stevefromtheburbs's stats
- Review count230
- Helpfulness votes1,241
- First reviewJuly 20, 2012
- Last reviewAugust 28, 2022
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.8
- Review comment count1
- Helpfulness votes0
- First review commentFebruary 13, 2016
- Last review commentFebruary 13, 2016
- Featured review comments0
Questions
- Question count0
- Helpfulness votes0
- First questionNone
- Last questionNone
- Featured questions0
- Answer count81
- Helpfulness votes171
- First answerMay 23, 2013
- Last answerDecember 13, 2021
- Featured answers0
- Best answers14
The SoundLink Color Portable Bluetooth speaker II was engineered to deliver bold sound wherever life takes you. From the pool to the park to the patio, its rugged, water-resistant design lets you enjoy the music you love in more places. Voice prompts make Bluetooth pairing easy. And up to 8 hours of listening per battery charge lets you keep your playlists playing.
Customer Rating
5
This speaker is a top notch speaker
on October 6, 2016
Posted by: stevefromtheburbs
Okay, I will first say that Bose makes only great stuff. I own a bunch of their speakers and love them all. When I saw this, it seemed kind of toy like with the turquoise color, and I wasn't expecting much, especially at the $129 price point.
Well, I could not have been more surprised. This is a well made, well thought out speaker, built with a purpose. It has a great color, and a non slip finish, but is also water resistant. It is made to be taken on the go and used wherever you may go, or not go.
I haven't tested it out in the elements, but I can tell you I will not worry about some wet conditions or sand, or dirt mucking this up. Nor will I worry about it slipping out of my hands while I carry things to the park.
It looks great at home, and sounds amazing. Playing this side by side compared to the sound link mini and sound link mini 2, it is hard to tell it isn't a sound link mini. It sounds that good.
Bonus? It is also a speaker phone for your Bluetooth enabled and connected phone. And that works amazingly well too.
There is a Bose Bluetooth app available for administering the unit to do updates, review what devices are stored in it (can store up to 8 devices), etc.
If you want a great Bose speaker for at home or on the go, this is a great choice.
It does come with a micro USB cable but no charger, so plan accordingly when purchasing, if you do not have a USB
charger of at least one amp.
charger of at least one amp.
My Best Buy number: 2627366217
Mobile Submission: True
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Take your work and entertainment with you with this Acer Iconia One 10-inch tablet. The large screen is powered by 1GB of RAM and a quad-core 1.3 GHz processor for high efficiency, and 32GB of flash memory gives you plenty of file storage. The 5-megapixel rear camera lets you take photos using this Acer Iconia One 10-inch tablet anywhere.
Customer Rating
5
This is a great Android based tablet
on September 20, 2016
Posted by: stevefromtheburbs
So I tried this with hesitation, because I'm an Apple guy. However, I was impressed with this tablet. The speed is decent, the size is good, the weight is good, the battery life is good. If you don't want to pay the extra for an Ipad, which is over rated in many ways, this is a nice tablet. I've let my tech son play with it too and he came to the same conclusion. It is a decent tablet, at a decent price.
For a cool way to do Android tablets, consider saving links to the websites you visit on your desktop vs. using apps all of the time. I'm not happy with the permission stuff Android apps all want to use, so using shortcuts to websites as icons on the desktop, will solve both issues!
Again, great tablet, at a very reasonable price, and I would not hesitate to recommend this to anyone looking for a reasonably priced tablet.
My Best Buy number: 2627366217
I would recommend this to a friend!
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32of 36voted this as helpful.
Orbi Whole Home WiFi System delivers up to 3.0Gbps high-performance WiFi. Sleek, modern design with high-gain internal antennas for up to 5,000 square feet of coverage. FastLane3 Technology creates a dedicated Tri-Band WiFi for seamless 4K streaming and gaming everywhere in your home. Keep a single WiFi name for uninterrupted connections as you move from room-to-room. Circle Smart Parental Controls runs on Orbi Routers for a smart way for families to manage content and time online, on any connected device. Provide internet access to guests without sharing your personal network password. Orbi is ready right out of the box and compatible with your ISP. Just use the Orbi app to get started with better WiFi, everywhere in minutes.
Customer Rating
5
Besides cool looks, it does work great!
on September 20, 2016
Posted by: stevefromtheburbs
How many times have you seen routers with the usual antennas everywhere? Not this time! This has a super cool look, but works incredibly well too! It isn't small, but none of the newer routers are small. But, if it has to be larger, it might as well look cool! And it does! The kit comes with the main unit and the satellite unit. Setup was a breeze, and the unit just works. No messing around with failed set ups, nor any issues with range - this thing says 4000 feet, and I don't know about that as my house is only about 1,500 sq. feet but it does go very far. I'm really pleased with the looks AND the functionality. AND to top it off, it has 4 ethernet ports on the satellite, so you can plug into the wireless satellite vs. using the WIFI connection, I suppose this would be great for gaming. While it says it has 6 antennas (nowadays the more antennas the better?) you don't see them, so it is really sharp looking!
As for speed, I find that the full FIOS speed I have (80 Mbps down and up) is achieved via WIFI, for multiple users at the same time-yes, I tried it and it was super fast with no lag. We had multiple users doing data intensive things, and never saw a stutter or slow down in speed.
Way to go NETGEAR, another great product!
My Best Buy number: 2627366217
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Brew delicious coffee your way with this single-serve Ninja Coffee Bar system. It uses any ground coffee while bringing out the best flavor with advanced thermal flavor extraction technology. This versatile Ninja Coffee Bar system has a built-in frother that lets you brew, froth and drink out of one mug.
Customer Rating
4
I'D GIVE IT A 5 STAR, EXCEPT FOR THIS.......
on September 16, 2016
Posted by: stevefromtheburbs
I opened this up and gave it a go....It is a good coffee maker and does what it is supposed to do.....the only thing I wish it had, was a clock and a timer. If it did, it would be a 5 star review. I had my hopes up that it would have a clock and timer, because I find myself wanting the coffee ready when I come down to go to work......but, it is what it is.
Okay, for the good stuff. It has a frother arm, which does a good whipping up the cream. It has buttons for classic brew, rich brew, speciality drinks of 2 different sizes, and 4 cup sizes when using the regular and classic sizes.
It has a drip stop lever, which is great! So, when your brewing is done, you slide it over to drip stop and can remove it to take it to dump the grounds in the trash if using paper filters (it uses cone #2 filters, no samples included) or you can use the reusable one that comes with it.
You have a removable water reservoir, an easy to swing out basket for the grounds, a removable frother arm, and a separate folding cup holder for when using a smaller cup vs. a travel cup - with the little cup holder folded up, you can stand a tall travel cup under the brewer basket.
There are 4 brew sizes - small cup, large cup, regular travel cup, and large travel cup.
Does it brew a great cup of coffee? YES! Is it cool looking? YES! Does it have all the things you'd want in a small coffee pot? MOSTLY, except for a clock and timer feature.
There are other cool things, like a pre-heat button, and a reminder beep and light if you leave the drip stop engaged and try to brew a cup of coffee; very smart! Otherwise your brew basket would runneth over!
So, would I recommend it? Yes. I may not use all of the features, but I like the product lines from Ninja and am happy with the quality so far. It works, it doesn't feel cheap, and I like the way it works.
My Best Buy number: 2627366217
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Power your Apple devices with this Belkin charge dock. It comes with a Lightning connector that charges iPhones and an integrated magnetic charger that provides Apple watches with more juice when needed. The single built-in cable of this Belkin charge dock lets you charge both devices simultaneously, saving you the inconvenience of using multiple cords.
Customer Rating
5
THE FIRST INTEGRATED CHARGER I'VE SEEN FOR BOTH
on August 28, 2016
Posted by: stevefromtheburbs
I love the idea of having a single stand for both the Iphone, and Apple Watch....since I have both, and use both daily, charging them simply means laying them on my dresser while they charge. While okay, it isn't what i wanted. I wanted a single stand that would charge both devices, and keep them in a neat easy package. I've also found when charging my Apple Watch, before using this, it was easy for it to move and stop charging - if you know Apple Watches, you know if they don't charge each night, they won't be working the next day. So this is important. Love the accessory, wish they would have come out with this sooner!
My Best Buy number: 2627366217
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Your household is busy streaming media, working online, and playing games every day. This Linksys Wi-Fi Router will expand your network coverage, send signals directly to your devices, and deliver a lag-free connection, even when you’re all online at the same time.
Customer Rating
5
Speed and throughput seems much higher
on May 14, 2016
Posted by: stevefromtheburbs
When this arrived, I was surprised at the size - you should know that it has a decent sized footprint and 8 antennas. But, this is necessary because it isn't your typical run of the mill router, either. It is a tri-band gigabit router.
The concept with this is that as 4K starts streaming on multiple devices, you will need a way to be able to have multiple streams, and many many devices. You will also need a router than can reach to all ends of the house. This unit does all of that.
To be fair, I compared the 5ghz radio on this router, vs. my installed Apple Airport Extreme (the 5ghz network), and was getting consistently 30 Mbps higher speeds on the linksys router. I have FIOS and pay for the 75/75 speeds, but was able to get into the low 80's, which is good. But more importantly I got that speed while other network items were in use. That is very impressive.
As someone who has tried many routers over the years, I've had frustrations with programming them, as well as having items connecting to them, I can tell you that I understand the importance of a router.
This router seems to connect with many different devices, from iphones macs, smart tv's, and more, without any glitches.
My Best Buy number: 2627366217
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Enhance your fitness level with this JayBird Reign R1BLXL advanced activity tracker that measures an array of your activities to help you better your regimen. The included size 4 and 5 premium band straps ensure a comfortable fit on larger wrists.
Posted by: stevefromtheburbs
from PHILLY SUBURBS
I could not get this to work properly, so I returned it. To be honest, unless it does heart rate monitoring, it isn't worth buying.
It did have plenty of band size pieces to make it fit, that was good
But it simply never worked.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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MetaWatch STRATA: Great for active lifestyles, this durable smart watch lets you customize your home screen with the widgets you use the most. Plus, it's compatible with iOS and Android devices.
Customer Rating
2
Great idea, nice quality, but.....
on December 29, 2013
Posted by: stevefromtheburbs
from PHILLY SUBURBS
I got this as a present and could not wait to get on using it. Downloaded the app, connected via bluetooth, and was good to go. The problem started when I realized how much battery was draining from my Iphone 5s. WIth only 6 hours on standby, I was at 50% battery. I can go 17 hours on standby and some light usage, and still have 80% battery left at bedtime.
Contacted Metawatch support and they are very responsive. Very responsive. They had me go through some troubleshooting things like resetting all connections, reset the phone and leave the data, and next was to do a wipe of the phone and rebuild it manually. I didn't have the time or energy in doing this plus my return window for Best Buy was closing.
The benefit of this watch is that you can see the caller ID of people calling or what the text message says while driving, in meetings, etc. You cannot really do more than that - well, you can view the weather, sports, stocks, etc. but doing that is something I'd use my phone for anyway. But while driving to glance and see it isn't something worth answering or pulling over for is worth alot. You can also control music, which I guess if I was using music I'd be looking at my phone.
So, if you want a way to do these things, go for it. If it doesn't work so well, you can take it back. If it works, like it has for others, then you are ahead of the game. There aren't many smartwatches for Iphones so this not working out was a very sad day indeed.
The only negatives I had with this, really, was that the display can be hard to read in certain indoor lighting situations. I will say however, the look of the display is really cool and the numbers/letters look like a mirror in outside lighting. The backlight is pretty good and does help in low light situations.
And the battery life of the watch wasn't going to be as long as I think it should be. By the end of a 36 hour stretch it was down to 50%. Maybe I had a defective unit or something, but I had spent way too much time trying to get this to work. The Metawatch app for Iphone has to run in the foreground all of the time. I'm one who kills off apps if I'm not using them, so this was a little frustrating. But more than that, the Iphone said I used my phone as much as it was on standby, even though that wasn't true. I might have used my phone for 30 minutes and it was on standby for 12 hours, but the phone thought I had been "using" it actively for 12 hours. So that is probably why my battery was going so quickly.
My Best Buy number: 2627366217
What's great about it: look, size, features are simple and price when on sale
What's not so great: Compatibility with Iphone 5s, battery life, and viewing in certain light
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Quality
5
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10of 13voted this as helpful.
Quickly connect your devices with this Apple® MC414LL/A AirPort Express base station that supports dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi for optimal performance with reduced interruptions. The rear USB port enables simple wireless printing.
Customer Rating
5
BEST ROUTER YOU CAN BUY-PERIOD!
on August 15, 2012
Posted by: stevefromtheburbs
from PHILLY SUBURBS
I use it in...:Small home
Apple has some very awesome stuff, this is just one more of them. Plug in, go to setup page on iphone or airport utility, and you are good to go. Even if I wasn't a mac/apple person I'd use this over so many other routers. Dependable, good range, and easy setup - even easier with iphone or mac airport utility. If you have a big house, get the airport extreme or you can buy two of these and link together.
What's great about it: EVERYTHING, SETUP, RANGE, LOOK, NO ANTENNAS
What's not so great: USES A STIFF CORD, MAKES IT WANT TO NOT LAY FLAT
I would recommend this to a friend!
Ease of Use
5
Performance
5
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Stay productive on the go with this Sony VAIO E Series SVE15115FXS laptop that features a built-in Atheros Wi-Fi adapter for easy Internet connections. The LED display and Intel® HD Graphics 4000 deliver immersive visuals.Windows 7 Home Premium installedLearn more.
Customer Rating
5
This was the best of the lot (mid-range laptops)
on July 20, 2012
Posted by: stevefromtheburbs
from PHILLY SUBURBS
I was trying to find a computer I could use for daily web browsing, email, etc. without spending a fortune. I tried the lower end machines and they felt flimsy and cheesy. Of the mid-range I found this to be the best of them. The most important part for me is an easy to scroll and reliable touchpad. I tried every mid-range laptop and this is the only one that was good. There is no doubt this touchpad works as well as the macbook pro I was used to using. That is worth it all by itself.
The backlit keyboard was a major plus and the aluminum finish was also a nice touch. The display is bright and crisp. And it runs fast comparitive to other machines I tried.
While more than I wanted to spend, I could not see spending $400 and being frustrated for 3 years.
What's great about it: touchpad, touchpad, touchpad, touchpad, and backlit keyboard
What's not so great: on the expensive side but worth every penny
I would recommend this to a friend!
Display
5
Performance
5
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+17points
20of 23voted this as helpful.
stevefromtheburbs's Review Comments
Keep an eye on your home or business with this D-Link DCS-5020L wireless network camera, which features 10 IR LEDs for round-the-clock surveillance. A downloadable app enables remote monitoring with a compatible Apple® or Android device.
Overall5 out of 5
5 out of 5Perfect for taking a peak in on things
By Jahnjays
from Chicago
I got this camera for keeping an eye on my parents, they are older and at risk for falling and other issues, this camera has already paid for itself ten times over! Not only does it give you a sense of security, it also gives my parents a peace of mind known that they are not alone and are being watched, unfortunately my father has fallen twice in the time I bought this camera, it allowed me to see him on the floor and I was able to race home to help him up, if it wasn't for the camera who knows how long he would have been laying there. The picture is not perfect but more than good enough, I actually leave it in Night Vision mode and the picture is great, also the microphone is impressively good. You are able to rotate the camera via your smart phone or computer, it's a little slow but over all I have no complaints. Well worth the money, I went out and bought 2 more for the rest of the house, the smart phone app is very easy to use, set up was a little bit of a pain, I'd say 1 hour but again, not bad. Honestly the best thing I have bought in years and I buy a lot.
stevefromtheburbs
PHILLY SUBURBS
This is the same comment for another d-link camera
February 13, 2016
This is the exact same comment as for another D-link camera. So, which is it really for?
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stevefromtheburbs's Questions
stevefromtheburbs has not submitted any questions.
Experience entertainment like never before with SiriusXM’s exclusive 360L technology, combining satellite and streaming features together to transform your listening experience. SiriusXM's 360L technology allows for personalization and access to the most SiriusXM channels.
Will this unit connect to the Sync system in my F150?
Some systems will allow connection - my wife's Mercedes Benz does not. you'd have to try it out and see if it works. If not, Best Buy has an awesome return policy.
3 years, 7 months ago
by
stevefromtheburbs
Experience entertainment like never before with SiriusXM’s exclusive 360L technology, combining satellite and streaming features together to transform your listening experience. SiriusXM's 360L technology allows for personalization and access to the most SiriusXM channels.
How does the streaming work on this? Can I just login with my current sxm username directly on the device and listen without adding a second receiver fee on my account. I don’t need to listen over the sats, I only want to listen with WiFi at home.
This does NOT allow you to just enter your online listening credentials and avoid another activation and service fee....I know, I just tried. Fail.
3 years, 7 months ago
by
stevefromtheburbs
Experience entertainment like never before with SiriusXM’s exclusive 360L technology, combining satellite and streaming features together to transform your listening experience. SiriusXM's 360L technology allows for personalization and access to the most SiriusXM channels.
Can I control from my steering wheel buttons?
no, you cannot. There is a voice feature however, that should allow you to change channels via voice commands.
3 years, 7 months ago
by
stevefromtheburbs
SmartSensor provides comfort to you and your family in the rooms that matter most while saving you energy and money. Through infrared technology, SmartSensor detects when a room is occupied and communicates that information wirelessly to your smart thermostat from up to a range of 60 feet prompting automatic temperature adjustments for comfort.
What does a smart sensor do?
The smart sensor is primarily marketed as an accessory for your thermostat, to detect presence in a room. In doing such it would help to regulate the air in that area of your home. The gotcha with this is that without a dedicated HVAC system for each room, it would simply run the main unit until it cooled off areas which the smart sensors detected as occupied. This means other areas might be too cold or too hot, depending upon the season, from running to cool warmer areas in the summer, or heating areas in the winter, that are occupied while the other areas got too hot or too cold. They do have the ability to detect environmental conditions in the rooms they are placed. But only if used with the ecobee smart thermostat.
The secondary purpose of these could be to act as a burglary sensor, to detect the presence of an intruder. I've not been impressed with my testing of this for that purpose.
The secondary purpose of these could be to act as a burglary sensor, to detect the presence of an intruder. I've not been impressed with my testing of this for that purpose.
3 years, 10 months ago
by
stevefromtheburbs
Add music to your workout routine with these Skullcandy Push Ultra true wireless sports earbuds. The moldable ear hooks offer a secure fit during vigorous exercises, while built-in controls and microphone enable hands-free calls. These Skullcandy Push Ultra true wireless sports earbuds provide up to 40 hours of battery life to last through long hiking trails.
can you just use just one
Yes. You can set up a dominant one with the online instructions, or simply turn one off and the other keeps playing.
3 years, 11 months ago
by
stevefromtheburbs
Add music to your workout routine with these Skullcandy Push Ultra true wireless sports earbuds. The moldable ear hooks offer a secure fit during vigorous exercises, while built-in controls and microphone enable hands-free calls. These Skullcandy Push Ultra true wireless sports earbuds provide up to 40 hours of battery life to last through long hiking trails.
Why cant i find anything about this online or on the skull candy website? Is this a mistake?
Sometimes products that are new to the market haven't been posted yet. Reviews are done in advance, so potential buyers know what the product is like, when the product launches vs. finding out later that the product was a dud and had to wait for the masses to write enough reviews to support the fact it was a dud.
3 years, 11 months ago
by
stevefromtheburbs
Add music to your workout routine with these Skullcandy Push Ultra true wireless sports earbuds. The moldable ear hooks offer a secure fit during vigorous exercises, while built-in controls and microphone enable hands-free calls. These Skullcandy Push Ultra true wireless sports earbuds provide up to 40 hours of battery life to last through long hiking trails.
can you just use just one
Yes, you can use one or the other. There are directions on deciding which will be the dominant one in the scenario. I know just turning one off, the other keeps going.
3 years, 11 months ago
by
stevefromtheburbs
Experience comfortable laptop-like typing on your tablet with this Logitech Rugged Folio keyboard case for 7th, 8th, & 9th generation iPad. A flexible kickstand combined with sturdy hinges ensures you find the perfect angle for the task at hand. This Logitech Rugged Folio keyboard case is constructed with proprietary shock-absorbent material for optimal protection against accidental drops and other mishaps.
are the keys backlit
They are not, disappointing, it would have been nice if they were.
4 years, 4 months ago
by
stevefromtheburbs
Experience comfortable laptop-like typing on your tablet with this Logitech Rugged Folio keyboard case for 7th, 8th, & 9th generation iPad. A flexible kickstand combined with sturdy hinges ensures you find the perfect angle for the task at hand. This Logitech Rugged Folio keyboard case is constructed with proprietary shock-absorbent material for optimal protection against accidental drops and other mishaps.
Where is the pencil holder located? Does it lay flat for writing?
The pencil holder is at the top of the case. You can lay the whole thing flat, but it is resting on the keyboard if not sprawled out.
4 years, 4 months ago
by
stevefromtheburbs
Experience comfortable laptop-like typing on your tablet with this Logitech Rugged Folio keyboard case for 7th, 8th, & 9th generation iPad. A flexible kickstand combined with sturdy hinges ensures you find the perfect angle for the task at hand. This Logitech Rugged Folio keyboard case is constructed with proprietary shock-absorbent material for optimal protection against accidental drops and other mishaps.
Does this case have a screen protector for when it is open? Or do you have to buy a separate screen protector for the glass?
There is no screen protector. If you want glass protection, you will need to buy a separate screen protector.
4 years, 4 months ago
by
stevefromtheburbs