Batlacit's stats
- Review count192
- Helpfulness votes909
- First reviewFebruary 13, 2016
- Last reviewMay 16, 2024
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.4
Reviews comments
- Review comment count0
- Helpfulness votes0
- First review commentNone
- Last review commentNone
- Featured review comments0
Questions
- Question count0
- Helpfulness votes0
- First questionNone
- Last questionNone
- Featured questions0
- Answer count55
- Helpfulness votes96
- First answerSeptember 21, 2016
- Last answerJanuary 21, 2022
- Featured answers0
- Best answers11
Clear dry and wet dirt off the floor with this ECOVACS DEEBOT OZMO robot vacuum. Its automatic mopping system uses an electronically controlled water pump to dampen and clean hard floors, and its Smart Navi technology ensures precise mapping for an efficient cleaning path. This ECOVACS DEEBOT OZMO robot vacuum automatically switches modes to clean carpets.
Customer Rating
4
Smarter than the average puck, but not perfect
on April 12, 2018
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
I’ve been an avid fan of robotic vacuums for a long time, having started with one of the earliest Roombas and upgraded every few generations from there. And for a long time no matter what manufacturer you went with, the basic premise behind how they work has stayed the same. The robot will keep moving until it hits something, then turn around and go off in a random direction from there. Eventually, it covers the entirety of your floor.
The most recent designs from several manufacturers have been starting to change that though. While random navigation worked well enough, it was slow and meant that you tended to get uneven coverage over the floor. Now, people are starting to use advances in tracking technology to create robots that can intelligently map out and navigate through their surroundings. The Deebot Ozmo 930 (or Ozmo, as I’ve named mine) does this using a LIDAR system on the top of its standard hockey puck shaped body to help it build a complete map of the area you want it to clean so that it goes over every area twice using the same kind of pattern you’d use yourself with an upright. And if that isn’t enough, it also features the ability to tell what kind of floor it’s on and use a wet mop to clean it.
With all that it seems like it would be the perfect robotic vacuum. Unfortunately, I have to say that while I do like the product overall, it’s got a lot of rough edges that keep it from being everything that it’s advertised to be.
To start with the good, the mapping system does mostly work. It constructs a very detailed map (which you can see on the Ecovacs app) which you can use to designate where it should and shouldn’t clean as well as setting up a schedule that allows it to tackle large areas in several attempts rather than running out of battery half way through. What’s even better is that the robot is very good at updating the map to account for minor changes to the positioning of certain landmarks such as chairs or pets.
The only problem here is that while the map works great, I can’t really give it full marks because of one serious flaw in the design. Whenever the robot becomes confused about its location (which seems to happen whenever I go to clean the brushes) it will happily delete the map, along with any instructions you’ve given about where not to clean, what certain areas are called, or what schedule it should use to clean those areas.
Next, we have the cleaning performance. The Ozmo has two vacuuming options: a standard beater brush and a direct suction mode intended for homes where hair can be a problem. Since I live in a home with two pets and a long-haired woman and have had brushes literally shredded by tightly wound hair before, I started out with the direct suction option which the instructions said were best for daily cleaning. It worked well enough in that it didn’t produce any tangles. But as anyone who’s used these vacuums can tell you, there’s a world of difference between the suction that you can get with an upright and the suction you can get in a tiny robot. Overall I found that the direct suction wasn’t very good at picking up hair or much else. Switching to the brush produced far better cleaning performance, and it would generally fill up the bin and leave the floors looking visibly cleaner. The mop was a little harder to judge. Admittedly I don’t have a ton of hard floors that need wet mopping in my environment, but my kitchen floors are usually always in need of some attention. On the default setting it didn’t do much at all, but when I raised the water output to high it did a decent job of picking up small messes. Only thing I really noticed here was that it’s best to run through multiple cycles, as it takes a little while for the robot to dispense enough water to the cleaning pad to do anything.
Finally, there’s the overall build. I’m mostly happy with this except for one thing: the height. For whatever reason, this robot sits a little higher off the ground than most, which makes it adept at climbing on top of things. At one point it managed to climb on top of a plate and rode around the living room on top of it, thinking that it was cleaning a ceramic tile floor. It’s far from the only robot that can do things like this, but it’s worth mentioning as you’ll want to watch out for it. It’s also unfortunately quite easy for the robot to become stuck on its own charging base if it moves too far forward for some reason, in which case it’ll simply spin its little wheels trying to disengage until eventually giving up.
Finally, there’s the overall build. I’m mostly happy with this except for one thing: the height. For whatever reason, this robot sits a little higher off the ground than most, which makes it adept at climbing on top of things. At one point it managed to climb on top of a plate and rode around the living room on top of it, thinking that it was cleaning a ceramic tile floor. It’s far from the only robot that can do things like this, but it’s worth mentioning as you’ll want to watch out for it. It’s also unfortunately quite easy for the robot to become stuck on its own charging base if it moves too far forward for some reason, in which case it’ll simply spin its little wheels trying to disengage until eventually giving up.
There are a few other features that I haven’t been able to try out yet, such as the integration with Alexa and Google Home which is apparently coming in an upcoming software update. Hopefully that update will also address the map issue and give it a warm-up period for the wet mop to help it do a better job on its first pass. But I’m anticipating liking them if the implementation is in line with the rest of the features.
Overall, my impression of the vacuum is positive. It’s quieter and faster than any of the previous models I’ve owned, and its cleaning performance is satisfactory. But I think that a lot of the most ambitious features such as the smart navigation and wet mopping might take a few more tries to perfect. It’s more a glimpse of where the tech is going rather than a fully functional example of it. Just understand that you’ll still need to provide some oversight to keep it running at its best, and you should find that it greatly cuts down on the amount of day to day cleaning you need to do!
My Best Buy number: 2187428738
Mobile Submission: True
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+13points
15of 17voted this as helpful.
Improve your dental care routine with this Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean electric toothbrush. It has three modes for a customized brushing experience and a pressure sensor to protect your gums from over-brushing. This Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean electric toothbrush has a built-in timer to encourage you to meet the recommended brushing time.
Customer Rating
5
My dentist will be pleased.
on March 22, 2018
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
I've been using an electric toothbrush since sometime around high school. It worked well enough and was definitely more effective at getting me to brush the recommended two minutes than any manual brush, but it was definitely starting to show signs of its age for a while before it finally gave up the ghost and refused to charge anymore. When I saw the Philips Sonicare brush I figured that it would be a worthy replacement just for the fact that it not only made sure you brushed long enough, but also made sure that you'd devote the correct amount of time to each area of your mouth.
And my first impression is that wow, they've changed these A LOT since I was in high school.
I had heard of ultrasonic toothbrushes before, but I had never really tried one. My first impression was, admittedly, shock. The thing buzzed so strongly that I splattered toothpaste all over the mirror and made my lips go numb. But then I went back, read the instructions very carefully, and tried again. And this thing is so much better than my old toothbrush that I'm kind of regretting that I didn't upgrade sooner!
The hardest thing to get used to really is the experience of brushing your teeth with the thing. Unlike older brushes which had bristles that spun or brushed over your teeth, this one simply vibrates at a speed that I could only begin to imagine. While this can feel a little harsh on your lips, it's actually remarkably gentle on your teeth and gums. That part especially is worth the price of entry to me - my old toothbrush was thorough, but did have a tendency to leave my gums sore and bleeding from time to time. This one, so long as you use it with the light touch recommended in the operating manual, can go straight up to the gum line without irritating them at all, and that's with the brush head specifically designed for whitening your teeth. It's also got just about the right number of smart features for me. It doesn't have the ability to interface with an app, like some of the more expensive Philips brushes, but honestly I can't say that I think I need that. It does monitor the pressure you use when brushing (giving you a slight buzz if you're pressing down too hard) and uses that information to track the wear you're putting on the brush head so that it can advise you when you need to replace it. It also features an option to help you get used to the harsh vibrations if you've never used a brush like this before, where for the first fourteen uses it'll slowly scale up the intensity. I admittedly opted not to use that feature since I was more interested in getting the "clinical efficiency" boasted on the cover which promised to whiten your teeth within a week, but it's appreciated all the same.
Unfortunately, I can't really speak to if the claim about it whitening your teeth holds up. They do certainly feel cleaner having been regularly using the brush for about a week, and there are a few spots that might have gotten a bit brighter than they were, but frankly it's hard to tell if that's actually the result of the brush or just the result of me looking for signs that it worked. I also have to say that I don't really care. This thing works so much better and is so much easier on my gums and sensitive teeth than the electric brush I was using before that I'm completely sold on it. If you're looking to establish a more enjoyable working relationship with your dentist, I don't think there's any way you can go wrong with this one!
My Best Buy number: 2187428738
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
Add music to your day with these Sony wireless headphones. Their noise cancelling technology uses artificial intelligence to adapt to your environment and reduce background sounds for enjoyable listening. The Quick Charging battery on these over-ear Sony wireless headphones provides up to 35 hours of playback for convenience.
Customer Rating
5
Hard to beat active noise cancellation
on March 22, 2018
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
Sony is a brand that's pretty well known for both high quality audio products and adding in way more bells and whistles than most other manufacturers. And I have to say these headphones follow both traditions.
The headphones have pretty much everything you'd expect from high quality over the ear bluetooth headphones these days. A variety of bluetooth codecs, a jack to allow you to plug in a wired connection, impressively long battery life, built in controls, and so on. And they're all just as good as you'd expect from a premium brand. The headphones are lightweight and very comfortable to wear, though albeit they don't block out quite as much external noise as some when you're just wearing them on your head. They've also got support for NFC pairing, which allows you to just tap the headphones to a phone or other NFC enabled device to quickly pair them without needing to go through the usual menus.
But let's face it, you probably already know all of this. The big feature is the active noise cancellation. And these headphones are exemplary in that department.
The key thing that sets this apart is that unlike most noise cancelling headphones which merely have an on/off switch, there are a lot of different ways to configure the noise cancellation system on these. Holding down the noise cancellation button will switch it between the standard mode and an AI assisted version which will listen to the sounds around you try to pick out which ones it should focus on to achieve the best results. I can't say that the difference between the two is hugely noticeable, but there is a difference and the tech does seem to work pretty well. Unfortunately I haven't had the opportunity to test it on an airplane yet, but I have tried it out in environments such as a busy hospital, the backseat of a car, and a datacenter filled with very noisy server racks. And while it did seem that it took the AI mode a little time to acclimate to the environment, the difference between having the headphones on and having them off was really quite striking. Not only that, but I was still able to clearly hear the voices of people trying to talk to me through the noise cancellation, something that immediately makes me like these a lot more than some of the headphones I've tried which block out audio through less high tech means. And if that's not enough, the headphones come with an app which will let you fine-tune the performance of the headphones yourself to get the exact settings you want. While I'll freely admit that I'm nowhere near knowledgeable to use this particular feature fully, the app is fairly easy to work with and even I was able to work out roughly how to tweak the settings to optimize my listening experience for music or movies. I think the best example of how good this can work is when I let a friend of mine with some issues hearing try them out, as she hadn't ever really seen the point in investing in noise cancelling headphones. Not only did she discover that the noise cancelling was a lot more effective than she'd expected, but she was able to get it set to the point where she was actually able to clearly watch a TV show without needing to have the subtitles on!
It's frankly a little hard to say more than that. Yes, there are a few flaws associated with the tech. Noise cancellation does tend to produce a slight but noticeable background static, for instance, which can have a noticeable effect on the overall clarity of the audio you're listening to. The maximum volume was a bit lower than I expected and I'm a little disappointed that the headphones didn't come with some kind of carrying case or longer cables for charging or using a cabled connection. But I can't say that these are issues that are in any way dealbreakers. Quite simply, these headphones work so well that I'd be willing to overlook far greater flaws if I could find any!
My Best Buy number: 2187428738
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Equip your screening room with this Epson home cinema projector. It lets you enjoy movies, games and online content at an image size of up to 300 inches, and it has a built-in 10W speaker for a complete audio and video setup. This Epson home cinema projector has two HDMI ports for connecting a Blu-ray player and video game console.
Customer Rating
5
Great colors even in daylight
on March 15, 2018
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
The Epson 2100 Home Cinema projector offers vibrant colors, a clear image, and great performance in a compact and affordable package. While there are a few downsides to it that you might not find in a more expensive unit, it makes up for it with impressive figures for bulb life and ease of use.
The first thing I noticed when unpacking the projector was the size. Admittedly it's been a while since I worked with a new projector for home theater use, but I was still pleasantly surprised to see that they've reached a point where you can get a unit of this quality that's barely any bigger than a portable data projector. This made the process of getting it mounted on the ceiling much easier than I'd anticipated. Once it was up, getting the image adjusted to fill the screen was the work of just a few minutes.
Out of the box, I have to say the thing looks gorgeous. There's plenty of customization settings that let you tune the image to exactly what you want, but even in the middle of the day in a living room filled with windows the colors were popping and the contrast between light and dark areas was crisp. Even when setting it to Eco mode (which I'd recommend given that it cuts down greatly on fan noise and helps extend the life of the bulb) it was still bright enough to watch during the day. I'm very curious to see how it handles 3D content (which requires the purchase of separate RF shutterglasses that were not included in the box) given its ability to produce such a bright image even in a well lit room.
There are a few downsides to be had here, but they're not particularly grievous. The biggest problem I noticed is that while the low weight makes it fairly easy to mount, the three screws it uses don't seem to be centered around the unit's center of gravity. As a result the projector kept wanting to pitch down when mounted overhead, which required several additional trips up the ladder to fine-tune it to get the image centered. There is a handy dial which allows you to shift the lens vertically a bit to deal with this, but I can't help but feel that a better solution might have been to improve the mounting solution to balance it better.
Another thing I noticed is that the tricks it uses to make the image look much brighter than it is in a well lit room do make the image look a worse in low lighting. Essentially, its pumps up the saturation on the colors to prevent the image from looking washed out. So long as you remember to switch it out of dynamic mode it's not too big of a problem, but seemed worth mentioning. The throw range is also just a little smaller than the unit it was replacing thanks to the more compact lens assembly, so I'd definitely make sure that you measure the room you're thinking of using this in to make sure you're placing the mount a suitable distance away from the screen.
My Best Buy number: 2187428738
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+4points
4of 4voted this as helpful.
Accomplish tasks efficiently with this HP desktop computer. Its Intel Core i7 processor supplies plenty of power for video editing and gaming, and the 16GB of RAM lets you run multiple programs at the same time without performance lag. This HP desktop computer has a large 1TB hard drive for storing files and the Intel Optane Memory is a smart system accelerator that adapts to your everyday computing activities.
Customer Rating
4
Solid midrange performer
on February 25, 2018
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
Between my work and my hobbies, I'm used to working with very high-end computers that have usually been tweaked to get extra performance. This is the first off-the-shelf computer I've used in years, and I have to say I was quite surprised by how capable it is.
The case goes for an aesthetic that's clean and simple. The optical drive is hidden away behind an aluminum panel which could easily be mistaken for a purely decorative piece, the ports and card reader are located on the top of the tower behind a recessed area that keeps them from being immediately visible, and there are no unexposed lights at all on the front panel. The noise produced by the fans is a little louder than some I've heard but still very quiet, and the keyboard and mouse it comes with are both pleasant to look at (albeit not of exceptional quality.)
In terms of performance, the computer benefits from the latest featureset of the 7th generation intel chip that drives it. The biggest boost it gets comes in the form of 16gb of Intel's new Optane memory. This basically takes the place of the page file you'd get on the mechanical hard drive (which is essentially just overflow for RAM) to give you performance closer to what you'd get with an SSD. Of course there's no way around the fact that the relatively slow mechanical drive is a bottleneck when it comes to initially loading up programs into that memory, but once you're over that there is a definite improvement in terms of the overall performance.
The other surprise came in the form of the graphics performance. Unlike most higher end machines, this desktop opts just to rely on the integrated graphics controller on the i7 chip itself rather than using a PCI-E based dedicated GPU. Truth be told, I was expecting this to be a big problem, however much to my surprise the integrated graphics really are quite a lot more capable than I'd have ever expected. I was able to drive a 4K display, play some relatively demanding games, and edit video with only minor glitches to indicate that the integrated graphics were being taxed. It's not quite enough to handle the most graphically demanding out there, but it can handle the most graphically demanding games of five years ago, which is better than I can say for most older integrated graphics.
The only thing that keeps me from giving the unit a full five star rating has to do with the computer's expandability. The case itself is rather well set up to let you upgrade the machine to suit your needs - with easy access to all the parts and a sensible layout that provides good heat management and plenty of space for new equipment. The problem is mostly that some of the key parts don't seem up to the task of driving much more than what's already here. There's plenty of room for a dedicated GPU, for example, but with a power supply only capable of providing 300W you're going to be hard pressed to find one better than the integrated graphics that won't push the limits of what the power supply can provide. They also used an optical drive designed for a laptop to save space which is using a non-ATX connector for power, so dropping a new PSU in might mean giving up the DVD writer. So if I were to decide in a few months that I wanted to use this to drive a VR headset or play the latest games, I'd need to do a fairly major overhaul.
Thing is, I probably wouldn't even mention this if not for the fact that the unit comes so close to being a high-end desktop. Between the support provided for the latest USB standards, the very powerful CPU, and the enhancements provided by the latest memory standards this is probably more computer than most users will need for the next few years, which makes it a pretty good pick for an off-the-shelf desktop for the home or office.
My Best Buy number: 2187428738
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
0points
1of 2voted this as helpful.
Enjoy superior sound and voice quality with these Jabra Elite wireless headphones. Integrated controls let you answer calls, adjust the volume or pause music with the touch of a button, while the included carrying case doubles as a charging station. External ambient noise keeps you aware of your surroundings, while a background noise filter delivers crisp, clear voice calls. With Bluetooth connectivity, these Jabra Elite wireless headphones are easy to pair to a mobile device.
Customer Rating
5
Powerful audio in a compact package
on February 19, 2018
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
In the past few years, bluetooth earbuds have been transitioning more and more from being a luxury item to a basic essential. Ones that are actually good at what they do, however, have remained rather hard to come by. These aren't quite the perfect earbuds that we've all been looking for, but they're definitely my new favorites when it comes to travelling light.
They have pretty much everything one would expect from this particular style of earbud. A small pill-bottle sized carrying case serves double duty as a charger and an extended battery pack, which combine to give you enough longevity to last you pretty much all day. The headphones themselves support HD audio and feature passive noise cancellation. Four microphones offer not only clear audio on the phone, but also an app-configurable passthrough option to let you make use of the noise cancellation without completely cutting off the outside world or anyone you might be trying to carry on a conversation with. And they look about as stylish as something this size that hangs out of your ear can be expected to.
It's an impressive feature set to be sure, and I'm glad to say that after using them for about a week the earbuds do manage to deliver on most of those promises. Audio quality is great, and they're one of the few earbuds I've tried that actually manage to do a passable job handling bass tones. They're also surprisingly comfortable given how much heavier they are than most earbuds. In fact they fit so well that I'm at a bit of a loss to explain how it is that they stay in. And unlike many similar wireless earbuds I've tried, I've never run into an issue where the two get out of sync with one another or one fails to connect. They've even got sensors within the earbuds that can detect when they're in your ear and immediately pause whatever it is you're listening to when they're removed, which is a perfect example of one of those features no one really needs but we all get used to having far more quickly than we expect.
Unfortunately, I can't quite call these things perfect. To start, it is only using passive noise cancellation, which basically just means that they're designed in such a way that they block sound (or at least specific frequencies of it) rather than actively cancelling out the waveform of ambient noise like active noise cancelling headphones and earbuds do. It's definitely a step above most earbuds and headphones, but not really comparable to active noise cancellation. This is most noticeable when you're using the audio passthrough feature. It does manage to cut out most ambient noise, but the strange thing about it is that the specific acoustics also tends to amplify noises that you'd never expect. When I first tried them, I was rather surprised to realize that I could literally hear a "thump" whenever I blinked, and the pass through audio tended to clearly relay the sound of my shoes hitting pavement when I took them out for a walk. I was able to tweak it in the optional app to be more in line with what I was looking for, but even with that I'd say that the feature works best for more sedentary activities like trying to carry on a conversation while on an airplane. Otherwise I think that my current fallback of only using one earbud remains my preferred way of maintaining situational awareness.
Even if it's not quite the last pair of earbuds I'll ever want though, I have to say that overall I love these things. I'm sure that other people who demand the best from their headphones might find issues with them, but for what I use them for I'm really very impressed by the Elite 65t.
My Best Buy number: 2187428738
Mobile Submission: True
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Enhance your listening experience with these Plantronics headphones. They wirelessly connect to any Bluetooth-enabled device to eliminate the hassle of traditional corded models, and they work with Siri, Cortana and other virtual assistants for convenient control. A single charge lasts up to 18 hours, so you can listen to your Plantronics headphones worry-free all day long.
Customer Rating
3
Probably best to stick to the gym with these.
on January 24, 2018
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
The first thing I noticed about these headphones is their build. It's rare to find hardware that can stay so light while also feeling solid in the hand, and the Backbeat FIT headphones definitely do that. Which is very appropriate given that the're very obviously geared towards workout use.
It was admittedly a little hard to get used to the idea of wearing them while working out at first. The biggest reason is that the headphones do a surprisingly thorough job of blocking out exterior noise, to the point that a friend of mine who tried them on actually mistook them for ones with active noise cancellation. Thing is, I'm not entirely convinced that's a good thing. Most of the time when I'm working out I try to be actively moving, usually on a bike or a trail of some kind. And in those circumstances I really don't feel that comfortable wearing something that blocks out that much exterior noise. If there's someone coming up alongside me, I want to hear it before it happens. Which is kind of a shame, because apart from that I actually really like these. The battery life is great, the big control buttons on the side are a lot easier to use than anything else I've tried, and it passes audio through to my phone's assistant well enough for me to rely on voice controls. Actual playback quality is somewhat lacking compared to some other headphones I've tried, but it's good enough for listening to when you're out and about. And unlike most over-the-ear headphones, the fit on these is surprisingly firm. I tried my best to shake them free running in place (which truthfully was closer to headbanging at some points) and they stayed right where they were supposed to.
Overall I think that these are really ideal for use in a gym where their ability to block out ambient noise becomes more of a feature than a concern. For everything else, as much as I like the comfort and easy to use controls on these, I think I'm going to have to stick with something with a bit more pass-through.
It was admittedly a little hard to get used to the idea of wearing them while working out at first. The biggest reason is that the headphones do a surprisingly thorough job of blocking out exterior noise, to the point that a friend of mine who tried them on actually mistook them for ones with active noise cancellation. Thing is, I'm not entirely convinced that's a good thing. Most of the time when I'm working out I try to be actively moving, usually on a bike or a trail of some kind. And in those circumstances I really don't feel that comfortable wearing something that blocks out that much exterior noise. If there's someone coming up alongside me, I want to hear it before it happens. Which is kind of a shame, because apart from that I actually really like these. The battery life is great, the big control buttons on the side are a lot easier to use than anything else I've tried, and it passes audio through to my phone's assistant well enough for me to rely on voice controls. Actual playback quality is somewhat lacking compared to some other headphones I've tried, but it's good enough for listening to when you're out and about. And unlike most over-the-ear headphones, the fit on these is surprisingly firm. I tried my best to shake them free running in place (which truthfully was closer to headbanging at some points) and they stayed right where they were supposed to.
Overall I think that these are really ideal for use in a gym where their ability to block out ambient noise becomes more of a feature than a concern. For everything else, as much as I like the comfort and easy to use controls on these, I think I'm going to have to stick with something with a bit more pass-through.
My Best Buy number: 2187428738
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Make your home a more welcoming hub with this Philips Hue white ambiance A19 starter kit. Whether you desire a warm natural glow or energizing color tones, customize it just the way you like with the accompanying app. For parties, easily sync your lights to music with this Philips Hue white ambiance A19 starter kit.
Customer Rating
5
Easy setup, great bulbs
on December 23, 2017
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
The Hue bulbs have always been my go-to recommendation for smart lighting. They're easy to install, well built, compatible with just about everything, and rather fun to use. But I'd never tried their ambiance bulbs before, which ditch the color changing features to offer comparatively simple adjustable white lighting. And after using them for a bit, I have to say that they're just as good as you'd expect.
The only real setup that's required is the installation of the bridge, which is completely compatible with all Hue bulbs that have ever been released. Apart from that, it's all just screwing in light bulbs (and naming them after, if you need.) Which also made me realize there are a few difference between these and the white & color bulbs that are worth noting. For a start, these are much lighter, presumably because they dispense with the thick glass diffuser you need to even out the color for a much simpler plastic one. This means there are some places where you can install the white bulbs, such as in long necked adjustable lamps, where the color bulbs would be too heavy for the fixtures. These third generation bulbs are also a notable improvement over the ones that came before in regards to brightness. While the earlier ones tended to be about as bright as a 40 watt incandescent bulb, they've managed to boost the brightness up to a full 800 lumens (roughly a 60 watt equivalent.)
Another thing I feel I should comment on is the ease of integrating the parts into an existing Hue setup. I had a fairly well fleshed out 1st generation setup which had been starting to have some compatibility issues with the latest Google assistant, and getting the second generation bridge included in this starter kit swapped in was about as painless as it could be. All I had to do was plug both of them in, go into the app and tell it which ones were which, and then wait for all my existing settings and scenes to transfer over. Only downside to this is that I did have to manually add the four white bulbs that came with it back in afterwards, but fortunately it only takes a few seconds for them to sync up again.
I'm really not sure what else I can say about these. The Philips hue system is probably the most mature smart bulb product on the market. If you're not sure about or just don't need the ability to change the colors of your lighting but still want to outfit your house with relatively inexpensive smart lighting that won't require rewiring, this is the system for you.
My Best Buy number: 2187428738
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Stream music uninterrupted with this water-resistant JBL portable speaker. It delivers immersive, high-quality audio inside or outside, and it's compatible with your favorite music apps for straightforward streaming via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. This black JBL portable speaker comes with the voice-activated Google Assistant, so you can control it hands-free.
Customer Rating
5
Okay Google, why don't they all have batteries?
on December 12, 2017
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
The biggest problem I've found with having a digital assistant for the home is that the moment you get used to it, you start wanting to buy more. That only gets worse if you've invested in other smart home products that you use the assistant to control for you. Sure, you can buy one for each room of the house, as the makers of the devices probably hope you will, but how much use are you really going to get out of a smart speaker in the garage, or the bathroom?
Enter the Link. If a week with this doesn't convince you that a battery should be standard equipment for anything with a Google assistant built in, I can only assume that you live in a studio apartment. Not only is it portable, but it's rugged enough to survive the occasional trip into the bathroom, the garage, or the pool without leaving you having to buy yet another replacement speaker.
Even if we set aside the surprising utility added to the assistant features by not being tied to an outlet, this thing is a great little speaker. It's got quite a lot of oomph in its sound output, and while some might find it a little underwhelming in the bass department the audio is crisp and about as good as you can get from a Bluetooth link. It's also nice to see that they adopted actual buttons rather than the usual capacitive panels for the controls, which I find just work better for a portable device when you don't always know if you'll have to be operating it with gloves. It's also got one of JBL's rather clever charging cables which can plug into a charger or a computer in any orientation - the only thing that could have made it better is if it charged off of USB-C so you didn't have to worry about plugging in the micro-usb port upside down.
The only real downsides I found playing with it are largely theoretical. The waterproofing, for instance, only works so long as you remember to close up a rubber cap over the charging port. While the piece itself looks quite robust, I've seen enough of these break off over the years to think that if anything ever does end up killing the speaker this will probably be it. There's also a very bright and very visible WiFi indicator on the front that might make it a bit annoying if you're thinking of using it in the bedroom. An option to turn off these lights would have been a nice addition. Finally, I'll admit that with only five hours of battery life this might not be my go-to choice for a portable speaker unless I specifically want the functionality offered by the Google assistant. Personally it's rare that I ever find myself in such a situation, but it's worth considering regardless.
All in all, it's a solid choice for a home speaker, particularly if you don't want to have to get one for every room of the house.
My Best Buy number: 2187428738
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+4points
4of 4voted this as helpful.
Go from hundreds of mystery folders to a visual view of your photos automatically sorted by date, subject, people, and places. See your best photos auto-curated based on quality, faces, subjects, and more. Make your photos look amazing with automated photo editing options, and create and share printed artwork, new dynamic slideshows, photo collages, and gifts for friends and family.
Customer Rating
4
Photoshop for the home
on November 21, 2017
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
It's almost hard to know what to say about Photoshop. The program has been the standard for photo editing for ages now, and while each version of the program has come with minor upgrades and improvements the overall workflow has remained fairly consistent for several generations now.
The most important thing to keep in mind about Elements is that while it's got much of the same features as the full version, it's aimed much more at home users than it is design professionals. Many of the more advanced tools are omitted, for instance, as is the integration with other creative suite programs. You're hardly going to notice this for typical photo editing. In fact you might even find it to be an advantage, as in their place you have an abundance of automated functions to manage and edit your photo library. The spot healing brush, which can be used to quickly remove blemishes and damage to an image, is a surprising standout in this regard. Others, such as the perspective correction tool, are a bit more underwhelming, but still fun to work with.
The other big part of the package is the photo organizer. It's a very capable system, with automatic facial recognition, event and location sorting, and full integration with elements. But I can't really say that it does that much that you can't get with other programs these days, so it's more of a "nice to have" rather than a key selling point.
Overall, this is probably about as full featured a package as you can get for managing and touching up your own photo library.
My Best Buy number: 2187428738
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Batlacit's Review Comments
Batlacit has not submitted comments on any reviews.
Batlacit's Questions
Batlacit has not submitted any questions.
From the rock revolution of the ‘60s, to the art scene of the ‘80s, to the forefront of hip-hop culture – Wayfarer has become an enduring icon across endlessly shifting horizons. Now the journey continues with the latest in wearable tech. Ray-Ban Stories Wayfarer integrates the best of your phone with the timeless frame, bringing you a new way to capture and share your adventures.
I'm unable to find a phone compatibility list, does anyone know if this works with android phones too?
Yes, it works just fine on Android. No idea why they don't advertise it on the box.
2 years, 4 months ago
by
Batlacit
This Element 27" frameless gaming monitor provides everything you need for premium gameplay or everyday tasks. This 1440P resolution monitor is equipped with FreeSync Technology for avoiding tearing and reducing stuttering. With easy set-up for multiple screens, you're able to expand your view and get more done. The 16:9 widescreen resolution partnered with a 1ms response time and 165hz refresh rate allows a vivid, realistic picture so you can be immersed in your gaming world. Built-in speakers and a sleek, frameless screen enable the monitor to blend with your decor for a clean aesthetic.
Is this monitor good for an Xbox one s gaming? I'm new to monitors and this one would be my first one
The integrated audio is pretty bad even by monitor standards, but apart from that it should work fine for console gaming. It's not going to deliver an exceptional experience, but it should be able to beat most TVs as far as latency goes.
2 years, 4 months ago
by
Batlacit
This Element 27" frameless gaming monitor provides everything you need for premium gameplay or everyday tasks. This 1440P resolution monitor is equipped with FreeSync Technology for avoiding tearing and reducing stuttering. With easy set-up for multiple screens, you're able to expand your view and get more done. The 16:9 widescreen resolution partnered with a 1ms response time and 165hz refresh rate allows a vivid, realistic picture so you can be immersed in your gaming world. Built-in speakers and a sleek, frameless screen enable the monitor to blend with your decor for a clean aesthetic.
Is this a good monitor for competitive gaming on the ps5 ???
This Element 27" frameless gaming monitor provides everything you need for premium gameplay or everyday tasks. This 1440P resolution monitor is equipped with FreeSync Technology for avoiding tearing and reducing stuttering. With easy set-up for multiple screens, you're able to expand your view and get more done. The 16:9 widescreen resolution partnered with a 1ms response time and 165hz refresh rate allows a vivid, realistic picture so you can be immersed in your gaming world. Built-in speakers and a sleek, frameless screen enable the monitor to blend with your decor for a clean aesthetic.
Does it have a hdmi?
Yes, it has two HDMI ports and does come with both an HDMI and DP cable.
2 years, 4 months ago
by
Batlacit
This Element 27" frameless gaming monitor provides everything you need for premium gameplay or everyday tasks. This 1440P resolution monitor is equipped with FreeSync Technology for avoiding tearing and reducing stuttering. With easy set-up for multiple screens, you're able to expand your view and get more done. The 16:9 widescreen resolution partnered with a 1ms response time and 165hz refresh rate allows a vivid, realistic picture so you can be immersed in your gaming world. Built-in speakers and a sleek, frameless screen enable the monitor to blend with your decor for a clean aesthetic.
Does it have integrated speakers?
Yes. But they sound horrible and require you to go through two menu layers to change the volume. I wouldn't consider them as a selling point.
2 years, 4 months ago
by
Batlacit
An industry defining 49” 1000R curved screen, equipped with a cutting edge Quantum Matrix HDR2000 panel, 240hz refresh rate, G-Sync and FreeSync Premium Pro support, 1ms GTG response rates, and fully customizable Odyssey Infinity Core lighting.
DP 2.0?
No, it's still using 1.4. Getting DP 2.0 certified is turning out to be a lot trickier than it was initially expected, most are saying we probably wont' see them hitting the market until 2022.
2 years, 5 months ago
by
Batlacit
An industry defining 49” 1000R curved screen, equipped with a cutting edge Quantum Matrix HDR2000 panel, 240hz refresh rate, G-Sync and FreeSync Premium Pro support, 1ms GTG response rates, and fully customizable Odyssey Infinity Core lighting.
My new g9 arrived in the box for the old g9. Even though the box has a sticker that says "Neo G9 Odyssey" sticked on it, the box itself is for the old model. Does anyone else have the same issue? Why is that the case?
They're just using up the old boxes and foam. The shape and size of the product hasn't really changed, I don't think it's anything you need to worry about so long as the monitor itself has the right model number.
2 years, 5 months ago
by
Batlacit
The Ninja Foodi Dual Heat Air Fry Oven gives you versatility in the kitchen with 11-in-1 functionality from Air Fry and Sear Crisp to Rapid Bake and Toast. With Dual Heat Technology, unlock up to 500°F cyclonic air and a directly heated SearPlate, which allow for fast cooking and restaurant-worthy results. Cook up your favorites and then flip the oven up and away to reclaim your counter space.
Can both trays be used at once?
Explore a new world of personalized home theater audio. The SRS-NS7 Wireless Neckband Speaker uses Sony’s 360 Spatial Sound Personalizer technology to envelop you in the rich audio of your favorite shows and movies, while being unobtrusive to others in your home.
Do these have 3.5mm jack or do they only connect via bluetooth?
They will only work with bluetooth or optical connections.
2 years, 6 months ago
by
Batlacit
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, 422mm. The headphone holder adds another 2mm or so.
2 years, 6 months ago
by
Batlacit