Batlacit's stats
- Review count195
- Helpfulness votes911
- First reviewFebruary 13, 2016
- Last reviewJune 19, 2024
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.4
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- Answer count55
- Helpfulness votes97
- First answerSeptember 21, 2016
- Last answerJanuary 21, 2022
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Up your game with this Corsair RGB wireless gaming keyboard. Six programmable macro keys let you easily rebind important functions or create powerful hotkeys to help you win in the heat of battle. SLIPSTREAM WIRELESS, Bluetooth or wired USB connectivity let you choose how to reduce lag and overcome your opponents with this Corsair RGB wireless gaming keyboard.
Customer Rating
4
Just wish it were mechanical...
on November 15, 2019
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
It's tough finding a decent wireless keyboard to use for gaming - particularly if you don't want one of the smaller tenkeyless designs. And I've never really been able to figure out why. Modern transmitter designs have reduced latency down to levels that are comparable with wired devices. Batteries have gotten very big and very cheap. And micro controllers are good enough to handle any internal logic required for macros or key re-mappings.
The K57 is an attempt to remedy this - and it is so very, very close to being the perfect wireless gaming keyboard. But unfortunately it fails on one simple criteria: it's a conventional membrane design rather than a full mechanical design.
Don't get me wrong, it's an extremely good membrane board. Key response is crisp and you don't get the mushy feel that a lot of cheaper boards have. But it really can't compare with the tactile feel or overall responsiveness you get with proper mechanical switches.
If you can do without though, I suspect you'll be very happy with this unit. it has dedicated macro and multimedia keys, rather than relying on keyboard shortcuts. Despite being made of plastic it has little to no deck flex. The fast RF receiver has absolutely no perceptible latency or problems with rollover. It supports pairing with a total of 3 devices (1 RF, 2 Bluetooth). And, if you'd rather stick with wired, you can plug in a Micro USB cable and have no worries about your gameplay being cut short by low battery or latency. This also unlocks a much wider array of lighting effects, controllable through Corsair's iCue software.
So, for me at least, the quest for the perfect wireless gaming keyboard continues. But until someone produces one - I'm more than happy sticking with this!
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Enjoy an immersive audio experience while gaming with this carbon CORSAIR VOID RGB ELITE wireless headset. The custom-tuned 50mm high-density neodymium drivers offer crisp, powerful sound, while the breathable microfiber mesh and soft memory foam earpads add comfort to all-day gaming. This CORSAIR VOID RGB ELITE wireless headset has an omnidirectional microphone for clear communication, and the on-ear controls help you adjust sound settings easily.
Customer Rating
5
Wired quality without the fuss
on November 15, 2019
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
Corsair's got a reputation for quality hardware - and it shows in his headset.
One of the first things you'll notice on unpacking the Void is its significant heft. While most gaming headsets can boast about the build quality, the Void features a lot of metal parts and some very dense plastic that feels like it can stand up to a a lot of punishment. The RGB elements are fairly understated, with a single light on the mic that doubles as a mute indicator and a lighted logo on each side. The padding is thick and quite comfortable without being too hot. If there's one downside to the way it's built though, it's that it lacks a certain degree of flexibility. It sits on your head rather than wrapping around it, making it a bit easier to accidentally knock it off.
Audio is crisp, clear, and plenty loud. It's got a bit less bass than some headphones out of the box, but if you do prefer more low tones then it's not that hard to pump them up with an equalizer. Mic performance is very good with or without the included baffle, and I noticed no perceptible lag from the wireless transmitter. All in all, it's one of the better gaming headsets available at this price point.
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The entire Meta Portal family is video calling designed to bring people closer. Simple to set up and fun to use, Portal is a smart video calling device for a closer connection to friends and family—wherever they are. Whether you’re having meaningful conversations or getting help with a recipe, it’s easy to make smart video calls to anyone via Messenger, Whatsapp, Zoom and more–even if they don’t have a Portal. And once you’ve connected, Smart Camera pans and zooms to keep you in frame so you can move and talk naturally, while Smart Sound minimizes background noise and enhances your voice. Working from home becomes easier as you free up your laptop with a dedicated calling screen for conference calls and screen sharing via Microsoft Teams, Webex, Zoom and Workplace. An expanding AR library lets you blur backgrounds or add effects to liven up calls, while StoryTime uses AR, animation and music to let you tell immersive bedtime stories to loved ones anywhere in the world. And when your calling is done, Portal’s picture perfect frame will display your favorite photos from Instagram, Facebook or uploaded from your phone via the Portal app. With Alexa Built-in, you can control your smart home and connected devices with the sound of your voice. Explore with Portal’s browser and, with additional account activations, enjoy music with Pandora and Spotify or content via Facebook Watch and more—all with room-filling sound. Portal’s simple privacy settings mean you can easily disable the camera and microphone, or block the lens with the camera cover. All Messenger and WhatsApp calls are encrypted.
Customer Rating
4
Video calls, simplified
on November 8, 2019
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
Even though the ability to do video teleconferencing is baked into just about everything with enough space to mount a webcam these days, there are surprisingly few devices that are explicitly designed for video calls on the consumer market. Of those that do exist, Facebook’s portal devices are arguably the most feature rich and refined options out there. The second generation Portal does an admirable job of continuing in this tradition while also offering a much more compact and unobtrusive design that’ll look more at home in your living room than their predecessors, and for the most part does a pretty good job.
From a design perspective they’ve pretty much nailed it. When you’re not using it for video chats, the Portal looks like a very nice digital picture frame. It pulls directly from your Facebook account, cycling through photos ever few minutes and occasionally offering an update on the weather or suggestions about things you can do with it. Once you activate it via a voice command or tap the screen the pictures are replaced by a minimalist but highly functional interface for calling your contacts in Facebook’s Messenger or WhatsApp platforms. Video calls themselves are a little less “magical” than the ads suggest, with the camera sometimes making unneeded adjustments to zoom or positioning because it thinks it’s spotted a new face or the lighting just changed, but it’s nonetheless highly capable and features much better audio than you could expect to get with a cell phone. The AR features it offers, while not quite on par with the ones available on platforms like Snapchat, all work well and will delight any young children on the other side of the chat. Overall the user experience is polished enough that you won’t mind spending an hour or two on a single call, which speaks to the level of polish and attention to detail that’s been given to the device and its software. I’m also pleased to note that there is a physical button allowing you to shutter the camera and shut off the mic pickup – pretty much necessary in my opinion given Facebook’s somewhat spotty record regarding consumer data collection.
That said, I do find there are a few things that keep me from giving it full marks. To start, the design of the unit pretty much requires that it be set up on a desk or table, as the power cable (strangely referred to as a “charging cable” in the documentation despite the fact that the Portal doesn’t have an internal battery) doubles as a kickstand. I don’t have a ton of spare desk space, so both the 10” unit I received (which I’d definitely recommend for the addition of a USB-C port allowing you some additional connectivity options) ended up taking up more of it than I’d like. Given the choice I’d much rather mount it on the wall or to the back of my desk’s hutch, but I don’t see any way to achieve that with this sort of design. There were also several cases where I found myself thinking that it really would be nice if there were some kind of internal battery that would let me take it into a neighboring room to show my nephew something or let someone else say hello without needing to go through the whole process of booting it up and restarting the video call. And, of course, there is the Facebook issue. Facebook has insisted on numerous occasions that they aren’t watching the data from Portal calls, nor are they identifying specific users to gather metadata. And they have done an admirable job in making their privacy notices highly visible and clear enough for a layman to understand them. But I can’t say I don’t feel a little uneasy at times given their record, and I probably wouldn’t recommend this unit if not for the inclusion of the privacy controls for the camera and mic on that basis alone.
Despite those issues, I do think the Portal has a lot more to recommend it than not for a lot of people. Particularly for customers who aren’t necessarily the most tech savvy, such as grandparents or their young grandchildren. The overall simplicity and comfort of the UX on this thing is refined enough that they’ll likely find it considerably less intimidating than the alternatives available, and it’s pretty enough to fit into anyone’s décor. Overall, an excellent improvement over an already solid product.
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Philips Pasta and Noodle Maker Plus - HR2375/06
Customer Rating
5
Great pasta with no fuss
on October 15, 2019
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
Making pasta isn't one of those things that's particularly hard, but it can definitely be time consuming and will generally leave your kitchen coated in a thin layer of flour by the time you're done. The Philips Avance pasta maker seeks to address both of those with one mostly automated device - and I have to say it does a pretty good job of it.
The description really is accurate with this one - you really do just fill the hopper with flour, push a button, then slowly pour in some liquid and let the machine do its thing. The pasta maker takes about ten minutes total to complete its task, and about five minutes to clean up after. And the pasta it creates is absolutely delicious. I've tried it now with both recipes made specifically for the machine (a book containing a few dozen different pasta types is included in the box) and with recipes I got off the internet, and both worked great.
That said, if you do decide that a pasta making robot is something you need in your life, there are a few things you should definitely be aware of. First: this thing is pretty big and just slightly on the heavy side. Add in a plate to catch the pasta as its produced, and you may find there's not much counter space left for other prep work. Second, you really do need to be careful when pouring the liquid if you're using the included measuring cup. The broad lip doesn't do the best job at directing and containing the liquid as you pour it, making it very easy to spill if you don't control the rate properly. Third, if you don't already own a kitchen scale it's probably a good idea to get one. Just about every pasta recipe you'll find measures out the ingredients by weight rather than volume, and conversions get very tricky if you don't know exactly how fine the flour used was ground. The included measuring cup is an okay work around, but it's still a work around.
Oh, and I'd definitely recommend using one of the recipes based on semolina flour rather than all purpose for your first batch. Trust me, you'll be much happier with the results.
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Say goodbye to clutter and hello to this multi-functional Toaster Oven Air fryer! Enjoy a variety of delicious dishes with ease and convenience using the Chefman Toast-Air™ Convection Oven + Air Fryer. No more heating up your kitchen with a full-size oven - get the same results as a traditional convection oven with the convenience of countertop cooking for faster and more evenly cooked food. This countertop convection oven is a useful tool in any busy kitchen with variable temperature controls and cooking functions to air fry, bake, broil, convection bake, toast, and warm, as well as a temperature range from 200-450° F to set at the desired temperature. 7 preset options make any kitchen task easy, while the interior cooking light allows you to easily monitor cooking process. The extra-large 25-liter interior (12.5 x 11.75 inches) can fit up to 6 slices of toast and most baking pans. With the highly efficient rapid air technology and high-speed convection system, you can get even, crispy fried texture using little to no oil. The rack positioning is designed for maximum space and even air flow – if using multiple racks, rotate them halfway through for best results. The air fryer function is perfect for cooking once-frozen leftover foods and making them taste fresh again. Feeling some toast? This counter oven features an option to select the desired level of toast, from light to dark. With a 60-minute countdown timer and ready signal bell, you always know when your food is ready; the unit automatically shuts off when the door is opened for added safety. Air fry basket, flat wire rack, broil pan, and crumb tray are easily removable and dishwasher safe for convenience and quick clean up; non-stick interior and stainless-steel exterior wipe down easily. With the cookbook included, it’s even easier to conquer any cooking need with this toaster-oven air fryer and enjoy the benefits!
Customer Rating
4
Great second oven for the kitchen
on October 2, 2019
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
In the last few years, "do everything" devices like the instant pot have made some serious inroads into our kitchens. While these are generally designed to completely replace the need for your other appliances, the Chefman Toaster Oven Air Fryer takes a slightly different approach by trying to supplement your primary oven rather than completely replacing it.
When you get right down to it, an air fryer is basically just a convection oven with a metal basket. As such it should not surprise anyone that the Chefman is essentially just a tiny convection oven with a whole lot of knobs and interchangeable parts. Which is actually a pretty handy thing to have when you're preparing complex meals. After using it for about a week I've found that I'm generally reaching for it whenever there's a side that needs to be prepared in the oven, saving me from having to set my oven up in stages. And given the fact that my regular oven is not a convection oven, it's also great for getting small baking tasks (such as cookies) done quickly. And as you'd expect from a toaster oven, it's quite effective at heating up leftovers without leaving them feeling mushy. It hasn't really wowed me with its capabilities, but then I don't feel it really has to. It works well, and that's enough.
That being said, there are a couple things about it that keep me from giving it top marks. To start, all the controls are analog. I can understand this for the temperature controls, as controlling the heat in an oven like this is a little tricky at the best of times, but I'd really prefer the option for more precision on the cook timer. The tool intended to allow you to slide trays in and out also doesn't do the best job of grabbing the included wire rack. But, for the price, I'm more than willing to put up with the inconveniences that come with the design.
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Boost your confidence with this Upright Go 2 posture trainer. Integrated sensors detect when you're slouching to help train your body for better posture in under 14 days. Use the device by itself or sync with the Upright app on Android or iOS. With a portable design, 30-hour battery life and easy-touch adhesive to keep it safely in place, this Upright Go 2 posture trainer is ideal for all-day wear.
Customer Rating
5
Surprisingly polished experience
on September 20, 2019
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
Like most sedentary white-collar workers, my posture is abominable. I have back issues, neck issues, and shoulder issues because of it, and yet whenever I set about to try and fix the problem I find it's all too easy to slide (or rather slump) back into old habits.
The Go 2 from Upright seeks to fix this problem in the way that most smart devices do - through buzzing notifications you can't help but take note of. I'll admit, I was on the fence about the concept when I first heard about it. I imagined any number of ways that the little thing could turn out to be inadequate or poorly designed.
It was only after I'd gotten used to using it that I realized the one thing I'd never really expected was for it to be really, really well designed.
The initial startup is pretty simple. Once you've downloaded the app and connected the device, you're asked to create an account and enter a few pertinent details regarding your height, weight, gender, and the sort of issues you're seeking to resolve. Once you've done this, it feeds it into an algorithm and pops out a (supposedly customized) plan for improving your posture. For me, it recommended a 23 day program where each day I'd do a little more training. I'm only four days in at this point, but already my dance instructor roommate has commented on the fact that I do seem to be standing up a bit more straight than usual. We'll have to see if this sticks once the training regimen is over, but I'm hopeful.
As far as the overall user experience goes, both the app and the device receive top marks. The device attaches between your shoulders with an adhesive pad (there's a fairly generous supply of them included with the device.) Once you've put it on, you will be asked to stand up straight and indicate on the app that you're doing so to allow the sensor to figure out what correct posture looks like on you. From there it's surprisingly accurate at figuring out when the top half of your back is straight, though there are definitely still a few unhealthy poses you can do with your lower back that will trick it into thinking you're sitting properly. When I was first trying the device on I figured this would be a weak point of the system, but I'm pleased to say I was completely wrong on that. The adhesives are very effective, easily lasting an entire day and then some without moving. They never irritated my skin, nor is the device itself that uncomfortable. I generally completely forgot about it a few minutes after putting it on. Indeed, that actually got me into trouble a couple of times when I left the house intended to wear it, only to realize that I'd left it on the end table charging! Also, as a side note, the sensor gets bonus points for using USB-C for charging.
From that point, using the device is more or less invisible. The sensor doesn't actually buzz you all that often. It's pretty much always active during the few minutes a day it wants you to train, but after that it'll try to switch to a tracking mode which simply monitors how well you do throughout the day. It will still buzz you if it detects a prolonged period of bad posture, but after a couple days I found those reminders became increasingly rare (another reason for me to suspect it's actually having the intended effect and training me to sit up a little straighter.)
The software allows for a tremendous degree of customization if you find you want something a little different than its recommended training as well. You can change the intensity, duration, and pattern of vibrations, how long it should let you slouch before warning you, and how far off center is acceptable. I found this to be both a blessing and a curse. It's generally always great to have options, but I have to admit it was a little too easy at times to think of rationalizations for turning down the sensitivity a little in the name of comfort. I'm currently still of the opinion that this is a good thing, but we'll have to see how strong I stay once I've graduated to half an hour of training a day.
It's definitely not a miracle fix, and it's no substitute for proper medical care for people with really severe back issues. But for an average keyboard jockey like myself, this is a fantastic gadget that I'd gladly recommend to anyone looking for a reminder to improve their posture.
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Store, share and transport files with the lightweight Western Digital My Passport Portable Hard Drive. The SuperSpeed USB port lets you transfer large files in seconds and 256-bit AES hardware encryption helps keep your files secure. The My Passport provides enough space to store thousands of files and documents. Auto backup capability allows you to select the time and frequency of file transfers.
Customer Rating
4
An effective, if imperfect, backup solution.
on August 18, 2019
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
Backing up your computer is a little like brushing your teeth after eating lunch. Everyone knows it’s a good idea. Just about everyone has the means of doing it. And yet it’s just enough of an inconvenience that virtually no one does. The WD Passport series seeks to use a combination of cost-effective hardware and user friendly software to reduce that inconvenience to one that most people will be willing to improve their bad habits, and this one is no exception.
As far as the hardware goes, it’s solid but doesn’t do much to really stand out regarding what you get. Inside the fairly rugged (and heavy) case is a standard 2.5” drive of the same sort you’d find in a laptop plugged into a USB 3.0 interface. I can’t see any evidence of additional shock or vibration protection being used to help combat the problems mechanical drives usually experience when being taken on the go, so a padded carrying case may not be a bad idea if you plan to use it like that. While they get marks for not requiring an external power brick and using a replaceable, non-proprietary cable they lose some ground here for using the Micro B connector to connect the drive rather than the more durable (and ubiquitous) USB-C connection standard. This is particularly annoying for a portable device, as finding one of these cables out in the wild is borderline impossible in most places, so if you lose it your only option will be to substitute a much slower (and less robust) standard micro USB cable in its place. Also, as is typical in these devices, while the interface may be fast the drive it’s connected to is not. Don’t get me wrong, speeds can be pretty good under the right conditions where the drive’s expanded cache can come into play, but at the end of the day you’ve still got a mechanical laptop drive in there. As such it’s probably not a device I’d recommend for uses where a high transfer speed is essential, such as a portable media vault.
Fortunately, the unit fares a LOT better when it comes to software. Preloaded on the drive is a pair of install wrappers for Western Digital’s Discovery dashboard – one for Windows and one for Mac. Running them should, ideally, download the latest version of the utility from the internet and install it on your machine (though in my case I found I needed to go to Western Digital’s support website and download it from there before it would actually work.) This then lets you install 3 basic apps: one for backups, another for security management, and one for maintenance and health monitoring of the drive. The utilities aren’t likely to blow anyone away with their feature set, but they’re very simple to use and offer more than the barebones functionality you’ll get with a lot of manufacturers. Once each of these optional programs have been installed you’ll be walked through setting up the most basic features of each such as establishing a backup schedule, setting a password for the drive’s encryption (which is hardware based so as to remove a potential bottleneck created by software encryption utilities), and renaming the primary volume. There’s also an option for turning off the status LED for the drive – something that more backup devices could stand to implement given that usually the best time to pull a backup is at night when the computer’s not in use. There’s also an option to save backups to a cloud service such a Dropbox so you don’t have to worry about bringing the drive with you everywhere.
Ultimately, the word I keep coming back to in my head when trying to describe this drive is “effective.” It’s not as rugged or fast as an SSD. It’s not as feature rich or sophisticated as a desktop RAID array or small scale NAS appliance. And it’s not as automatic as a cloud backup service that’s constantly running in the background. But it is inexpensive, easy to use, and big enough to take just about anything you might throw at it. And for most people, that should be enough to meet their needs.
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Experience enhanced precision and comfort with this Logitech wireless gaming mouse. The optical sensor delivers pinpoint accuracy for an enhanced gaming experience, while the wireless design offers strong freedom of movement. This Logitech wireless gaming mouse features 11 programmable buttons for creating macros and performing a wide range of custom functions.
Customer Rating
5
I think this one's Batman.
on July 24, 2019
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
There are basically two schools of thought when it comes to gaming mice. One favors stripped down minimalism focusing on low weight and simple designs that are likely to pass muster at an e-sports tournament. The other, which is the one I prefer, is that one should stick a button on every possible surface of the mouse that makes sense, then add two more for good measure.
The G903 might be the first mouse I've used that actually caters to both of those positions at the same time. And if that isn't enough to get your attention, the rest of the features absolutely will.
First up, I'd like to talk about build quality. This is an astonishingly sturdy mouse given the fact that they've gone to extraordinary lengths to make it weigh about as much as a pair of tissues and half the buttons are only being held on by tiny magnets. The case is a sturdy plastic with a light non-rubberized finish, and potential weak spots (such as the the point where the main buttons join the rest of the body) have been reinforced with exposed gussets to provide strength without adding weight. The buttons themselves are mechanical and feature metal springs to provide an appropriate level of tension, giving it a very pleasant feel that's substantially more "solid" than what you get from even other high end mice. The scroll wheel is primarily metal with a standard rubber tread strip in the middle. They've even reinforced the micro-USB charging/data cable to pretty much rule out the possibility of you ruining the port on the mouse by typical rough handling. I foresee no problems tossing this in your bag and bringing it with you on the road. They even included a rigid carrying case for the small accessories you're more likely to lose, like the removable button covers.
Speaking of, the customization options you get with this mouse is another major selling point. The mouse has an ambidextrous design, with a total of 4 removable thumb buttons (2 on each side.) Everything's held on by magnets, making it very easy to swap out the buttons based on what you need. Since I'm of the opinion that you can always use more buttons I immediately replaced the button cover on the right hand side with two more buttons to give myself some pinkie switches. It was a little awkward at first, given that the mouse tapers a little sharply at the front and my hands are on the larger side, but once I'd trained myself to stop hitting them by accident and set them up as copy/paste buttons via Logitech's G-Hub application I was quite pleased by them. This program also lets you fine-tune the lighting effects and the Hero sensor, which by default will top out at a very twitchy 6,400 DPI rather than its full 16,000. This is, in my opinion, a good thing. At full sensitivity even the tiniest mouse movement will send the cursor across a standard 1080p display. Also worth pointing out is that unlike a lot of wireless gaming mice, all these customization options can be set over a wireless connection rather than requiring you to plug it into your USB port for the more advanced programming. There's also an included 10g weight you can install in the back of the mouse if you prefer something just a little heavier, in the same socket that allows you to install the powerplay wireless charging puck that lets you charge the mouse off of a powerplay enabled mouse pad while you use it. Pretty much the only thing you can't add on here is a thumb or finger rest.
Finally, i want to talk about what it's like using the mouse for tasks that aren't gaming (since for most people that will sadly represent the bulk of what it gets used for.) And I have to say it's pretty good for that too. The wireless connection is rock solid, and is indeed so close to wired performance that you're unlikely to notice the difference. They've included one of Logitech's excellent hybrid scroll wheels that can switch between ratcheting and smooth action (and if you've never tried one of these before, trust me, they're amazing) and it's very easy to change the DPI to something more conducive to productivity without needing to go into the app. The only real concession they've made is that unlike most Logitech mice that use the hybrid scroll wheel design, the switch between the ratchet and smooth modes has to be done manually rather than automatically in what I'm pretty sure was done to keep weight down. And I did find myself missing a thumb rest, and I've gotten very used to canted mice that are a bit easier on your wrist, so it's probably not what I'd recommend for someone who's looking exclusively for a productivity device unless you're working in a field such as design work where you really need the high quality sensor and adjustable DPI. But it's certainly a better experience than most devices out there, and is definitely one of the only mice of this quality that can be easily and seamlessly adapted for left hand use.
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Experience an immersive acoustic performance with these Sony XB Extra Bass wireless headphones. The noise-isolating fit mutes ambient noises, while the lithium-ion battery offers up to 30 hours of playtime, keeping you entertained during long-distance travels. These Sony XB Extra Bass wireless headphones have a touch sensor for convenient control.
Customer Rating
4
Great sound and features, just a few rough edges
on July 21, 2019
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
The WH-XB900N is a very good set of headphones.
This really shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone. Sony has a proven track record when it comes to the quality of their A/V gear, and this is certainly not going to be the device that breaks the trend. So instead of talking too much about the sound, I'm going to focus on the rest of the features of these headphones which are sadly something of a mixed bag.
The first thing you'll notice on taking these out of the box is how few controls there are compared to your typical high end wireless headphones. Sony has usually eschewed the somewhat confusing combination of button taps or gestures that other headphone manufacturers have gone with to try and get a more clean look, opting instead for an array of buttons, sliders, and dials that can easily be operated by touch. These headphones have done away with all that in favor of a touch/gesture sensitive casing on the earcup that lets you tap (or in some cases just wave) past certain spots on the case to control things.
This is a feature that I really, really want to love, but in practice I find I'm missing the reliable physical controls. It works great for broad gestures, such as holding one hand up to the side of the headphones to engage an audio pass-through mode to let you hear someone talking to you (a brilliant bit of UX, by the way, as that's a natural motion to use when you're going to be shifting the headphones off your ear anyway.) But even after a couple weeks trying to train myself on how to use the volume and playback controls, I'm still finding that my results are mixed at the best of times. As a result I've been mostly relying on device controls or using the google assistant to adjust volume for me. It still works, but it does feel like a slight step backwards.
Speaking of device controls, the app that allows you to make fine adjustments to the audio and features of the headphones is another area where the unit gets high marks. Out of the box the headphones definitely favor the deeper tones (they are sold for that, after all) so it's nice to be able to fine tune the audio if you want just a little less extra in your bass. Setup was pretty much as painless as it gets on Android - and I'd assume the iOS experience is equally good. All you really need to do is tap the NFC active area to your phone and follow the prompts. The Google assistant features started working immediately and automatically. It still requires you to be tethered to a phone to really get any use out of it (which is the norm for these devices) but as anyone who's come to rely on these features can tell you you can really never have enough enabled devices.
Another thing I'd like to highlight is that Sony has finally decided to start equipping their top of the lines headphones with USB-C ports instead of micro-USB. Unfortunately as far as I can tell it's only used for charging rather than audio input, which would be nice for instances where you've been caught with a dead battery and don't have the option of going with the standard headphone jack. Still, it's one less cable I need to bring along with me while travelling.
As for comfort, I'd rate that as good but not quite perfect. There's a lot of very generous padding in this thing which makes it pretty comfortable to wear, but also does tend to trap heat. I'd definitely recommend it primarily for those who have the benefit of air conditioning, as it can be quite brutal out in the sun. And the noise cancellation does an exceptionally good job of filtering out mechanical background noises, so you won't even have to hear the AC blasting away.
Overall, despite some persistent issues that kept me from giving this a full five star rating, I like these headphones quite a lot. The advanced noise cancellation and pass through features make them an ideal choice for frequent travellers or someone who regularly works in an environment where they have to put up with a lot of fan noise. But they might not be the best pick for regular workout gear.
Mobile Submission: False
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Keep your carpets in pristine condition with this HOOVER ONEPWR Spotless GO cordless carpet cleaner. The lightweight design simplifies cleaning on stairs and upholstery, while the 4-inch scrubbing tool removes stubborn stains. This HOOVER ONEPWR Spotless Go cordless carpet cleaner comes with a 2.0 Ah rechargeable battery for prolonged cord-free usage.
Customer Rating
4
A must have for housebreaking
on July 8, 2019
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
Right off the bat, I do have to call the product out for one thing. If you look at the pictures Hoover has posted online and placed on the box, you will see quite a lot of smiling people cleaning up after suitably chagrined looking dogs.
After spending about two weeks putting this thing through its paces with the "help" of my dachshund, I can say that there was very little of either going on whenever I took this out. But my carpets do look considerably better than they would have otherwise.
Operation of the cleaner is very simple. You fill up the cleaning reservoir, plug in the battery pack, and press start. From then on just about everything is done with the cleaning head, which combines a sprayer, brush, and vacuum in a single unit. There's not too much complexity going on there - the brushes aren't motorized, the vacuum doesn't have an abundance of power or any special tricks to coax liquid out of the carpet, and the sprayer distributes the cleaning fluid in a broad fan roughly the same width as the brush head. But for the most part that's all you need. A few minutes of scrubbing and about a dozen passes with the vacuum won't be enough to completely eliminate any stains left in a light colored carpet, but it does eliminate most of the odor and reduces the coloration down to an acceptable level. The stains will still show up under a blacklight, but they're a lot dimmer than what's left after using my previous go-to of conventional cleaners and paper towels. The machine did a little less well on some of the older stains that had been set in the carpet from previous incidents. I suspect this is mostly the result of the specific cleaning formula that comes with it, which Hoover strongly recommends be the only thing you use with it. It's pretty decent at picking up fresh stains and was able to pick up at least a little of the older stuff, but the improvements were nowhere near as dramatic.
It receives full marks for cleanup though. The holding tank is a bit on the large size but still small enough to fit in a bathroom sink, and features a straightforward design with very few places for crud to get caught inside. Rinsing it out after each use is pretty much all you need to get the job done - and flushing out the brush and hose is almost as effortless.
In short, this isn't going to replace a full carpet cleaner. But if you've got something like it on hand when the accidents do occur, you'll likely find you'll be needing one a lot less often.
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I would recommend this to a friend!
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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?
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3 years ago
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Batlacit
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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
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3 years ago
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How about adding the endurance specification to your descriptions?
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Batlacit
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3 years, 3 months ago
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Batlacit
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3 years, 3 months ago
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Batlacit
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