GadgetGuy1981's stats
- Review count190
- Helpfulness votes390
- First reviewJune 23, 2016
- Last reviewMay 6, 2024
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.2
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- Answer count83
- Helpfulness votes240
- First answerJanuary 15, 2011
- Last answerOctober 15, 2021
- Featured answers0
- Best answers19
Only at Best BuyPull in HDTV signals from local stations up to 60 miles away with this Mohu Beam antenna. It's 23 inches long and looks like a sound bar to blend with your home entertainment equipment, and you can mounts it on the wall. This Mohu Beam antenna includes a signal amplifier for clear digital reception.
Customer Rating
4
Great signal pickup; Large, bulky, showy device!
on May 8, 2018
Posted by: GadgetGuy1981
from Lebanon, OH
Understanding that this is an indoor/outdoor combo antenna, I went into this thinking that keeping this inside, hidden behind my TV in the entertainment center was going to be a challenge... Nothing prepared me for the thick, chunky body of a beast this thing was... But for good reason...
I wasn't ready for the device to be a decorative element to my home entertainment system - Most antennae are not meant to be seen at all and this one works on the wall or on the house outside. I'm not sure the materials speak to the living room decor they're trying to become a part of, as the plastics are cheap and the seams not cleanly cut, but the device is certainly light enough to wall mount and its dark grey/silver color matches with most home entertainment equipment, a la sound bars, receivers, etc.
The signal pickup was excellent but users should check with their local broadcast stations as to whether they are still broadcasting on QAM bands - Many TV stations are quitting broadcast altogether (My local FOX affiliate and NBC have stopped, leaving me in an ABC/CBS only mode... The reason I bring this up is that no matter what the antenna, if you require a major network for entertainment, ensure that it hasn't left digital broadcasting... This seems to tell of a future where the local networks don't exist anymore and the broadcast affiliates are just local news affiliates for streaming or cable networks. Often these antennae are advertised as "replace cable with THIS!" and in my case that just can't happen and its no fault of the device... Check your local broadcast specs before buying!
My Best Buy number: 0421288117
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Without you knowing it, cybercriminals can infiltrate your Wi-Fi network and steal your identity or invade your privacy by accessing your connected devices. Password protection isn't enough anymore.Engineered with multi-layered security, Norton Core™ intelligently protects your Wi-Fi network and an unlimited number of connected IoT devices such as smart TVs, baby monitors, Wi-Fi thermostats as well as your personal devices like laptops, desktops, smartphones and tablets against malware, spyware, ransomware, viruses and more.
Customer Rating
5
Excellent Holsitic Home Security Solution!!!
on April 12, 2018
Posted by: GadgetGuy1981
from Lebanon, OH
I was considerably objective before installing and configuring all of my devices on my home network for the Norton Core. I have a NUMBER of PCs and mobile devices in my house (I'm currently protecting 2 Windows 10 Laptops, 3 Macbooks, 5 iPhones, 5 iPads, 1 iPod Touch and 1 Android phone.) - I've never really thought about anti-virus or intrusion protection for my devices beyond built-in services (I own and use most of the above regularly - 7 of the above are for ME or for work!) and my kids were practically in kiosk mode just to use their phones and tablets for basic web and video surfing with restrictions maxed out.
But things are changing in my home - My oldest daugter is approaching her teens, and has her own cellular line now. My wife continues to want "just works" functionality, and didn't like the headache of WiFi coverage issues in our home, but also didn't like the Mesh network nodes everywhere. In addition, I see a growing need to provide additional parental controls NOW to my kids while they're young to set a precedent of management and use monitoring/limits for them as they get into the years where these devices could become a problem.
Thats where Norton comes in with the Core and the included suite of products:
Hardware/Router:
At first it seems just like any other wifi device. And for the most part, the hardware is. The exception being that it is the FIRST device physically to cover my entire ~2500 sqft home with ONE DEVICE! I had resorted to a 4-node mesh network (one of the most popular) before this, and that offered decent coverage, but mesh networks still dont work well with things like video doorbells, certain wireless remotes and apps that depend on not being on a heavily segmented network - There's just too much going on behind the scenes in a mesh. This Core device covered the far reaches of my home well enough that I was still able to get my full Internet speed even at the furthest point. The other advantage over "Mesh" configs is that this device has an Ethernet switch integrated, so I can still hard-wire up to 3 Ethernet devices to the router without resorting to an external switch. This is old hat on traditional routers, but these modern devices seem to be eschewing wired ports which diminishes the experience for those of us running a home office with mini streaming servers, etc. that need the wired connection.
At first it seems just like any other wifi device. And for the most part, the hardware is. The exception being that it is the FIRST device physically to cover my entire ~2500 sqft home with ONE DEVICE! I had resorted to a 4-node mesh network (one of the most popular) before this, and that offered decent coverage, but mesh networks still dont work well with things like video doorbells, certain wireless remotes and apps that depend on not being on a heavily segmented network - There's just too much going on behind the scenes in a mesh. This Core device covered the far reaches of my home well enough that I was still able to get my full Internet speed even at the furthest point. The other advantage over "Mesh" configs is that this device has an Ethernet switch integrated, so I can still hard-wire up to 3 Ethernet devices to the router without resorting to an external switch. This is old hat on traditional routers, but these modern devices seem to be eschewing wired ports which diminishes the experience for those of us running a home office with mini streaming servers, etc. that need the wired connection.
My only complaint with the device as a router, is that configuration is AGAIN only available via a mobile app - I dont like having to dig out my phone to make a network change or review parental control content and Id love a web interface at least inside the network to do everything. Also, said mobile app is pretty limited when it comes to actual network configuration - You can do port forwarding, reserve static IPs, etc. but there's no way to specify your own IP range if you have a preference as to the appearance of your class C subnet (nerd stuff/neat freak stuff, I know - I just prefer a "10.0" range vs the one offered (at least its not a "192" address range!)
Security Features/Management/Parental Controls:
On top of the router itself, which does a phenominal job of managing traffic, and offering strong signal, the software suite included is phenomenal. Norton bundles the Core with 1 year of included Norton Security Plus (a specialized SKU it brands as "Norton Core Security Plus" which offers a special licensing model also - Unlimited devices (PCs, Macs, and mobile) under a single subscription. This makes sense for the modern home where devices are burgeioning with digitally native kids, etc. The software is the same on mobile devices as is offered from Norton normally, and the PC version seems to be largely the same (I'm not closely familiar with the non-Core-aligned offering.) - The Norton Anti-Virus and Intrusion protection has always worked well, but it seems to be seamless in Windows 10 - No noticeable additional CPU or networking overhead. Every device on the Core network will want to have this installed, and I had no trouble with my Macs, iOS devices, Windows 10 PCs, and an Android phone installing the core software and saw no performance impact from real use.
On top of the router itself, which does a phenominal job of managing traffic, and offering strong signal, the software suite included is phenomenal. Norton bundles the Core with 1 year of included Norton Security Plus (a specialized SKU it brands as "Norton Core Security Plus" which offers a special licensing model also - Unlimited devices (PCs, Macs, and mobile) under a single subscription. This makes sense for the modern home where devices are burgeioning with digitally native kids, etc. The software is the same on mobile devices as is offered from Norton normally, and the PC version seems to be largely the same (I'm not closely familiar with the non-Core-aligned offering.) - The Norton Anti-Virus and Intrusion protection has always worked well, but it seems to be seamless in Windows 10 - No noticeable additional CPU or networking overhead. Every device on the Core network will want to have this installed, and I had no trouble with my Macs, iOS devices, Windows 10 PCs, and an Android phone installing the core software and saw no performance impact from real use.
The included Parental controls are two-stage as well - While most modern family-oriented home setups offer "bedtime" and "pause" controls for the network or device groups, Norton Core and the Core Security Suite let me configure the following:
- House Rules for each age group/child
- Web filtering/monitoring
- Text Message monitoring (Android Only)
- Time Limits
- Scheduled downtime
- Pause for users AND individual devices
- Appropriate sites filtering by age group
- Individual site blocking (useful for blocking Minecraft or YouTube on specific devices, for example)
- Web filtering/monitoring
- Text Message monitoring (Android Only)
- Time Limits
- Scheduled downtime
- Pause for users AND individual devices
- Appropriate sites filtering by age group
- Individual site blocking (useful for blocking Minecraft or YouTube on specific devices, for example)
This is all accomplished on-router and in concert with the parental control abilities of the Norton Security Plus and Norton Family cloud products bundled with this service. This means that your child's phone or tablet is equally manageable when roaming on other WiFi and Cellular networks even when away from home. This is a key differentiator of the service and device.
I didn't have any trouble installing the services, but it might be confusing for a non-IT person, as you need to install separate client apps for Norton Mobile and Norton family on each iOS/Android client, and separate Norton Security and Norton Family apps on desktop/notebook PCs. What's cool about the PC version is that you can specify management of each Windows user, so you can have a multi-user home PC or shared laptop that gets management for the kiddos, but Mom and Dad are free to be adults.
The intrusion protection and packet inspection seems thorough, and you can specify more stringent packet inspection, which may result in speed impact, but I kept everything at the recommended levels and it dind't seem to affect performance at all. Speed tests and local responsiveness weren't noticeably impacted.
The router configuration also protects Smart devices on your network as it analyses packet behavior for them, but you will want to turn off their "management" in the app, so as to increase your network security score, as you cannot install the software-side on IoT/Smart devices and the behavior analysis still happens.
Additional thoughts:
The router is an elegant looking device, and even comes with cord management for the power and ethernet cables that would come from it. I didn't do too much testing on the included 2 (yes, TWO) USB 3.0 ports on the router, but when I connected a Thumb Drive or External HDD sharing was a breeze and performance was great! If this router supported iTunes sharing, we would be selling a home server! :)
The router is an elegant looking device, and even comes with cord management for the power and ethernet cables that would come from it. I didn't do too much testing on the included 2 (yes, TWO) USB 3.0 ports on the router, but when I connected a Thumb Drive or External HDD sharing was a breeze and performance was great! If this router supported iTunes sharing, we would be selling a home server! :)
All of this is free for the first year, but also WELL worth the ~$10/month thereafter. I'll be keeping this as my new home network and paying for parental controls as my kids grow... And as my home network becomes more and more complex. I'm still surprised at everything this thing can handle! I will be recommending this thing to anyone looking to get the most out of their home network and home security investments!
My Best Buy number: 0421288117
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Enjoy an immersive audio experience with this Sony portable wireless speaker. Its Live Sound mode optimizes the direction of the music for a three-dimensional party sound, and its Extra Bass technology, built-in effects and flashing lights enhance the atmosphere. This Sony portable wireless speaker's battery provides up to 24 hours of playback for reliable all-day use.
Customer Rating
4
Awesome Large Party Speaker - Lots of features!
on April 3, 2018
Posted by: GadgetGuy1981
from Lebanon, OH
I've reviewed several portable (and not so portable) speakers from SONY available as part of the XB line - They are excellent as they combine a few key qualities people are looking for in their devices:
- Fun colors
- Durable/Weather-/Environment-proof
- Good Sound Quality
- Good Battery Life
- Fun Features
- Fun colors
- Durable/Weather-/Environment-proof
- Good Sound Quality
- Good Battery Life
- Fun Features
The XB41 is one of the larger of the speakers on offer today from SONY, and offers VERY clear high range and midrange sound... It has a deep bass as well, and caters to a certain crowd with its party lights and fun color choices. The speakers light up around the rim and across the front with internal LED chasing lights which brings a unique aestetic to this line.
As I mentioned the speaker is good and loud. Easily filling a large room with sound, but even capable of good coverage outdoors. I did notice as the volume increases, some muddiness in the midrange is noticeable, but I was pretty close to the speaker and at these volumes, you likely wont be for optimum listening... I've reviewed several of the XB-series speakers and clarity is excellent for this price range - The XB41 is definitely a better speaker in the larger housing than the smaller offerings, and the built-in subwoofer is definitely contributing to that full, rich audio output. As always, the output is improved when connecting via an AUX cable via 3.5mm connector, but the bluetooth qualtiy is good. There's also a full-size USB-Type-A connector for connecting your smartphone's charging cable and the internal speaker battery doubles as a portable charger for your device - Unfortunately, this is a charging only connection, and AUX input is limited to 3.5MM connections if you seek a wired approach,
I had the privilege of getting a few of these speakers to connect to each other in what SONY calls, "Party Mode". This allows the speakers to simulcast the same audio source to up to 100 speakers through SONY's included App for iOS and Android. I noticed this worked pretty well in my testing, but I couldn't figure out how to leverage the in-built NFC with my Android phone.
The speakers tout an IP67 rating, resistant to sand and water, but in my real-world testing (using my 8- and 10-year-olds as test subjects, and letting them expose these speakers to the outdoors with no rules) I found that while they do resist damage from dirt and water, the cosmetic impacts are permanent, as the material they're made from wont clean easily if exposed to dirt or mud (its a woven, speaker-grille material). This doesn't mean the functionality is affected in any way, but other speakers from competitors head off their resistance to these elements with smarter grill designs that are as cleanable as they are resistant to damage.
My only other complaint is that we're now in 2018 - When will we finally see technology part ways with that awful, claw-backed, MicroUSB port? Its scratchy, only fits in one way, and none of the phones in this house use it anymore! With the advent and proliferation of USB Type C as the standard, why arent SONY and other manufacturers updating ALL of this year's products to the new way of working? Having this speaker for the long-haul means I've got to keep and "old school" charger around just for these, when everything else I use (MacBook, PixelBook, Pixel phone, GoPro, Google Wifi, etc) all moved to USB C way back in early 2017...
Short summary - Good device, old connector, GREAT audio quality, and a fun durable device nevertheless... Just dont get it muddy!
My Best Buy number: 0421288117
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Take your tunes along with this Sony portable speaker. Wireless Bluetooth connectivity lets you pair it with smartphones, tablets and laptops, and up to 12 hours of battery life ensures long-lasting sound. The Extra Bass feature on the Live Sound mode and built-in sound effects make this Sony portable speaker the life of the party.
Customer Rating
4
Great Portable Party Speaker - Should be Type C
on April 3, 2018
Posted by: GadgetGuy1981
from Lebanon, OH
These new portable speakers from SONY are excellent as they combine a few key qualities people are looking for in their devices:
- Fun colors
- Durable/Weather-/Environment-proof
- Good Sound Quality
- Good Battery Life
- Fun Features
- Fun colors
- Durable/Weather-/Environment-proof
- Good Sound Quality
- Good Battery Life
- Fun Features
The XB21 is the smaller of the speakers on offer today from SONY, but offers a good loud output and caters to a certain crowd with its party lights and fun color choices. The speakers light up around the rim and across the front with internal LED chasing lights which brings a unique aestetic to this line.
As I mentioned the speakers are good and loud. Easily filling a small room with sound, but even capable of filling larger, quieter spaces (say, in a home with an open floor plan) but as the volume increases, some muddiness in the midrange is noticeable and the bass levels seem less noticeable as a result. The clarity otherwise is good for this price range, and the built-in subwoofer is definitely contributing to that full, rich audio output. The output is improved when connecting via an AUX cable via 3.5mm connector, but the bluetooth qualtiy is good.
I had the privilege of getting a few of these speakers to connect to each other in what SONY calls, "Party Mode". This allows the speakers to simulcast the same audio source to up to 100 speakers through SONY's included App for iOS and Android. I noticed this worked pretty well in my testing, but I couldn't figure out how to leverage the in-built NFC with my Android phone.
The speakers tout an IP67 rating, resistant to sand and water, but in my real-world testing (using my 8- and 10-year-olds as test subjects, and letting them expose these speakers to the outdoors with no rules) I found that while they do resist damage from dirt and water, the cosmetic impacts are permanent, as the material they're made from wont clean easily if exposed to dirt or mud (its a woven, speaker-grille material). This doesn't mean the functionality is affected in any way, but other speakers from competitors head off their resistance to these elements with smarter grill designs that are as cleanable as they are resistant to damage.
My only other complaint is that we're now in 2018 - When will we finally see technology part ways with that awful, claw-backed, MicroUSB port? Its scratchy, only fits in one way, and none of the phones in this house use it anymore! With the advent and proliferation of USB Type C as the standard, why arent SONY and other manufacturers updating ALL of this year's products to the new way of working? Having this speaker for the long-haul means I've got to keep and "old school" charger around just for these, when everything else I use (MacBook, PixelBook, Pixel phone, GoPro, Google Wifi, etc) all moved to USB C way back in early 2017...
Short summary - Good device, old connector, middling audio quality, but a fun durable device nevertheless... Just dont get it muddy!
My Best Buy number: 0421288117
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
Enjoy your favorite songs with this Bluetooth Sony speaker. Its multicolored line lights and flashing strobe turn any gathering into a party, and the 12 hours battery keeps the music playing all night long. This portable Sony speaker is resistant to water, dust and rust, so you can supply the tunes for any adventure.
Customer Rating
4
Excellent portable speaker - Should be Type-C
on April 3, 2018
Posted by: GadgetGuy1981
from Lebanon, OH
These new portable speakers from SONY are excellent as they combine a few key qualities people are looking for in their devices:
- Fun colors
- Durable/Weather-/Environment-proof
- Good Sound Quality
- Good Battery Life
- Fun Features
- Fun colors
- Durable/Weather-/Environment-proof
- Good Sound Quality
- Good Battery Life
- Fun Features
The XB21 is the smaller of the speakers on offer today from SONY, but offers a good loud output and caters to a certain crowd with its party lights and fun color choices. The speakers light up around the rim and across the front with internal LED chasing lights which brings a unique aestetic to this line.
As I mentioned the speakers are good and loud. Easily filling a small room with sound, but even capable of filling larger, quieter spaces (say, in a home with an open floor plan) but as the volume increases, some muddiness in the midrange is noticeable and the bass levels seem less noticeable as a result. The clarity otherwise is good for this price range, and the built-in subwoofer is definitely contributing to that full, rich audio output. The output is improved when connecting via an AUX cable via 3.5mm connector, but the bluetooth qualtiy is good.
I had the privilege of getting a few of these speakers to connect to each other in what SONY calls, "Party Mode". This allows the speakers to simulcast the same audio source to up to 100 speakers through SONY's included App for iOS and Android. I noticed this worked pretty well in my testing, but I couldn't figure out how to leverage the in-built NFC with my Android phone.
The speakers tout an IP67 rating, resistant to sand and water, but in my real-world testing (using my 8- and 10-year-olds as test subjects, and letting them expose these speakers to the outdoors with no rules) I found that while they do resist damage from dirt and water, the cosmetic impacts are permanent, as the material they're made from wont clean easily if exposed to dirt or mud (its a woven, speaker-grille material). This doesn't mean the functionality is affected in any way, but other speakers from competitors head off their resistance to these elements with smarter grill designs that are as cleanable as they are resistant to damage.
My only other complaint is that we're now in 2018 - When will we finally see technology part ways with that awful, claw-backed, MicroUSB port? Its scratchy, only fits in one way, and none of the phones in this house use it anymore! With the advent and proliferation of USB Type C as the standard, why arent SONY and other manufacturers updating ALL of this year's products to the new way of working? Having this speaker for the long-haul means I've got to keep and "old school" charger around just for these, when everything else I use (MacBook, PixelBook, Pixel phone, GoPro, Google Wifi, etc) all moved to USB C way back in early 2017...
Short summary - Good device, old connector, middling audio quality, but a fun durable device nevertheless... Just dont get it muddy!
My Best Buy number: 0421288117
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Offer graphics to go with your next client pitch when you load them on this portable Epson business projector. The lightweight projector is easy to bring along and offers 3300 lumens of even color and brightness to bring ideas to life. Featuring HDMI compatibility, this Epson business projector combines stunning video and flawless sound in a one-cable setup.
Customer Rating
4
Excellent Portable Beamer - The full package!
on April 3, 2018
Posted by: GadgetGuy1981
from Lebanon, OH
The EPSON EX series is a great line of portable office projectors... They're packing the 3LCD technology from EPSON so brightness and colors are excellent and throw is good for a projector in this range.
The projector comes with a great carrying case and everything you need to take it on the road with you - Whether its portability for field meetings, or its the roaming projector around the office, its well-equipped and geared up for on-the-go, high quality presentation work.
The EX3260 I reviewed also has a slot for optional wireless adapter - This would enable Intel WiDi or Miracast capabilities, enabling wireless projection, so if thats an interesting upgrade to you, it should be considered in this model, as this is the first portable projector I've seen to support WiDi...
That said my only complaint is that the native resolution of this device is so low... 1024x768 should be a standard for these projectors, so having a native 800x600 made configuration difficult, and the output a bit sloppy. Its also hard with some business machines to get them to scale properly at that resolution, and the emulated resolutions didn't look that great, but the even color and brightness more than makes up for it.
On the sound front the speaker (mono) was clear and loud and would lend itself well to replacing the audio source on full AV presentations where laptop speakers just won't cut it. Some laptops though, like the later MacBook Pros, the HP Spectre series, as well as a few others, would fare just as well as this speaker, and offer some semblance of stereo sound.
Case durability seemed to be a strong focus of the product team, as this unit feels solid but not heavy. Its large enough that its usefulness goes beyond its portable use case, but only for limited scenarios due to the resolution limits above.
All in all an adequate portable rig for the price, and EPSONs quality, peripheral and bulb availability, as well as sleek styling, position this as a good choice.
My Best Buy number: 0421288117
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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1of 1voted this as helpful.
Cut The Cord with AirTV Player. Stream movies, TV, music and other content using a wide range of apps, including Netflix, SlingTV, Google Play and many more from the Google Play Store all with AirTV Player. AirTV’s streaming platform integrates local over-the-air (OTA) programming with your streaming services. The AirTV Adapter and an OTA antenna provide local channels like ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX, without a monthly cable bill.
Customer Rating
2
Disappointing Set-Top contender in 2018...
on February 28, 2018
Posted by: GadgetGuy1981
from Lebanon, OH
This player has 2014 written all over it.
8GB storage with Android TV? The whole grab of Android TV vs. Roku or another "dumb" solution is the apps... This thing doesn't have storage, or official support for storage being added, so its worthless from an app perspective (beyond the few streaming apps, Netflix, Hulu, etc).
Beyond storage, this thing has a really cool remote. I understand that AirTV is owned by Sling Media/Dish Network, so I understand the Sling tie-in, but its excessive and hacky and takes over the Android TV experience which is poor show in my book. This thing is BRAND NEW and is also Gimped with Android TV 6.0 (8.0 exists even on the old Nexus Player that this is so closely specced to from 4 years ago). This seems like a janky little device that's here to push Sling memberships as a loss leader and not much else.
Tech note: The device does support 4K so if they were to update it to Android 8.1 or the dev community found a way into this bootloader, it would make a FINE, yet underpowered basic Android TV box, if it weren't for the rest of my gripes...
Tech note: The device does support 4K so if they were to update it to Android 8.1 or the dev community found a way into this bootloader, it would make a FINE, yet underpowered basic Android TV box, if it weren't for the rest of my gripes...
This unit included the TV tuner, which I'd hoped would be at least a bright spot on the tarnish of SLING branding everywhere - You have to hack at the system to get it to work with Google's native guide, the Sling guide is useless unless you have SLING service and it integrates Live TV horribly - All of this kludge could have been avoided by using Android 8.0/8.1 and including an opt-out for Sling that didn't require STILL creating an account with SLING that will lead to solicitation and annoyance for years to come. The antenna adapter is IDENTICAL hardware to other tuners from Hauppage used on XBOX, etc but seems to perform horribly by comparison - I can't tell if this is due to the box its connected to, or if its similary gimped to put SLING in the only good light.
I mentioned I liked the remote - what I HATE from this thing and the likes of ROKU and other for-sale companies is their insistence on putting branded buttons on remotes - Again just a sad shove for SLING on this box that someone's gonna pay for! And what happens when one of the services enbuttoned on this thing goes under or merges with another? I still chuckle when I see the RDIO button on my TV's Roku remote... Fickle as it seems this is poor poor product placement.
Speaking of product placement, that's all this thing seems to be. Look for it "free" or for "$39.99" with a commit to Sling in the near future. That's where it will end up, and that my friends, is where it belongs.
My Best Buy number: 0421288117
Mobile Submission: False
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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-3points
1of 5voted this as helpful.
Keep files and passwords safe with Bitdefender Total Security 2018 software. It offers increased privacy with web browsing, so your information is protected from potential hackers, and it delivers multilayered ransomware defense for sensitive documents. Bitdefender Total Security 2018 software has game, movie and work modes, so it won’t interrupt you during an entertainment session.
Customer Rating
5
More than just Anti-Virus...
on December 31, 2017
Posted by: GadgetGuy1981
from Lebanon, OH
I've used BitDefender before... Mostly just the basic products but I've used just about every available (free and paid) Internet Security suite on the market - BitDefender 2018 is definitely a modern solution to some of the problems we face in today's security landscape...
The product offers typical best-in-class Anti-Virus and Anti-Malware capabilities, including multiple daily definition updates handled automatically, quarantine and removal methods that rival any other product on the market - In fact, in 2017 this product's predecessor scored as well or better than most other leading products in its ability to thwart threats on your machine.
Where 2018 stands out to me, and some of these features were available before as well, include the Anti-Ransomware capabilities to protect key folders on your machine through Cloud backup and encryption, as well as the cleanup and optimization tools that remove junk files and check your Registry for outdated keys and unneeded redundancies.
The best part of this highly capable suite is that it takes up a small storage footprint and its real-time agent isn't hogging precious system resources. I tested this on fully-loaded MacBook Pro and Surface Book devices, but even on slower hardware the system utilization wouldn't have much impact based on my observations in activity monitor and Task Manager. Single digit processor and RAM percentage utilizations. I think BitDefender has optimized their use of WMI to avoid processor and RAM excess use.
I will admit that on the Mac side I don't see the need as much as I've gone virtually unprotected for years there, but with Mac popularity on the rise, I am happy to protect my investment from today's new threats if the utilization is minimally impacted.
This is a total system optimization package and for its listed price is well worth a year of protection and optimization. Do yourself a favor and add this to your next PC purchase!
My Best Buy number: 0421288117
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Answer Skype audio calls hands-free with this voice-activated harman/kardon Invoke speaker. It's made with premium materials to project music powerfully without sacrificing sound quality from a 360-degree metal cabinet. This harman/kardon Invoke speaker includes Microsoft virtual assistant Cortana to answer questions and smart home technology to streamline tasks.
Customer Rating
4
Great speaker, only limited by Cortana
on December 31, 2017
Posted by: GadgetGuy1981
from Lebanon, OH
If you're a heavy user of Cortana's skills, have I got a device for you...
If you're not sure what Cortana is, or what Cortana can do, or if you expect this to work like an Echo (with Alexa) or a Google Home (with Assistant), you might be disappointed.
This device is a BEAUTIFUL speaker, standing about a foot tall with a nice heavy, ~5" wide base. Its something to display with pride as an awesome audio device. Harmon Kardon doesn't disappoint (they never have in my mind) delivering great highs and lows, and typically better mids than comparable devices (mud in mids is a common problem of any speaker this small that isn't tuned using high end gear).
Aside from the audio quality, this thing is constructed of nice sturdy plastic that is finished like brushed metal - Some of it may be magnesium alloy but it all feels premium. The top has an excellent slow-turning volume jog dial, and the very top is a queue button for Cortana herself. Down on the bottom there is a soft-touch rubber base that keeps her on her feet (foot, so to say...)
Cortana herself is my favorite Digital Assistant for vocal clarity - She sounds the most advanced. She'll soon interface with Alexa too (she tells me) but as of now, unless you're a heavy Windows 10 user who has set up all of the skills, she's not as valuable in the home automation or general knowledge space as GA or Alexa. She's got lots of APIs that developers need to take advantage of, but Microsoft and Developers don't seem to find each other on these things. Her recognition of my voice was excellent, but she sits on my desk in my home office and I found her fighting with herself on my Windows 10 laptop for who would respond. She's also not great with semantics yet, but this is a problem with most of the VAs out there today - You need to learn their vernacular for the commands to give... The responses she's capable of inside my PC are about the same in this unit, so if you want a primer on how Cortana will work, try her first in Windows 10 on your desktop or laptop to get a feel for her capabilities.
The device can be paired to any BT audio device as a speaker, and does so admirably, albeit it was fun figuring out what to ask her to start pairing the first time... Resulted in some fun definitions of the work "Pairing" and some information on the financial practice of "Pairing" from Wikipedia. I paired my Invoke to an iPad, iPhone, Samsung Galaxy Note 8, and a MacBook Pro just to see how well it would handle odd, off-brand pairing scenarios and it was a champ. Its definitely my new go-to speaker tower in the office for musical work sessions.
All in all good hardware from a good name with an AI/VA that has potential unrealized. The future will tell if this is a great match or not. Most of that depends on whether Microsoft can find similar home assistant capabilities or differentiated value in Cortana in the mass market or enterprise space.
My Best Buy number: 0421288117
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Re-create the movie theater experience with this BenQ projector. It provides 2200 lumens to deliver a 15,000:1 contrast ratio even in bright rooms, and it produces 1920 x 1080 HD resolution to capture every detail of a scene. This BenQ projector has dual HDMI ports, so you can connect HD devices.
Customer Rating
5
Amazing DLP Home Theater Projector for the price!
on December 31, 2017
Posted by: GadgetGuy1981
from Lebanon, OH
This BenQ projector is an amazing value! Definitely competitive with home theater projectors costing 2-3X what it does offered just months ago.
DLP technology is coming a long way and prices are falling - But this is the first projector I've used in my home that could replace a basic LED TV for the same spend!
In my basement setup, the projector shines bright (2200lm to be exact - A little less in eco mode, but still as brilliant as my older projector's full-bright mode!)... Offers 3-D capabilities also (I didn't know about this one until I started playing with the options and reading about it... Only requires basic polarized glasses - Kept a few pair from my last 3d theater trip and they worked great!)
This thing is also TINY compared to most home theater projectors - Its lighter, and mounts much more easily as a result.
It offers 2 HDMI inputs which is standard for this category... Most people use an HDMI splitter to the source cabinet then multiple items can share the primary input port. Even without this, I was able to easily hook up my AppleTV and Xbox to the device for native switching.
Games looked great on the display and I didn't notice any lag that seemed different from my TVs. Motion was smooth and clear for a front-projector, and color was AMAZING compared to my experience with this class.
Good zoom, I'm using it at about 80-ish inches on my basement wall. There was room to grow this in other settings, but I'm only ~7ft back with the mount, and I have installed constraints by way of shelving and cabinetry around the screen area.
All in all this is a great unit for the sub-1K class. Great brightness, color, and image controls. Would love to see more HDMI inputs, and a tilt function to the lens, but these are likely upmarket from this range of price. BenQ is really up-and-coming in this segment, and 3D was a nice surprise!
My Best Buy number: 0421288117
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The MR8300 Max Stream™ AC2200 is a high-performance Tri-Band router. Perfect for households that thrive on entertainment, it delivers up to 2.2 Gbps of superior speed throughout your entire home. The Tri-Band and MU-MIMO technology make it ideal for simultaneous streaming of HD movies, online gaming, video calling and supporting all of your smart home devices. MR8300 also grows as your needs do. With its built-in mesh Wi-Fi, instead of investing in a new router, you can expand coverage by simply adding Linksys Velop™ Mesh Wi-Fi nodes for seamless Wi-Fi everywhere.The MR8300 serves as the master router and must connect directly to your modem to create your network. Sets up in minutes with the Linksys app.
Can a VPN be installed on this router?
You can configure VPN passthrough in the web interface. I don't think the mobile app allows for configuring this.
5 years, 2 months ago
by
GadgetGuy1981
Enjoy your workout and travel playlists with these JBuds Air true wireless earbuds. Three EQ settings include JLab Signature, Balanced and Bass Boost to customize your listening experience, and the charging case provides 10 hours of additional battery life. Take clear, hands-free phone calls with the built-in microphone and Bluetooth 5.0 technology of these JBuds Air true wireless earbuds.
Is it possible to just use one?
The right bud works without the left.
The left bud needs the right bud to function. I find this to be true on most true wireless setups.
The left bud needs the right bud to function. I find this to be true on most true wireless setups.
5 years, 4 months ago
by
GadgetGuy1981
Velop with Intelligent Mesh™ Technology is an award-winning family mesh Wi-Fi system created to work seamlessly together. Mix and match nodes with different speeds to modify performance or interchange colors to coordinate with your home style. Regardless of shape, size, or wherever your Internet comes in, Velop can be customized to your home. Which makes it easy to add more nodes as your home and family expand. Unlike traditional routers with range extenders, each node provides a powerful Wi-Fi signal throughout your entire home. It continuously self-organizes and optimizes to find the fastest path to the Internet for seamless Wi-Fi everywhere. Individual nodes may be connected wirelessly or by Ethernet for fast, reliable connection. This is an ultrasimple and powerful system that uses only one Wi-Fi network name and password to give you seamless and secure Wi-Fi. And leading-edge security lets you block content and easily pause the Internet for dinner or homework. It works with all Internet service provider supplied equipment and speeds, and its simple app-based setup will get you up and running in minutes.
Is this Linksys -Velop compatible with Verizon Fios equipment? Everything does not work with Verizon - Fios equipment.
If Fios gives you a wired connection from a modem that provides IP service via Ethernet, these should work fine. The issue is whether or not Fios lets you disable their own wireless equipment, as you would only want the Internet connection from them via Ethernet/wired, and their wireless equipment either removed from the chain or turned off. This might be an issue if you use wireless TV receivers and other specialty equipment also - Check with your provider.
5 years, 6 months ago
by
GadgetGuy1981
Velop with Intelligent Mesh™ Technology is an award-winning family mesh Wi-Fi system created to work seamlessly together. Mix and match nodes with different speeds to modify performance or interchange colors to coordinate with your home style. Regardless of shape, size, or wherever your Internet comes in, Velop can be customized to your home. Which makes it easy to add more nodes as your home and family expand. Unlike traditional routers with range extenders, each node provides a powerful Wi-Fi signal throughout your entire home. It continuously self-organizes and optimizes to find the fastest path to the Internet for seamless Wi-Fi everywhere. Individual nodes may be connected wirelessly or by Ethernet for fast, reliable connection. This is an ultrasimple and powerful system that uses only one Wi-Fi network name and password to give you seamless and secure Wi-Fi. And leading-edge security lets you block content and easily pause the Internet for dinner or homework. It works with all Internet service provider supplied equipment and speeds, and its simple app-based setup will get you up and running in minutes.
xfinity internet range extend in house?
I'm not sure what your question is, but let me take a guess - You have XFinity Internet from Comcast, and you want better WiFi range than the folks at Comcast provide... This product will help, but will only work properly if you have Comcast disable their WiFi service and just go wired from their modem to your Velop/Linksys system. Should be no problem, I know lots of people with Comcast service that enjoy these types of solutions.
5 years, 6 months ago
by
GadgetGuy1981
Velop with Intelligent Mesh™ Technology is an award-winning family mesh Wi-Fi system created to work seamlessly together. Mix and match nodes with different speeds to modify performance or interchange colors to coordinate with your home style. Regardless of shape, size, or wherever your Internet comes in, Velop can be customized to your home. Which makes it easy to add more nodes as your home and family expand. Unlike traditional routers with range extenders, each node provides a powerful Wi-Fi signal throughout your entire home. It continuously self-organizes and optimizes to find the fastest path to the Internet for seamless Wi-Fi everywhere. Individual nodes may be connected wirelessly or by Ethernet for fast, reliable connection. This is an ultrasimple and powerful system that uses only one Wi-Fi network name and password to give you seamless and secure Wi-Fi. And leading-edge security lets you block content and easily pause the Internet for dinner or homework. It works with all Internet service provider supplied equipment and speeds, and its simple app-based setup will get you up and running in minutes.
Will this system directly plug into my century link router? Also, is the system compatible with the century link service? Thanks
If CenturyLink is providing you WiFI, this won't work - If they provide you an Ethernet connection out of the back of their modem, then this should work normally. If they provide both, you'll want to cancel the wiFi services of the CenturyLink before using this as it will cause interference with this solution. Tell them you JUST want Wired Internet Services and you'll provide your own WiFi gear. If that's a problem, they can help you with what you'll need to change/replace to make that happen on their end.
5 years, 6 months ago
by
GadgetGuy1981
Velop with Intelligent Mesh™ Technology is an award-winning family mesh Wi-Fi system created to work seamlessly together. Mix and match nodes with different speeds to modify performance or interchange colors to coordinate with your home style. Regardless of shape, size, or wherever your Internet comes in, Velop can be customized to your home. Which makes it easy to add more nodes as your home and family expand. Unlike traditional routers with range extenders, each node provides a powerful Wi-Fi signal throughout your entire home. It continuously self-organizes and optimizes to find the fastest path to the Internet for seamless Wi-Fi everywhere. Individual nodes may be connected wirelessly or by Ethernet for fast, reliable connection. This is an ultrasimple and powerful system that uses only one Wi-Fi network name and password to give you seamless and secure Wi-Fi. And leading-edge security lets you block content and easily pause the Internet for dinner or homework. It works with all Internet service provider supplied equipment and speeds, and its simple app-based setup will get you up and running in minutes.
I have Netgear Nighthawk router and extender. Can I just plug these in to boost my Wi-Fi?
These would replace your NightHawk with a 3-piece solution. Where your Nighthawk is a cool-looking, stealthy router and wifi hotspot, one of these nodes would connect in its place and the other two would go throughout your house where Wi-Fi is GOOD and repeat that signal so that wifi is good EVERYWHERE. If the Nighthawk isn't covering the whole house (mine didn't either) then this is the way to go for the best in coverage. I've used 3 Velop systems (I'm a reviewer for BestBuy) and they're all excellent and solving this problem.
5 years, 6 months ago
by
GadgetGuy1981
Velop with Intelligent Mesh™ Technology is an award-winning family mesh Wi-Fi system created to work seamlessly together. Mix and match nodes with different speeds to modify performance or interchange colors to coordinate with your home style. Regardless of shape, size, or wherever your Internet comes in, Velop can be customized to your home. Which makes it easy to add more nodes as your home and family expand. Unlike traditional routers with range extenders, each node provides a powerful Wi-Fi signal throughout your entire home. It continuously self-organizes and optimizes to find the fastest path to the Internet for seamless Wi-Fi everywhere. Individual nodes may be connected wirelessly or by Ethernet for fast, reliable connection. This is an ultrasimple and powerful system that uses only one Wi-Fi network name and password to give you seamless and secure Wi-Fi. And leading-edge security lets you block content and easily pause the Internet for dinner or homework. It works with all Internet service provider supplied equipment and speeds, and its simple app-based setup will get you up and running in minutes.
Trying to find a system that works in a house over 4000 sq feet. WiFi extenders didn’t work. Have a Spectrum WiFi router. What router is compatible w/Spectrum that I can use with mesh system. Do nodes just plug in? Will be used for iPads and phones only.
For a house that size, I'd say go for the Tri-Band system. Also tell Spectrum you don't want their wifi anymore... Get a regular Cable modem from them and hook up the Velop Tri-band main node to that modem - Then plug in the remaining two nodes halfway across the house from the router and base modem - Don't put them too far or they won't get the source connection. That's typically the problem with extenders is that people put them where they NEED coverage, instead of where they can GET coverage. Once the remote nodes (totally different than extenders BTW) are connected, they'll bring that WiFi signal to the harder-to-reach areas. I have used/reviewed both the Dual and Tri-Band Gen 1 and Gen2 Velop systems, and they are the state of the art in simplicity and coverage.
5 years, 6 months ago
by
GadgetGuy1981
Only at Best BuyPull in HDTV signals from local stations up to 60 miles away with this Mohu Beam antenna. It's 23 inches long and looks like a sound bar to blend with your home entertainment equipment, and you can mounts it on the wall. This Mohu Beam antenna includes a signal amplifier for clear digital reception.
What is the dimensions?
The device is approx. 2ft long and less than 6" wide. The total depth is just over 2"
The entire package weighs just 2.4 lbs - Its exceptionally light for its bulk.
The package also comes with 10ft and 6ft coaxial cables.
The entire package weighs just 2.4 lbs - Its exceptionally light for its bulk.
The package also comes with 10ft and 6ft coaxial cables.
6 years ago
by
GadgetGuy1981
Without you knowing it, cybercriminals can infiltrate your Wi-Fi network and steal your identity or invade your privacy by accessing your connected devices. Password protection isn't enough anymore.Engineered with multi-layered security, Norton Core™ intelligently protects your Wi-Fi network and an unlimited number of connected IoT devices such as smart TVs, baby monitors, Wi-Fi thermostats as well as your personal devices like laptops, desktops, smartphones and tablets against malware, spyware, ransomware, viruses and more.
I have dsl. Will this work with dsl?
Yes! Just ensure that your DSL provider doesn't provide router/Wifi capabilities on your DSL modem - If they do, have those disabled and ensure that you're getting your ISP IP to the Core router. If you need help with getting that, their tech support should be able to do this, or replace your modem with an appropriate one.
6 years, 1 month ago
by
GadgetGuy1981
Without you knowing it, cybercriminals can infiltrate your Wi-Fi network and steal your identity or invade your privacy by accessing your connected devices. Password protection isn't enough anymore.Engineered with multi-layered security, Norton Core™ intelligently protects your Wi-Fi network and an unlimited number of connected IoT devices such as smart TVs, baby monitors, Wi-Fi thermostats as well as your personal devices like laptops, desktops, smartphones and tablets against malware, spyware, ransomware, viruses and more.
Was just advised by Norton rep (have Nighthawk 1900/r7000 + Ubee Spectrum modem & current Norton Internet Security Premium) that I should "ADD the Core to my Nighthawk for enhanced security". Is this correct? So I'd connect Core to modem AND Nighthawk??
No - Your Nighthawk would be replaced by this. Trust me as I used to have a Nighthawk 1900 - This is a better router, supports easier QoS, and the security features on this device are better protection if you ONLY use this as your router. Also, push Spectrum for a better modem- Get the Arris TM1602.
6 years, 1 month ago
by
GadgetGuy1981