed on taking the keyboard out of the box is how well built the whole thing is. While the bulk of the keyboard is still plastic, the machined aluminum top plate gives it a surprising amount of heft and rigidity for how thin it is. The G915 is barely larger than some of the portable Bluetooth keyboards I've seen being sold for use with smart phones, and yet there's barely a hint of deck flex or any kind of fitting gap in the seams. Even better is the fact that they've found a way to include integrated storage for the keyboard's RF dongle, a particularly important addition seeing as it sticks out far enough that I don't think I'd be comfortable keeping it plugged in on a laptop if I wanted to throw the whole setup into a backpack to take along with me.
In using the keyboard for typing and gaming, I've found its performance to be very good overall, though perhaps not quite matching some of the larger boards I've tried. The short travel distance you get with the low profile switches makes for a very responsive board overall, though there will likely be a little bit of adjustment time required if you're using to typing on a full size mechanical as it's very easy to use too much force and end up banging away at the keys. Unfortunately in testing my keyboard, one of the tactile "clicky" variants, I also discovered that the switches' actuation point where they register a key press is slightly shallower than the tactile bump meant to provide feedback. There's easily enough tension in the spring to keep this from being a problem if you're just resting your fingers on the home row or WASD keys during normal use, so I don't think this is likely to be a serious problem for most. But if you're the kind of gamer who habitually rides a key just shy of the actuation point, it's worth considering that you might have a bit of a hard time doing it with these particular switches.
Speaking of reaction time, let's talk about transmission delays. It's commonly accepted by many that wireless peripherals in general have to contend with a certain amount of latency that can make them either unreliable or simply less desirable for gaming purposes. Having tried it in all three modes (Wired, bluetooth, and Logitech's proprietary Lightspeed wireless) I can confirm that latency and reliability do not appear to be significant issues. Wired and Lightspeed modes are rock solid, though admittedly you might encounter some issues with the latter if you don't have a relatively unobstructed path between the keyboard and the receiver. In recognition of this, they thoughtfully include an adapter which can turn any standard micro-USB cable into an extension that can bring the receiver out onto your desk. There is admittedly some noticeable lag in Bluetooth mode, but despite my best efforts I couldn't get it to drop any keypresses. But if you're determined not to risk it,, plugging the keyboard in with a micro-usb cable will immediately switch it over to wired operation.
So, now that I've adequately covered all the technical performance, let's talk about the creature comforts. The keyboard can be set to elevations of 0, 4, and 8 degrees using the integrated feet, and as one might expect from a product designed to maximize your desk space there isn't an integrated wrist rest. Media controls are more than adequate, with a nice large wheel to use for volume control or whatever else you might want to configure it for using Logitech's G-Hub software. There's also options for two different key mapping profiles (with the default gaming mode disabling common problem keys such as the windows and context menu buttons) and support for full per-key lighting profiles that work in both Lightspeed and wired modes. Switching the keyboard over to Bluetooth will bring up a standard rainbow cycle, and you can control the brightness or turn off the backlight completely with a dedicated button on the top of the keyboard. There are also three macro buttons (sharing space with the F1, F2, and F3 keys) as one would expect on such a board. The only thing that's missing is built in integration with other desktop RGB ecosystems like iCue or Aura Sync - though there's always the chance that it could be added at a later date.
Overall, the G915 is an excellent keyboard and arguably the first mechanical board I've seen that could really qualify as portable. Thin and small might not be for everyone, but Logitech has really done it right here.
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The Bose TV Speaker is a small soundbar that clarifies speech and improves overall TV sound. Inside there are two full-range drivers angled to deliver wide, spatial sound, while the center tweeter specifically focuses on clarifying speech. And built-in Dolby decoding enhances the audio capabilities of your TV Speaker to deliver a more realistic and satisfying listening experience. Designed with simplicity in mind, a single connection to your TV has you up and running in no time. This connection can be either an optical audio cable (included) or an HDMI cable (sold separately). At just over 2″ (5 cm) tall, this TV Speaker is small enough to fit just about anywhere. Place it in front of your TV or mount it to the wall. Plus small LED lights on the front turn on and/or change color when certain features are enabled or when the volume is adjusted. The Bose TV Speaker also has HDMI-CEC, which allows the TV and soundbar to communicate when connected by an HDMI cable. So when you turn the TV on, the soundbar will automatically turn on too, and you can even continue using your current TV remote to control the volume of the soundbar. However, the Bose TV Speaker also has its own remote. On it, you can pair your Bluetooth device to wirelessly stream your favorite music or podcasts, enable Dialogue Mode to further elevate center vocals, or add a bass boost for some extra depth. And the Bose TV Speaker is Roku TV Ready certified. Meaning, it’s designed to work seamlessly with a Roku TV. When connected to a Roku TV via an HDMI cable, you’ll enjoy smooth, automatic setup, easy access to the TV Speaker sound settings in the Roku TV on-screen menu, and compatibility with the Roku TV remote. If you’re looking for even more bass or just want to expand your system, you can add a subwoofer for more theater-quality home theater sound. The Bose TV Speaker requires a wired connection and is compatible with the Bose Bass Module 500 or 700 (Bose Bass Module Connection Cable sold separately).
Customer Rating
5
A compact and clever speaker
on June 15, 2020
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
It's an unfortunate truth that as TVs have gotten slimmer, their built in audio has gotten worse. A good quality sound bar or external sound system is pretty much a requirement these days if you want to get the best performance out of your screen. Bose has taken a somewhat less conventional approach in the design of this speaker. While most high end sound bars will emphasize a wide array of tweeters and woofers to deliver the perfect frequency response or booming volume to help fill a room, the designers of this TV speaker have decided to focus on a perennial complaint about these external audio solutions: the tendency of spoken dialog to get drowned out and lost in the soundscape.
Before I talk about that key feature though, I want to cover some of the basics. As one might expect from a brand with Bose's reputation, the overall build quality of the speaker is beyond reproach. It's definitely more a speaker than a sound bar, fitting easily between the legs on my 50" TV. The narrower spacing does result in the audio you get feeling a little less voluminous than I'm used to with sound bars, but I stopped noticing after a couple of days. Audio quality is top notch, though a little anemic on the lower end without the optional sub woofer (which is not included.) It's not exceptionally loud either, though unlike a lot of speakers that are the audio remains very clear through its entire range of supported volumes. Setup is quick and painless - with support for HDMI-ARC, Optical, and Bluetooth. All three are plug and play, with the speaker automatically switching to the appropriate input with little prompting. Even if you're not comfortable with electronics, I don't anticipate any issues getting this set up.
Which finally brings me to the main feature of this device: the dialog enhancer. As far as I can tell it's trying to re-balance the center and side channels of the audio source to put more of an emphasis on the center channel, where dialog is generally piped through, and less on the side channels where you get all the music and sound effects that are used to create a 3D soundscape. It's a surprisingly subtle thing. So subtle in fact that I struggled to tell the difference between when it was on or off. But my roommate who generally always wants to watch stuff with the subtitles turned on because she finds it hard to hear all the dialog otherwise found it to be a great help. What was particularly surprising to me is that at certain points it seemed like she was actually hearing dialog even better than me, with her able to clearly make out background dialog that just blended into noise for me.
Now, in theory, anyone could accomplish this if they had the proper equipment and the desire to fine tune their setup. But in practice, I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that very few of us would. I'm not sure I'd recommend it to everyone given the fact that it doesn't come with a sub and how little of an impact it had on my personal viewing experience, but it's clear from my roommate's response that it's doing something right that a lot of people who struggle to hear dialog in their favorite shows will likely appreciate.
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Soothe sore muscles with this Theragun Prime massage device. The brushless motor features QuietForce technology for low sound, while Bluetooth connectivity syncs with your portable device for convenient control and guidance via the Therabody app. This Theragun Prime massager delivers up to 30 lbs. of force to effectively warm up muscles and release tightness.
Customer Rating
5
A smarter, quieter Theragun
on May 22, 2020
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
As someone with an abundance of issues with my neck and back, my discovery of percussive massage devices a few years ago was a game changer. Theragun products have always been regarded as some of the best options available for this kind of work, and the Theragun Prime manages to take what was already a solid product and improve on it.
Inside the box you'll find everything you need to get started: the gun itself, a set of four swappable massage heads, and a cloth carrying case to hold it all. The gun itself is fairly sleek and very well designed, with a distinctive triangle handle that allows you to comfortably grip it regardless of the awkward angles you need to adopt to reach the various trouble spots on your back. It's still no substitute for having a second person who can operate the thing for you, but it's arguably the next best thing. The overall aesthetic is fairly minimal, with an LED display showing battery life and the current speed pretty much the only notable adornments. A lot of effort has also been made to make this new version substantially quieter than previous models. While it's still far from silent, it is a marked improvement that I imagine most people who've used a Theragun before will appreciate.
The other new feature which I was admittedly a bit skeptical about is the new smart features, which allows the gun to interface with an app on your phone. The app will walk you through various exercises to address common trouble spots such as knots, tech neck, or carpal tunnel as well as more generalized routines to help you release tension before bed or prepare for a workout. In addition to telling you where to move the device and controlling the precise speed, the app also monitors the pressure you're applying and lets you know if you need to adjust your technique.
My first thought was that I wouldn't have much use for this feature, as I've been using a very similar device for years, but I was surprised how much I ended up appreciating the added guidance. As it turns out, I was going easier on myself than I probably should have all this time. The exercises it walked me through to address tension in my upper back and neck were a bit more punishing than I was used to, bordering on painful in a few spots, but once they were done I was astonished to see how much more mobility I had in my left shoulder, which has always been an issue ever since I tore my rotator cuff several years back. It's still not something I fire up every time I use it by any means, but it's definitely helped me to be smarter and more effective about how I use it.
Now that I've said all this, I do feel the need to throw in just one more caveat. The way this thing works isn't by actually solving the underlying issues that cause muscle pain. Rather it helps temporarily numb sore spots, making it much easier for them to relax on their own. As such I'd hesitate to recommend it for anyone with a chronic condition which might make it impossible for that to occur. for almost everyone else with occasional aches and pains brought about by poor posture or exercise, a tool like this can be amazing.
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Experience unparalleled detail and rich color with this Hisense Quantum UHD TV. With a bezel-less frame, additional dimming zones and a display capable of over a billion color combinations, your favorite games and programs are more vivid than ever. Built-in voice control on this Hisense Quantum UHD TV lets you change channels with just a word.
Customer Rating
5
This is how you do HDR on a budget
on April 27, 2020
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
The 50H8G sets out to deliver the kind of experience associated with high-end TVs at an affordable price point. And it largely succeeds – delivering fantastic image quality, a capable Smart TV platform, and better than average sound without breaking the bank.
The main panel of the set is a ULED LCD – a tech currently unique to Hisense that seeks to marry the performance of OLED panels with the longer lifespan and lower cost of LCDs. These have been out for a few years, and produce some of the best image you can get out of an LCD panel. They’ve augmented this model with a quantum dot layer, which helps improve the transmission of red, green, and blue light from the backlight to help make colors pop. It’s a subtle effect most of the time, but when playing HDR content that can take full advantage of it the display looks absolutely radiant. There are also a variety of post-processing options to further improve image quality such as motion smoothing, noise reduction, and upscaling. Personally I don’t like the effect most of these have on image quality and as such turned them off very quickly, but if you like motion smoothing or watch a lot of sports I suspect you’ll greatly appreciate the top tier performance these features can offer.
The TV uses Android for its app platform, which should be familiar to anyone with an Android phone. Performance is excellent, with no slow downs, crashes, or stuttering that I could see. App selection is good, though as with most smart TV OS’s apps for Google’s direct competitors are either absent (Apple TV) or underwhelming (Prime Video.) If you rely on these a lot, you might still want to invest in a separate set top box. But for most everything else, you can probably get by just with the TV. Additionally, the Android platform allows you to link the TV to the Google Home ecosystem to control the TV with your phone or any Home compatible smart speakers you might have. It is not quite a perfect implementation at this point – support for a few basic functions like turning the TV off doesn’t appear to be implemented yet. But hopefully this is something that can be addressed in future firmware updates. And the integrated chrome cast works flawlessly.
Finally, there’s the sound. It’s very hard to find a TV with sound that could be considered great these days, since the best speakers generally need more room than you get find in a slim TV’s casing. But the 50H8G has enough depth in its design to include speakers that are better than average, and features full support for Dolby Atmos. True audiophiles will likely consider a good sound bar to be a must-have accessory, but for most I suspect the built-in audio will be more than enough for a TV for the bedroom or a small living room.
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Clean and deodorize your rugs, carpets and upholstery with this 64-oz. Hoover Paws and Claws carpet cleaning formula. Stainguard technology and enzymatic ingredients eliminate pet messes, odors and dirt, while the cotton breeze scent leaves your home smelling fresh all day. This Hoover Paws and Claws carpet cleaning formula has an optimized formulation that's safe to use with your deep cleaning machines.
Customer Rating
5
Great for eliminating the occasional accident
on April 9, 2020
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
I use this detergent in concert with a Hoover carpet cleaner, and so far have found it to be very effective at removing both fresh and old stains from pet related messes from my rugs and carpets. The enzymatic compounds in it are quite effective when it comes to breaking down urine, vomit, and feces, and when used properly there isn't even enough left to show up under a black light. This is actually a fairly vital detail too, as it means it's breaking down the chemicals that your dog and cat use to identify spots they can safely go again in the future.
The scent is okay, but definitely noticeable. I'd say it's better than most products made to clean up after your pets, but it could still be a bit of a problem if you've got scent-sensitive individuals in the house. Fortunately I've found that if you take the time to rinse the carpet after shampooing it the smell only lingers for about an hour or so, and it leaves behind little to no soap residue within the carpet.
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The Hoover® SmartWash™ PET Complete Automatic Carpet Washer is just as easy to use as our original SmartWash. Simply push forward to clean and pull back to dry. No trigger, and no mixing solutions. It’s literally as easy as vacuuming. And the SmartWash™ PET Complete is designed specifically for homes with pets. Use the Spot Chaser™ Pretreat Wand to pretreat stains before you clean or as you go. Plus, the antimicrobial FlexForce Pet PowerBrushes remove deep-down dirt while resisting pet odors. For those pet stains on stairs or furniture SmartWash™ PET Complete comes with an antimicrobial scrubbing tool.
Customer Rating
4
Painless and effective carpet cleaning.
on April 8, 2020
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
As someone living with a geriatric cat and a standard wiener dog, the occasional pet related mess is pretty much an unavoidable fact of life. I’ve generally sought to address this with a variety of spot cleaners. This is the first time I’ve tried a full mostly automated carpet cleaner, and I have to say that it’s hard to imagine ever going back to the smaller units.
The designers of the Smartwash have clearly gone out of their way to make the unit perform much more like a standard vacuum than your average carpet cleaner, which means operation is refreshingly simple. Pushing the unit forwards puts it in “wash” mode, where it lays down the cleaning solution and uses a pair of large brushes to work the cleaner deep into the carpet. Pulling it backwards switches to dry mode where the brushes stop and suction pulls the waste water and detergent into a gray water tank. In cases of particularly stubborn stains, pre-treatment can be applied via an applicator that serves double duty as the unit’s handle. Concentrated detergent is automatically mixed within the Smartwash on demand, and removing the small detergent tank at the back switches it to rinsing your carpet to get rid of any residual detergent – a very welcome feature for anyone who might be scent sensitive.
While I fortunately did not have any fresh stains to test the cleaner out on, I did have a few ghosts of accidents past that had taken place over the holidays (2 urine, one vomit) that had so far resisted all my previous attempts to remove them. The vomit and the first urine stain came up after just two passes using the Hoover Paws and Claws shampoo and a single rinse. You couldn't even find the spots that had been stained with a black light. The last one managed to hang on, however after using the pre-treatment wand and giving it another few passes it too fell before the brushes of the Smartwash. This unfortunately left me without a good candidate to test the included alternate cleaning head meant for deep stains that need a bit of extra work, but if it performs half as well as the standard cleaning head I have high hopes. The unit did just as well coaxing dirt out of carpet that I'd thought was clean. My carpets get vacuumed daily and the air in my home is filtered, so dust accumulation is usually not an issue. But this thing somehow managed to coax out a substantial amount of dirt and grime that the other appliances missed. Best of all: only an hour or so after I finished, the carpet was dry to the touch.
There are, unfortunately, a few downsides. First: it must be said that the SmartWash is very big even by carpet cleaner standards. The upright vacuum style brush head significantly adds to the overall footprint of the unit, making it noticeably chunkier than even a standard upright vacuum. You’ll probably want to be sure you’ve got the closet space to spare before committing to getting one. The second is the fact that there isn’t really a great way to move it around. The initial impulse is to pick it up by the handle, like you would any other vacuum, however it only took me about thirty seconds to realize this might not be a good idea. There is a large fresh water tank which sits above the gray water tank, and when full this makes the Smartwash deceptively top-heavy (as well as just heavy.) Since the handle is meant to be easily removed to be used as a pre-treatment wand, I have some serious concerns about how much weight it can realistically take and for how long. The carrying handle you’re meant to use is actually located much lower, about half way down the main body behind the gray water tank. With so much weight from the water tank being located above this point, it’s not exactly the easiest thing to lug up a set of stairs. Though given that you hopefully shouldn’t need to be using this thing on a weekly basis, it’s a flaw I think I can live with.
It’s not something I’d recommend for everyone. In fact I’d go so far as to say it’s probably ludicrous overkill for most people. But if you do find yourself using a carpet cleaner often enough that it makes sense to get your own, a unit like this is probably the one to get.
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Take your laptop on the go with this black Nomatic backpack. The durable water-resistant materials allow for everyday use, while the hidden stash pockets let you pack stationery and mobile devices for easy access. This Nomatic backpack has a full perimeter zipper for expanding the large compartment to accommodate more items, and the magnetic water bottle pockets help you separate liquids and your electronics.
Customer Rating
5
Gloriously Overengineered
on February 27, 2020
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
I have owned many, many different bags, backpacks, and luggage sets over the years. And many have been very good. However very few end up lasting more than a year or so – possibly due to a tendency to push them right up to their design limits, then add just one more pair of pants in to keep me from having to check a bag. As a result I've learned not to get too attached. But after spending a week with the Nomatic backpack, I've had to break that rule.
From the moment I opened up the box to find a (slightly pretentious) poem describing Nomatic's mission statement to make bags for “life on the move” I knew that this was going to be a product that took itself perhaps a bit too seriously. But there are cases where that can be a good thing. And luggage intended to carry around $2000 of laptop and all the clothes and supplies you need to spend a few days (or a week) away from home is definitely one of those.
It appears that the goal in designing this bag was to create something that is meant not only to carry your laptop along on the plane will you, but your entire office. With dedicated compartments for both a laptop and a tablet, the option to invisibly thread charging cables into almost every compartment, and a zipper design that'll let you basically unfold the whole backpack into a desk/display case, this pack is more than willing to enable your tech addiction wherever it may take you. And unlike most laptop bags which throw in some semi rigid foam padding and call it a day, the designers of this bag have gone the extra mile to make sure it's all protected too. The entire case is waterproofed (including the zippers). There are RFID shielded compartments to store a wallet to keep your cards safe from anyone trying to skim them at the airport. And while it doesn't actually have an internal frame, the thickness of the rubberized exterior combined with a rigid case for your sunglasses offers a very good amount of protection from crush damage. In fact I can go so far as to say that should an over-eager toddler accidentally step on it in their haste to get off the plane and into Disney World, your laptop will be (thankfully) safe from harm.
It appears that the goal in designing this bag was to create something that is meant not only to carry your laptop along on the plane will you, but your entire office. With dedicated compartments for both a laptop and a tablet, the option to invisibly thread charging cables into almost every compartment, and a zipper design that'll let you basically unfold the whole backpack into a desk/display case, this pack is more than willing to enable your tech addiction wherever it may take you. And unlike most laptop bags which throw in some semi rigid foam padding and call it a day, the designers of this bag have gone the extra mile to make sure it's all protected too. The entire case is waterproofed (including the zippers). There are RFID shielded compartments to store a wallet to keep your cards safe from anyone trying to skim them at the airport. And while it doesn't actually have an internal frame, the thickness of the rubberized exterior combined with a rigid case for your sunglasses offers a very good amount of protection from crush damage. In fact I can go so far as to say that should an over-eager toddler accidentally step on it in their haste to get off the plane and into Disney World, your laptop will be (thankfully) safe from harm.
As much as I love this bag though, I do need to admit there are a few downsides. To start, the ergonomics aren't exactly great for someone like me with an unusually long torso. Now, to be fair, this is a common problem in backpacks but I'll admit I had hoped that this one with its slightly ludicrous attention to detail might have done better than most. In order to get the bag to sit properly to avoid straining my lower back I need to let the straps out a fair bit, which ends up raising the chest strap a few inches above my nipple line. It's not unusable there by any means, but it's also not what I’d describe as completely comfortable either. Making either the straps or the semi-rigid frame they attach to adjustable to accommodate different torso lengths would be a great upgrade should they ever decide to release a backpack version 2. Also, while I appreciate the addition of the expandable cargo compartment, the fact that it shares space with the laptop carrier makes me a little hesitant to fully use it. It's just a little too effective at compressing clothes and other soft objects down to easily fit underneath an airline seat – and I can't help but imagine my laptop being crushed by my laundry. Maybe one of the newer MacBooks with their fully aluminum bodies would be able to take it, but I'm not nearly confident enough in the plastic shell of my daily driver to chance it without some kind of rigid internal reinforcement to hold the socks at bay.
Overall though, my views on the backpack remain overwhelmingly positive. I look forward to subjecting it to many more years of habitual abuse on my travels.
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Record audio using your smartphone with this Samson Satellite USB/iOS broadcast microphone. Two 16mm condenser capsules capture clear, accurate audio, and the three pickup patterns let you record detailed audio in a variety of situations. This Samson Satellite USB/iOS broadcast microphone offers easy portability and includes USB and Lightning cables for connecting to a range of devices.
Customer Rating
4
Surprisingly good little mic & editing suite
on January 17, 2020
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
I find myself fairly impressed with the Satellite as a portable broadcast/recording solution. It's the first condenser mic I've seen that's got decent support for mobile phones, crystal clear recording quality, and a highly attractive yet compact package that you won't mind showing up on camera.
The mic has support for most of the features you'd expect, and you can tell a lot of thought went into the design. The mute button is touch sensitive, ensuring that you don't have to worry about the mic picking up mechanical button presses. The built in stand folds up into the sides to expose a threaded socket on the bottom for use with a standard mic stand. Cables are provided for both USB and lightning connections. And the whole thing feels very solidly put together. And best of all, the mic comes with a free copy of Motu Performer Lite, a surprisingly full featured music production suite.
While I do occasional recording work, I'll freely admit that I don't have a ton of experience actually setting up and tuning in the gear. I found the mic and the software to be fairly painless to get going, albeit it took some experimentation to get the mic's sensitivity right.
While I do occasional recording work, I'll freely admit that I don't have a ton of experience actually setting up and tuning in the gear. I found the mic and the software to be fairly painless to get going, albeit it took some experimentation to get the mic's sensitivity right.
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Introducing the BISSELL® air220 Air Purifier. This machine packs powerful indoor air purifying power into a simplistic and sleek machine, bringing form and function together in your home. The unique design is apparent in the air220's clean lines and smooth edges. Underneath the sleek design you'll find three layers of filtration, including an activated carbon filter and a HEPA + pre-filter that captures hair, dust, pollen, dander, home and pet odors, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This air purifier is a powerful machine you'd expect from BISSELL, a trusted homecare brand. The air220 has a soft-touch dial that lets you control both fan speed and power. It has a discrete cord wrap on the back panel and filters that can be accessed from the front panel, so you can keep it against a wall in your home. The air220 is tested to the AHAM standard to have a Smoke CADR of 172 for rooms up to 266 sq. ft., making it great for bedrooms, living areas, basements, and dining rooms.. You’ve trusted BISSELL to clean and care for the floors and surfaces in your home. Now, let us clean your air! Plus, every purchase of this product helps save pets. BISSELL® proudly supports BISSELL Pet Foundation® and its mission to help save homeless pets. When you buy a BISSELL product, you help save pets, too. We’re proud to design products that help make pet messes, odors and pet homelessness disappear.
Customer Rating
5
A purifier I don't mind having in the living room
on December 18, 2019
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
As someone with a dust allergy, I’ve had a lot of different air purifiers over my life. This has taught me that finding one that does the required job isn’t particularly hard – but finding one that does so without you being painfully aware of its presence gets a bit more tricky. Bissel hasn’t completely solved this issue, but they’ve come closer than most of the ones I’ve used over the years. The air220 is sleek, stylish, and most importantly a lot more quiet than the other options I’ve tried that offer this level of filtration. And that goes a long way towards endearing itself to me.
Given that the package is basically just a fan pointed at some filters, it shouldn’t be a surprise that setup is very straightforward. Just about the only trick to it is making sure you open the thing up to strip off the bags they ship the filters in before turning it on. Once you’ve done that, just about everything else can be automated. A light provides a real-time assessment of the quality of the air being passed through the filter (going from blue to red) and fan speeds can be automatically controlled by the quality sensor to make sure it never makes itself too conspicuous. This is a feature I’ve seen in a few different air purifiers, but the air220 is the first one I’ve tried that actually seems to work reliably. You can still manually control the fan speed if you want, but so far I’ve found it to be responsive enough to sudden spikes in irritants like smoke coming from the kitchen or letting air in by opening up the patio door to keep me from needing it. The unit also gets points for the addition of a light sensor to let the thing know when you’ve turned down the lights to go to bed or watch a movie, at which point the fan controller will disable all the lights and spin down the fan as low as it can to prevent it from disturbing your sleep if it’s located in a bedroom. As far as I’m concerned, this feature alone makes it worth the premium you pay for it.
As far as filter maintenance goes, the air220 is fairly typical in that regard. All the filters are accessible by a large removable panel at the front which also serves as the primary intake. The perforations in the front panel can easily trap a lot of dust so it’s not quite as simple as just wiping the front clean, but a couple minutes with a hose or in the shower will do the job. The only real trick to it is making sure you lay it down on its back before trying to remove the filters to make sure you don’t end up dumping all the stuff you’ve been trying to get out of the air into your face. The filters themselves seem to be of fairly good quality, and with some regular cleaning can probably have their lives extended a bit (though obviously if you’re exceptionally sensitive to air quality you’ll probably just want to follow the suggested replacement cycle.
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The Philips Hue HDMI Sync box adds premium surround lighting to your home theater by syncing your Hue smart lights with movies, music and video games. Watch, listen and play with more wonder and excitement as your lights dance, flash, dim and brighten with your screen. Requires Hue color capable lights and a Hue Bridge (sold separately).
Customer Rating
4
Just fun!
on December 4, 2019
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
Hue products arguably aren’t the most practical or cost effective smart lighting system out there. But they are unquestionably one of the most fun. And products like the Sync Box exemplify why that is.
The sync box does an admirable job of reproducing the kind of localized context based mood lighting that’s been available on some Philips TVs for a few years now with just about any screen imaginable, and is compatible with both standard hue bulbs and dedicated light strips and bars that can be mounted directly to a TV or entertainment center for a more discrete installation. Setup just takes a few minutes, and once everything’s plugged in and programmed in the app there’s very little you need to do past that. Once it’s running the effect is surprisingly neat. I can’t say it’ll revolutionize your viewing experience, but it’s pretty cool seeing the lighting in the room react to match what’s happening on the screen and can make action scenes and colorful animation pop that much more.
The design is a definite highlight as well. Aesthetically it’s a basic curved black box just a bit larger than your typical streaming device. But it becomes very clear that the engineers who assembled this thing put a lot of thought into the overall user experience. To begin with, it eschews the standard power adapter for a brick that can power two additional Hue lights/strips in addition to the sync box, meaning you can power your entire TV lighting setup from just a single outlet. Admittedly I'd have rather they not gone with the wall-wart design for this, as it's big enough to be difficult to fit onto most surge protectors, but it still beats having to find three outlets. It’s also got an option I’ve never seen before to detect the power state of your TV by running a USB cable to one of the ports found on most modern Smart TVs, a slightly more reliable means of detecting when the thing’s been turned on than the HDMI-CEC connection it uses by default. And the 4 port HDMI switch works brilliantly, handling automatic signal detection and device switching almost flawlessly.
That said, there are still some rough edges here. To begin with, it does struggle with detecting the signal from streaming devices that are basically always on, such as a Roku. I’ve found I often have to manually power on the sync box as a result. It also lacks a dedicated remote control, and your options for controlling it via the Sync app are a bit on the sparse side. Speaking of, I’m also not the biggest fan of their decision to split the Sync Box app into its own program rather than just integrating it directly into the main Hue app so you aren’t having to constantly switch between them. It’s also currently lacking in any sort of integration with Google Home or Alexa – which could arguably help make up for some of the other shortcomings. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that these features are something that might one day find their way into a software update – but for now it does feel every now and then like I’m working with a beta version of the final product.
Overall, while the Sync box doesn’t really do anything that I’d consider essential (or especially useful,) I’d still recommend it as a fun toy to get a bit more use out of your Hue White and Color bulbs while adding a bit of extra flair to your next movie night.
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Explore realistic 3D audio with sound precisely projected from above, in front, behind and to the side of you with the latest acoustic technologies.
I am interested in this product to go with a new Samsung - 50" Class QN90A Neo QLED 4K UHD Smart Tizen TV however the TV is going to be on a swivel bracket from the wall. Is there any way to attached the sound-bar to the bottom of the TV?
Yes. It's got a pretty standard wall mount system, and there are VESA compatible brackets you can get to let you attach it to the TV instead. That said it does need a bit of clearance between the soundbar and the bottom of the TV set to make sure you don't block the upward firing speakers at all and the case is pretty deep compared to most sound bars, so you might want to keep in mind that it's not likely to be a very clean looking setup compared to some other options that are available.
3 years 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.
Do you have to use the rear speakers when purchasing this item, and will it effect the system with the rear speakers Not in use
The rear speakers are completely optional. If you don't pair anything with them, it just reports itself as a 3.1.2 channel soundbar.
3 years ago
by
Batlacit
Unleash the power of the Samsung 980 PRO PCIe 4.0 NVMe Gen4 SSD for next-level computing. 980 PRO delivers 2x the data transfer rate of PCIe 3.0, while maintaining compatibility with PCIe 3.0.¹ ¹The NVM Express® design mark is a registered trademark of NVM Express, Inc.* Results are based on a comparison with Samsung PCIe 3.0 NVMe SSDs and SATA SSDs. PS5 compatible with heatsink as recommended by Sony; heatsink sold separately.
How about adding the endurance specification to your descriptions?
Endurance is rated at 1200tbw for the 2tb model, 600 for the 1tb, and 300 for the 500gb. All of them are warrantied for 5 years.
3 years ago
by
Batlacit
Unleash the power of the Samsung 980 PRO PCIe 4.0 NVMe Gen4 SSD for next-level computing. 980 PRO delivers 2x the data transfer rate of PCIe 3.0, while maintaining compatibility with PCIe 3.0.¹ ¹The NVM Express® design mark is a registered trademark of NVM Express, Inc.* Results are based on a comparison with Samsung PCIe 3.0 NVMe SSDs and SATA SSDs. PS5 compatible with heatsink as recommended by Sony; heatsink sold separately.
Has anyone noticed it being hot? Not quite sure if it would be ok for my laptop.
Operating temps never even hit 70°c in the ASUS gaming ultrabook I tried it in, and that's not exactly a cool machine to begin with. I think it'd do fine in most laptops provided they have decent cooling, particularly since there's some onboard thermal management to help keep it from burning itself out.
3 years ago
by
Batlacit
BISSELL SpinWave wet and dry robotic vacuum provides two ways to clean in a single revolutionary robot. The two tank system actively mops or powerfully vacuums with smart, structured cleaning paths. Use it in dry vacuuming mode to collect pet hair, dirt and other debris on carpet, area rugs and hard floors. When used in wet mopping mode, the mop pads and BISSELL cleaning solution work together to scrub floors clean. And, with the Soft Surface Avoidance Sensor, there's no need to worry about the robot going up on area rugs or carpets when in wet mopping mode. Plus, this product doesn't just clean up after pets, it helps save them, too. BISSELL proudly supports BISSELL Pet Foundation and its mission to help save homeless pets. When you buy a BISSELL product, you help save pets, too. We're proud to design products that help make pet messes, odors and pet homelessness disappear.
Hi, does this cleaner spray water and mop the floor?
It's not spraying water so much as it's excreting it, but yes. It's got one of the most effective mopping systems I've tried in a robot.
3 years, 3 months ago
by
Batlacit
BISSELL SpinWave wet and dry robotic vacuum provides two ways to clean in a single revolutionary robot. The two tank system actively mops or powerfully vacuums with smart, structured cleaning paths. Use it in dry vacuuming mode to collect pet hair, dirt and other debris on carpet, area rugs and hard floors. When used in wet mopping mode, the mop pads and BISSELL cleaning solution work together to scrub floors clean. And, with the Soft Surface Avoidance Sensor, there's no need to worry about the robot going up on area rugs or carpets when in wet mopping mode. Plus, this product doesn't just clean up after pets, it helps save them, too. BISSELL proudly supports BISSELL Pet Foundation and its mission to help save homeless pets. When you buy a BISSELL product, you help save pets, too. We're proud to design products that help make pet messes, odors and pet homelessness disappear.
Can you make a map for the robot in the app?
No. The robot really doesn't seem to have any awareness of the geometry of a room, it just follows a set pattern from its starting point until it hits something. It's less random than the old bumper vacuums which means it gets further on a charge, but it's also easier for it to miss spots.
3 years, 3 months ago
by
Batlacit
BISSELL SpinWave wet and dry robotic vacuum provides two ways to clean in a single revolutionary robot. The two tank system actively mops or powerfully vacuums with smart, structured cleaning paths. Use it in dry vacuuming mode to collect pet hair, dirt and other debris on carpet, area rugs and hard floors. When used in wet mopping mode, the mop pads and BISSELL cleaning solution work together to scrub floors clean. And, with the Soft Surface Avoidance Sensor, there's no need to worry about the robot going up on area rugs or carpets when in wet mopping mode. Plus, this product doesn't just clean up after pets, it helps save them, too. BISSELL proudly supports BISSELL Pet Foundation and its mission to help save homeless pets. When you buy a BISSELL product, you help save pets, too. We're proud to design products that help make pet messes, odors and pet homelessness disappear.
Does this Vacuum and mop at the same time? Or first vacuum, then mop?
In mop mode it can do a little vacuuming as the vacuum head still runs and there's a tiny (unfiltered) dustbin to hold any debris it sweeps up, but I'm pretty sure it's not going to do much to trap dust. And it can't do both carpet and hard flooring in one go, you need to swap out a module for the different floor types.
3 years, 3 months ago
by
Batlacit
BISSELL SpinWave wet and dry robotic vacuum provides two ways to clean in a single revolutionary robot. The two tank system actively mops or powerfully vacuums with smart, structured cleaning paths. Use it in dry vacuuming mode to collect pet hair, dirt and other debris on carpet, area rugs and hard floors. When used in wet mopping mode, the mop pads and BISSELL cleaning solution work together to scrub floors clean. And, with the Soft Surface Avoidance Sensor, there's no need to worry about the robot going up on area rugs or carpets when in wet mopping mode. Plus, this product doesn't just clean up after pets, it helps save them, too. BISSELL proudly supports BISSELL Pet Foundation and its mission to help save homeless pets. When you buy a BISSELL product, you help save pets, too. We're proud to design products that help make pet messes, odors and pet homelessness disappear.
I have tile and carpet throughout home. Will it mop tile then switch to vacuum carpet? Or do I have to tell it what to do? .
It can't do both simultaneously. You need to switch modes by swapping out the standard dustbin for a motorized mophead containing a tank for cleaning fluid. In this mode it will not run if it detects that it's on carpeting.
3 years, 3 months ago
by
Batlacit
Fly through the sky in ways that seem impossible. We never lost our passion for flying, and with DJI FPV, those passions have turned imagination into reality. With this immersive and intuitive aerial platform, get ready to go into the beyond. Sleek and aerodynamic, the DJI FPV aircraft delivers powerful propulsion, battery life, and wind resistance, making this system as capable as it is visually stunning.
Will this drone and all it's features work well with my Samsung Galaxy Note 10+?
The DJI Fly app will run fine on a Note 10, but it should be noted that it doesn't actually need to use the phone for nearly as much as some other drones DJI has released. Most of the vital functions are handled in the included FPV goggles.
3 years, 3 months ago
by
Batlacit
Fly through the sky in ways that seem impossible. We never lost our passion for flying, and with DJI FPV, those passions have turned imagination into reality. With this immersive and intuitive aerial platform, get ready to go into the beyond. Sleek and aerodynamic, the DJI FPV aircraft delivers powerful propulsion, battery life, and wind resistance, making this system as capable as it is visually stunning.
Does this fly more combo come with more than 1 battery?
This SKU is not for the fly more combo, and it does not come with extra batteries. The one that's included runs for about 15-20 minutes in N mode, and requires a little less than an hour to charge.
3 years, 3 months ago
by
Batlacit