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    January 16, 2012
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    October 25, 2016
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    February 21, 2014
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bzm3j81's Reviews
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PowerCore III 10K is a slim and powerful portable 10000mAh battery. With two USB-A port PowerIQ outputs for high-speed dual device charging and one USB-C PD input for incredibly fast recharging. This is all you need as your charging companion.
 
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Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
Reliable 12W max output power bank
on November 24, 2021
Posted by: bzm3j81
from Detroit, MI
I have an old ZeroLemon Solar Power Bank capable of 20,000 mAh. I bought it when most phones came with a 5V @ 1A charger (or 5W). Since then I have collected a few smaller capacity charging banks, but they all had the same power output limitations. Some would even hum when you connected a modern phone to them. Nowadays, most phones come with 10W, 15W or 18W chargers, so the charging speed on these older power banks has been slower.
I learned of the Anker brand about 7 years ago when a co-worker brought in his 20,000 mAh Anker power bank with a piano black finish. Since then, I've been impressed with their widened product lines that includes Soundcore, Roav and Eufy.
I was looking for an affordable power bank that would give me a better charge rate than 5W. This Anker Powercore III 10,000 mAh Power bank fits the bill.
The Anker Powercore III is about the size of my old Pixel 3 phone and about 50% thicker. It's fairly lightweight and slips in conveniently into my jacket pocket. It comes with a mesh drawstring bag and a USB-A to C cable. It has two USB-A 3.0 ports that are Power IQ compliant. It has a USB-C port that only acts as input to charge the power bank. It has a button that contains 4 indicator LEDs that signify approximately 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% charge respectively. There is no flashlight function that I've accidentally triggered on other power banks more than I've actually had a use for. Pressing the button once shows how much charge is left.
According to the minimal instructions that came with the Anker Powercore III, if you're charging something that requires a lower charging speed (e.g. earbuds), you can double click the button and the 25% LED changes from blue to green to indicate that the Powercore is in 'trickle mode'. This seems to drop the output to approximately 1A. Pressing the button again takes it out of this mode.
Just after I got the Anker Powercore III, I set it to charge and it took a few hours. After looking it up, I found it's because it charges at 5V @ 2A or 10W.
According to the specifications, this power bank delivers up to 5V @ 2.4A or 12W. This is nice. It isn't quite enough to qualify as Fast Charging on my devices. But it is faster charging than some of the generic wall chargers I've used. It certainly came to the rescue when my wife's phone was at 3% and she needed a charge while we were having dinner. By the end of dinner she had 59% with moderate use while charging.
What I've since found out is the maximum output of the device is 2.4A. According to a battery app I installed, the phone was getting 4.4V @ 1.6A, but the app also shows my phone discharging at about 0.4-0.8A depending on what I'm doing on the phone. What wasn't clear in the specifications is that the maximum output is split between the two USB-A ports. When I plugged in a second device my phones were each getting about 4.4V @ 0.7A.
It's very seldom that I end up charging more than 1 device at a time. This device is handy to have ready when I'm on a long trip like camping. At this price point, I'm not looking to achieve high power output. It seems to charge my devices at a decent rate and neither my mobiles devices nor this Powercore shows any appreciable temperature difference while in use. It meets my requirements and comes from a trusted brand.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
 
Capture stunning imagery with the legendary Hasselblad camera and enjoy a smooth flight with omnidirectional obstacle sensing. Every improvement on Mavic 3 sets a higher standard for aerial photography. Fly with Mavic 3 and discover imaging above everything.
 
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Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Stellar Combo; Waiting on promised firmware
on November 10, 2021
Posted by: bzm3j81
from Detroit, MI
New Mandatory Requirement - For any person wishing to fly an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), you now (as of June 2021) need to complete training and take a quiz to receive a certificate and be able to produce the certificate upon request from an enforcement authority. While it is called The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST), it is required for all drone pilots even if you have your Part 107 Drone License.
Since I am only flying this drone recreationally, I took the TRUST training and quiz late one evening. If you plan to make money with the drone, you must get your Part 107 Drone License in addition to the TRUST certificate. The TRUST training, quiz and certificate are free, so there really isn't any good reason to skip it. The training is done in 4 parts with quiz questions at the end of each part. There are a total of 23 questions, I believe you can attempt each question as many times as you need to get it right and at the end you are presented with your certificate so you can print it out and keep it in your drone bag.
I took the training and quiz from uavcoach.com. These are lifetime certificates so they don't need to be renewed.
Next, since the Mavic 3 weighs greater than 0.55 lbs., you must register it with the FAA, print your registration card and mark your drone with your registration number. It can be as cheap as $5 from the FAA DroneZone for a Recreational Flyer registration (faadronezone.faa.gov).
Note: I used a label maker to print my registration number to affix to the Mavic 3. However, the texture of the Mavic 3 body has a slight stippling to the point where the label would not adhere. I had to use transparent tape to hold the label in place.
Now onto the Mavic 3 review.
Package Contents:
With the Mavic 3 Fly More Combination package, you get a 3 in 1 convertible bag that comfortably holds all the included accessories. The convertible bag is quite impressive. It seems very durable with heavy stitching at all the logical strain points, and has metal clasps. It has numerous pockets and several of them have a soft liner. But most impressive is that it is convertible to three styles. The default is a hand bag with a nice durable hand strap. Unzipping both sides of the back pocket you get access to the two sides of the single shoulder strap with a nice clasp to hold them together. But if you undo the main clasps and open the top flap it has a large zippered compartment that contains two shoulder straps making it a backpack with a large added compartment.
Included with the Mavic 3 Fly More combination over and above the standard version is the aforementioned bag, a total of 12 propellors. 2 extra batteries, a charging dock with space for all 3 batteries and a 4 pack of Neutral Density Filters.
The Cine Premium Combo improves on the Fly More Combo with an upgraded remote with built in screen, an additional USB-C to USB-C cable, and a second pack of Neutral Density Filters. However, inside the Mavic 3, the Cine Premium upgrades the internal storage from 8 GB to 1 TB and provides you with Apple ProRes video compression.
App:
For any new DJI owners, the DJI Fly App does not appear in the Google Play Store, you can search for it in your browser and download it from DJI. But you'll need to go in to your device settings and allow the install from 3rd Party locations.
After everything was charged up (drone batteries arrive with no charge), I established the pairing of the remote to the drone with the DJI Fly App and the firmware update was waiting for me.
Flight:
After the latest firmware was done, I was itching to get out and fly this beast of a drone. I have a phone with a thick case on it. I had to remove the case in order to get it to sit in the remote properly. Make sure to use the right cable adapter to connect your phone.
Flying the Mavic 3 is a breeze. Control response is immediate. The Mavic 3 is rock steady, video transmission was also stable. The Gimbal easily compensates for momentum shifts from sudden direction changes.
The propellors are rubber tipped. I've come to learn this is to reduce propellor noise.
In sport mode, the Mavic 3 is speedy. It gets just above 40 mph. However, sport mode does disable obstacle avoidance, so it is best to keep that mode for open skies.
Obstacle Avoidance:
One of the major improvements in the Mavic 3 is the additional obstacle avoidance sensors. The additional sensors help the Mavic 3 get a clearer understanding of its surroundings. But keep in mind, these sensors require good ambient lighting to work. If there isn't enough light the DJI Fly App will indicate as such and the obstacle avoidance feature will not work.
By default, the Mavic 3 is set to brake when it gets near an obstacle, a quick change in the settings to avoid obstacles made me a little nervous at first. As I steered my brand-new, pricey Mavic 3 towards a tree, it steered itself around the tree with seeming ease. After a few more times, I started to breathe a little easier. In some situations it would fly over the tops of the trees. In some cases it would hesitate to make a decision. That's when I would back off a little and approach with a different angle and the Mavic 3 figured out how to get around the obstacle. While the Mavic 3 utilizes its obstacle avoidance sensors well. I believe it's also using the main camera to analyze its path. If it can see a sufficient opening with the main camera, it will take it, otherwise it will hesitate.
I live in a suburban area and I happened to see a plane ascending several miles away. The App warned me of this and I thought it was nice.
Battery Life:
Under ideal conditions, each battery is reported to deliver 46 minutes of flight. This is a welcome change to the first generation that gave you only 10 minutes. 46 minutes gives you ample time to get out to your shooting location, scout and plan your shot, make the shot and return safely.
Remote battery life seems plentiful. I've gone through two drone batteries and the remote is still going strong.
Camera Performance:
The most anticipated feature of the Mavic 3 has been the main Hasselblad camera. It does not disappoint. Without changing any color settings or using any of the included filters, the camera offers stunning pictures and video with up to 5K and depending on the resolution, up to 200 frames/second. I'm attaching a few scaled down photos from my local park, nearby golf course and neighborhood after the peak Fall color change. Optically, the camera offers up to 7x zoom. Digital zoom goes up to 28x.
Of course just about any camera does well with sufficient light. The 4/3 sensor really impressed me with its color balance while I was flying past sunset. While I was getting great video of the darkening night sky with the moon just peeking through the clouds and city lights off in the distance. I was really impressed when I panned down and the White Balanced kicked in and brightened up the forest canopy. Unfortunately, I forgot to snap a picture of this and stills from video don't give as much pop.
Negatives:
Even with all these positive aspects, I still found 3 negative points on the Mavic 3.
The first is the most disappointing, at the time of its release the Mavic 3 has major features missing.
ActiveTrack, the ability to follow a selected subject in a variety of ways
QuickShots, the ability to shoot cinematic style video while executing pre-programmed motion paths
MasterShots, like QuickShots, but combines 10 maneuvers in sequence
Panorama Mode, the ability to stitch several individual pictures together
QuickTransfer, transfer materials from the drone to your mobile device without connecting it with the Remote Control
These missing features are promised in the January 2022 firmware update. I'm sure the update also improves on the Obstacle Avoidance as well. But, I was very disappointed to learn these features weren't included at launch. They're not even mentioned in the 1.0 release of the Owner's Manual. It just seems like DJI was willing to ship out an incomplete product just to get holiday sales.
The second is the performance of the DJI Assistant Desktop App. The DJI Assistant Desktop App allows you to plug in the Mavic 3 to your computer using the USB-A to USB-C cable in order to apply firmware updates (if you don't want to do it with your mobile device), make settings changes, and transfer media. However, when I went to transfer media, it failed. This could be because I have Windows 10 with folder protection on, but once I set the folder permissions up, it should have downloaded but didn't.
The third is related to the second. Since I couldn't transfer media using the DJI Assistant, I mounted the microSD card through the connected Mavic 3 and was able to transfer the files needed. While the Mavic 3 is charging through my USB port, I'm not sure if it's charging fast enough to keep up with the discharge rate of having the Mavic 3 on, with its internal fans running and the lighting still flashing. Therefore I occasionally pull the memory card. But the microSD card is inserted upside down with the lip of the card just millimeters away from an overhang so I can't my fingernail in to get a hold of the card to remove it. I have to use tweezers to pull out the card.
While the DJI Mavic 3 is truly impressive with its easy, stable yet powerful flight characteristics, long battery life, stunning camera performance, the disappointment of the missing features, performance of the DJI Assistant Desktop App, and the design and location of the micro-SD slot combined to take off one star. Even shipping out a basic level of the missing features would have been enough to earn a stellar rating, but missing features really brings focus on an incomplete release. The Fly More combination with the extra batteries, and the convertible bag is highly recommended.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+24points
34of 44voted this as helpful.
 
Charge your Google Nest Cam with this Wasserstein charging station. The dual slot lets you recharge two cameras at once, while the magnetic charging docks hold your device securely. This Wasserstein charging station is fast-charging to deliver power rapidly, and the LED indicators display the charging status of the cameras clearly.
 
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Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
Simple but effective accessory
on November 4, 2021
Posted by: bzm3j81
from Detroit, MI
In the box, this Wasserstein charging station has the charging base, USB-A to USB-C cable and a USB-A plug adapter and a quick instruction pamphlet. It was very simple to put the hardware together. I was pleased to learn that the USB-A plug adapter has an output of 15W, so when not in use for this charging station, I can use it to charge (not quickly) my phone if I absolutely need to.
There are two Google Nest Cam (Battery) charging ports. One of my cameras happened to be at 20% charge so I popped it on the charger and was pleased that each port will help guide your camera to the correct location via magnets. When your camera is being charged your camera LED status indicator will blink and your camera will be offline for the duration of the charge.
I was a bit confused when I read that the Charging Station's LED would blink while your camera was charging. Mine did not blink, but stayed solid for a while. I left it alone and later came back and it was blinking. Charging from 20% to full took more than 3 hours.
To be honest, I really don't need a 2 port charger. Due to the different traffic patterns between my cameras, their battery usage differs enough that they don't need to be charged at the same time. I would be fine with a single port charger, but Wasserstein doesn't make one like that.
This Wasserstein Charging Station is simple to use and works like I would expect it to. The guiding magnets and the charging status LEDs are nice touches.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
 
Coffeehouse Versatility meets Pod Convenience with the Ninja DualBrew Pro Specialty Coffee System. Included 12-cup, double-walled thermal carafe is perfect for both hot and over-ice beverages, with an ergonomic handle and spout allow for easy control of pouring. Tackle grounds and pods with 9 grounds brew sizes from small cup to full carafe, and 4 pod brew sizes from 6 to 12 ounces. Brews a coffee pod faster than a leading Keurig coffee maker upon startup. With Thermal Flavor Extraction DUO technology, perfect flavor for grounds and pods is delivered with even saturation and precise temperature control for ultra-flavorful coffee. Separate from the coffee system is a dedicated hot water line. Using a separate line eliminates flavor contamination and delivers clean water. 2 temperature settings, hot and boil, allow you to make tea, hot cocoa, instant soups, and oatmeal. Brew a super-rich coffee concentrate that you can use to create delicious lattes, macchiatos, cappuccinos, and other coffeehouse-style drinks. Use the built-in, fold-away frother to transform hot or cold milk/milk-alternatives into silky-smooth froth in seconds. Top your Specialty brew with frothed milk for a coffeehouse-style drink.​ The frother is also removable for easy cleaning. Choose from one of four different brew styles; classic or rich for a traditional hot cup of coffee, over ice for an iced coffee that's never diluted, or specialty to make a cappuccino or latte. Clean function, dishwasher-safe parts, removable Ninja pod adaptor and frother allow you to easily deep clean your unit.
 
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Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Great Flexible Coffee System
on October 24, 2021
Posted by: bzm3j81
from Detroit, MI
We have had an old Keurig model, I think it's a K55, for several years. From the beginning, it's been slow to heat up water, taking a few minutes to start up. We use it for hot water as much as we use it for brewing a cup of coffee. While it gets the job done, we discovered much better performance with the Ninja DualBrew Pro.
With the Ninja DualBrew Pro, we quickly noticed how fast it heats water. In addition, it can heat up and dispense all 60 ounces in the reservoir into its included carafe which gives us plenty of hot water flexibility. The volume of water dispensed or coffee brewed is controllable by the knob on the front of the unit. By contrast, the K55 was only able to dispense up to 10oz at a time. There are two heat settings for hot water, boil and hot. If you want the hottest water, it will dispense a few ounces at a time and then boil up the next batch, but if you're OK without having the hottest water, the hot setting seems to just continuously dispense water that has passed through the heating element and not necessarily boiling all of it.
When it comes to coffee brewing, the Ninja team earns high praise. With the k-cup pod adapter, you can brew up any of your disposable k-cups easily. Obviously, with our K55, we were missing the ability to brew a 'pot' of coffee. The Ninja team figured out a way to remove the k-cup pod adapter so you have a more traditional brew basket. What's more is that the control panel recognizes the configuration changes and changes the options accordingly. For example, you wouldn't want 50 oz of water brewing through a k-cup. With this system, you also have other intelligent brew settings like brewing a classic, rich, over ice or specialty coffees. All of this easily controlled through the touch screen.
The included carafe is made of a stainless steel and is double-walled to insulate your hot beverage for hours. There is an included scoop for grounds. And my kids have enjoyed using the fold-away frother. The frother does not heat up, just spins.
I like that the hot water and the coffee systems are separate. We've had multiple instances with the K55 where someone left a coffee pod and the next person triggers the hot water cycle for their tea and gets 'coff-tea' instead. With the Ninja DualBrew Pro, the coffee and hot water have separate paths. What's also nice is that the Ninja team also includes a drip stop system to prevent any last drops from the coffee maker from mixing into your hot water.
One unexpected feature is the ability to change the location of the water reservoir. By releasing a clip, you can move the reservoir from the side to the rear of the machine. Since our coffee maker sits on our countertop beneath our cabinets, having the reservoir in the rear is inconvenient for us.
Even with the great performance of this Ninja DualBrew Pro, there are a few shortcomings. The largest of which is the fold down cup platform. It's a great feature and works well, however, it mis-leads us to center our mug over the rubberized hole. But both the hot water and coffee tend to dispense in the rear so it ends up missing our cups and we end up with a hot mess on our countertop. When you've barely woken up and just want a fresh brew, you're not always thinking that you need to push your cup further back than indicated to catch everything.
Unfortunately, you cannot use just any reusable k-cup. The Ninja system uses a triple nozzle system that I haven't found in a reusable k-cup yet. These extra nozzles are just fine for a disposable pod, but won't allow you to close the lid when using a reusable k-cup.
While the product is advertised as a 12-cup drip coffee maker, it's not. The reservoir and carafe can both hold 60 oz. Traditionally, 60 oz does equal twelve 5 oz servings of coffee and not twelve 8 oz cups. However, the brew size for coffee is limited to 55 oz, so only 11 servings of coffee.
Despite the mis-leading marketing, mis-leading target zone, and the lack of reusable k-cup support, it really is a solid, well thought out system. We truly enjoy the flexibility and speed that is offered by the Ninja DualBrew Pro system.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
+8points
9of 10voted this as helpful.
 
The Linksys E9450 WiFi 6 router covers 2800 square feet* and handles 30+ devices at speeds up to 5.4 Gbps. This compact Dual-Band router lets you surf, stream, and game all at the same time to keep you connected to the things that matter most. With Parental Controls and separate Guest Access, your network will always remain safe and secure. Easily add devices to your network with a push of the WPS button
 
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Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Solid Router-Firmware may allow Mesh
on October 20, 2021
Posted by: bzm3j81
from Detroit, MI
I picked up this Linksys Dual Band AX5400 WiFi 6 Router for an unfortunate reason. My nearly 1 year old Linksys Velop MX12600 Mesh system was acting up recently and I have some critical needs over the next several days. My Linksys Velop MX12600 would drop internet access and the status light would go red for a couple minutes each day. And then it developed into my browsers wouldn't resolve DNS properly.
I needed a replacement that gave me good coverage around the house and just outside my house to allow me to use my WiFi cameras. I wanted something that supported the latest WiFi standards, to which this E9450 does with WiFi 6 or AX standard. I also didn't want to spend several hundreds of dollars if I end up getting the previous Mesh system back in place.
After having a Mesh system, I really didn't want to go back to a standalone router. Mesh systems make it very easy to start up a WiFi network that is adaptive to your device's needs. It does this by allowing you set up a single SSID that allows your devices to connect via 2.4 Ghz or 5 Ghz networks. It also helps to stomp out WiFi dead zones by allowing you to set up multiple nodes that work together to deliver stronger WiFi throughout your home.
This Linksys Dual Band AX5400 WiFi 6 E9450 Router is a standalone single unit device. It allows you to configure separate 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz networks for both your own devices and for Guest devices. So you have the ability to set up 4 separate networks. However, it looks like you can only have up to 10 guests on the Guest Network. It doesn't even indicate if you can have 10 each per band or if it's 10 guests for both bands altogether. While the product packaging does not mention it, there is an indicator light on the device that indicates that it is Mesh compatible. I went to the Linksys product site for this E9450 Router and it is advertised as an EasyMesh product. Meaning you can set this up as a master node, then purchase another EasyMesh certified product to set up as a child node. However, nothing in the configuration portal seems to show how to set up Child nodes. I believe this functionality is meant to be added in a later firmware. As of this writing, I am running Firmware 1.1.00.064 and it is the latest firmware.
Setting up this E9450 surprised me a little bit. I expected to be able to pull up my Linksys App on my phone and set this router up like I have done with previous routers. But the E9450 is not compatible with the Linksys App. Perhaps this will get resolved with a future Firmware update. While the packaging advertises the ability to Setup with a smartphone, I imagine they meant it by connecting to the IP address via a browser and not through an App. I recommend setting this E9450 with a computer with a web browser.
The setup site on this E9450 is very basic. It reminds me of an old (20 years ago) Linksys configuration page. There are no frills like getting a visual network map, in fact, nothing is very visual with this configuration page.
I don't have a typical household network, I utilize Single Port Forwarding, and Dynamic DNS, and those items were easy to find and configure.
After I set up everything I needed, I had 1 device give me connectivity problems. It was a Raspberry Pi 4 device that wouldn't connect. I traced this back to a new security standard. This E9450 comes with WPA3 support. I think a system update to my Raspberry Pi 4 device will help it to connect via WPA3, but for the meantime, I dialed back the security setting to support WPA2.
As for the WiFi performance, I have zero complaints. It seems to support all the devices I need over the next several days. I have a few dozen smart devices and they all connected just fine and the network is working well even as they are all connected simultaneously. Connectivity just outside my house to my WiFi cameras is decent.
As far as port are concerned, there are 4 gigabit ports for LAN use. 1 gigabit Internet port for connecting to your cable modem. And a USB port for an external drive to let you share out media stored on the drive.
Overall, this seems like a solid router with AX capabilities. I hope that future firmware updates allow you to add on Mesh nodes and connectivity via the Linksys app on my phone.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
 
Life Note 3S are an incredible pair of truly wireless earbuds that sport 13.4mm oversized drivers to make your music listening experience a quality one. Not only do they supply big sound, but they have an incredibly comfortable fit so you can keep listening without ear fatigue. Intuitive controls allows you to browse your library without picking up your phone. Put all this together with a 35-hour playtime for a solid combination.
 
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Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
These Are Now My Go-To Earbuds
on October 8, 2021
Posted by: bzm3j81
from Detroit, MI
I've amassed a small collection of wireless audio products and lately I've been quite impressed with the Anker Soundcore brand.
While I enjoy noise cancelling products, some of the earbuds tend to seal your ear canals thereby creating pressure and it tends to feel like you're listening to things underwater. It's disorienting to me sometimes. And while I can turn off the noise cancelling function, that pressure wouldn't change. So I came to the personal realization that I needed a pair of non-noise cancelling earbuds.
I wanted something great sounding, great fitting and I really like having the ability to wear one earbud at a time. The Anker Soundcore Life Note 3S fit the bill perfectly.
Upon unboxing, you're instructed to charge for 15 minutes. To do this, you need to open the case, pull out each earbud and remove the film protecting the charging contacts and replacing the earbuds in their respective place in the case. I also plugged the case into a USB-C charger though the case has the option to wirelessly charge.
After fully charging the earbuds and case, I went to pair the earbuds to my phone and realized I should have paired it when I had the case initially opened. Unlike most other earbuds, you pair them while the earbuds are in the case with the case lid open. To initiate the pairing again, there is a button inside the case.
Placing the earbuds in my ears was very easy. They are very comfortable. They have low mass and are balanced very well so they don't feel like they are too heavy that they want to fall out. The sound is great. Music and conversations are very clear and I was pleased by the default amount of bass in the music.
Next, I tested each earbud's ability to operate on its own (mono). They both worked great. Competitor earbuds tend to use one earbud as the master and the passive earbud cannot operate independently. These Soundcore Life Note 3S earbuds work fine independently.
The touch controls are simple, but they have a little bit of latency.
From the packaging, you get 5 hours of use on a charge of the earbuds. The case can extend this to 35 hours. A quick 10 minute charge will give you 30 minutes of use.
The Soundcore app was just recently updated to include the Life Note 3S earbuds. Up until this afternoon, it was missing support for these earbuds. The Soundcore app includes an Equalizer where you can customize the sound as you see fit. It has a Gaming Mode to reduce latency. I like the option to be able to customize the touch controls a little bit. One of the interesting features is the Superior Sleep Mode. Now some other products have White Noise Generators. What the Soundcore app offers above this is the ability to blend different sounds available to create an audio environment for your comfort. So I you want a campfire with waves crashing on the beach with the rain in the distance, you can blend each of those elements to the volume you desire. It's an interesting approach.
The Anker Soundcore Life Note 3S captures all the features I'm really looking for in a comfortable package with decent battery life. These earbuds have emerged as my daily use earbuds and I'll utilize my noise cancelling earbuds only in certain conditions now.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
 
Connect additional ports to your device with this Satechi USB-C multi-port adapter. The two USB-A 3.0 ports transfer data from storage drives, while the USB-C port supports fast charging. This Satechi USB-C multi-port adapter features a compact design to seamlessly fit in your backpack, and the HDMI port connects external displays to show 4K videos.
 
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Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
Very good USB-C adapter
on October 7, 2021
Posted by: bzm3j81
from Detroit, MI
As my house is getting more laptop centric, I needed to find a way to connect and disconnect several peripherals when I'm switching between on-the-go and settling down at a desk. I've used various docking stations for work, but I wanted something more portable and this Satechi Multiport adapter has become my go-to solution.
The adapter is about the size of a Fire Stick remote. It has a 6" USB-C cable to connect to your computer. It offers an HDMI port that supports 4K, 2 USB-A ports, a USB-C port that only allows power passthrough, separate micro SD and SD card slots and a drop-jaw gigabit ethernet connection.
I've used drop-jaw ethernet connections on my previous HP laptops. Those are spring loaded to shut on their own. However, the Satechi implementation is not spring loaded, it snaps open or snaps closed manually. I was able to test all of the ports and they all work as expected with two notes.
The first is with regard to the USB-C port. It does not provide full USB-C functionality. Instead it allows you to plug in your USB-C power supply to charge your laptop so you don't have to find a second USB-C port on your computer in order to charge it.
The second is where I give compliment the Satechi team. When I first received the Multiport adapter, all the ports worked fine except for the ethernet port. The very first connection, it had link lights for a few seconds and then I couldn't get them to come back on, then, to my disappointment, I couldn't get any network activity through the port. I reached out to Satechi and after explaining my test methodology, they confirmed my suspicions and sent me a new adapter very quickly. While it may be disappointing to receive a defective product once in a while, it's how companies handle these situations that earn them loyal customers like myself. They provided fantastic customer service throughout this incident.
After receiving the replacement unit, I was able to run through tests on all ports and they all work as expected. So the Satechi Multiport adapter is a solid product backed by a terrific support team.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
 
Get even closer to your favorite music with the exceptional bass performance and noise cancellation of the WH-XB910N wireless headphones with EXTRA BASS™ and Dual Noise Canceling technologies.
 
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Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
Top Line Contender in a mid-range price
on October 2, 2021
Posted by: bzm3j81
from Detroit, MI
I bought a pair of Sony WH-CH700N a couple years ago on a Black Friday sale. I was looking for a decent set of Bluetooth headphones with Active Noise Cancelling. They were disappointing. The Bass seemed to be missing and the Noise Cancellation never quite worked to my expectation. It seemed to only muffle mid-range droning noises and conversations seemed to come through pretty well. Compared to a set of Bose QuietComfort 35, I honestly thought I had a bad set of headphones. Between my dad and I, we tried another set of WH-CH700N from a different store and came to the same conclusion.
I later got a chance to compare them to the WH-1000XM3. Those made quite a difference. They were great sounding, Bass was definitely present and the Noise Cancellation had everything I was looking for and offered adjustable noise cancellation levels, which was a piece missing from the Bose QuietComfort 35.
At first glance, these WH-XB910N seem to be a successor to the WH-1000XM3. The WH-XB910N adopts the touch controls that the WH-1000XM3 initially brought to the market and carried on with the WH-1000XM4. The WH-XB910N also come in a nice sturdy case with a male to male audio cable and a very short USB-C charging cord.
However, upon picking up the WH-XB910N, I started to notice hints that helped price these headphones in the mid-range. The plastic of the headband and outer shell of the ear cups doesn't have the satin smooth feel of the WH-1000XM3. Instead it has the texture of my desktop keyboard. There are no golden accents to the microphone holes. Some of the screws for the headband are visible. And the stitching of the ear cup pads is a little more prominent.
The earpads seem a little thicker, which is better for sound isolation, the cups are also longer and narrower, which is fine for my ears, but for those with wider ears, they may find that distracting. They also weigh about a 1/10 of an ounce lighter than the XM3's. The initial clamping force of the headband seems to be stronger too.
Pairing over Bluetooth was nice and simple. I also downloaded the Sony Headphones Connect App for my Android phone and connected the headphones in there. Unfortunately, there was a firmware update waiting for these headphones that prevented me from really getting into listening right away. I think I saw a hint that the firmware update would take up to 40 minutes to download and install. Thankfully, it was much shorter than that.
However, once they are set up, these headphones no longer resembled a mid-range set of headphones. They jump to the head of the class. Active Noise Cancelling works great. I believe they perform as well in my use cases than the WH-1000XM3. Mid-range droning noises are really suppressed. Conversations are taken down to probably 1/3 the volume. What surprised me was that the Bass levels are even better than the WH-1000XM3! Bass fans that have previously flocked to Bose or Beats will surely be impressed by the Sony WH-XB910N!
The factory tuning is decent, but being able to use the equalizer in the Sony Headphones Connect App really makes a big difference. There is an adaptive sound control that I found to be annoying as it would change between full Noise Cancellation while I was sitting down to allowing Ambient noise when I'm walking around my house. It would also chime as it switched to the different control modes. So I turned the Adaptive Sound Control off within an hour of use. The Sony Headphones Connect App does have more controls with the more premium WH-1000XM3 headphones such as atmospheric polling, but aside from a plane trip once a year, I don't think that's going to make any difference to me.
Phone conversations were nice and easy. The people on the other end did not have any difficulty understanding me.
One of the sorely needed features was full multipoint Bluetooth support. I'm so glad that Sony finally figured out how to get this to work properly. Within the Sony Headphones Connect App, you do need to enable Multipoint. Once you do, it will allow you to connect two devices and it lists those devices for you. I had my phone and desktop computer. If I pause my phone audio, I can immediately listen to my computer audio without lifting a finger and switching back is equally as effortless.
Overall, I'm beyond pleased with these WH-XB910N. They may look and feel cheaper than the top of the line Sony headphones, but the audio features can hold their own against any of the top line contenders.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
-1point
1of 3voted this as helpful.
 
The Beurer BR60 Insect Bite Healer uses natural heat to dissolve saliva, venom, and other irritants caused by insect bites. Direct heat application via a ceramic hot plate acceleratres the body's natural healing response to reduce itching and swelling, chemical-free. There is a 6 second application time for regular use, or a short 3 second treatment for sensitive skin. For best results, use immediately after insect bites. Suitable to soothe all types of insects bites like mosquito, spider, bee, chigger, flea, bed bug, wasp, ants, etc. For adults and kids ages 12+ with adult supervision.
 
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Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
Bug Bite Healer works well!
on September 20, 2021
Posted by: bzm3j81
from Detroit, MI
I didn't know such a product existed until I saw it on Best Buy's site. I was curious and did a little research and knew I had to try it for myself.
The principle seemed plausible. The itchiness of a bug bite is caused by the venom injected by the insect at the time of a bite to which the Beurer Insect Bite Healer addresses by applying high heat to the injection site to burn off the venom.
In my research I also found out that the sooner that you apply the Beurer Insect Bite Healer to the bite, the better the product functions and as a result, less inflammation.
The device itself has just about the same dimensions of a FireTV remote control, just about 30% shorter. You get two AAA batteries that are inserted just as you would a remote control. There is a slide switch on one side that lights up an LED that indicates that the unit is ready. By single clicking the circular button on top, it lights up half the ring surrounding the button and you get a 3 second burst of high heat on the ceramic disc on the underside. By double-clicking the circular button on top, it lights up the full ring surrounding the button and you get a 6 second burst of high heat on the ceramic disc on the underside. Then you can use the slide switch to turn the unit off so it isn't accidentally triggered.
I tried it first on my arm without a bite. The heat stings a little.
Normally, when I get bitten, it itches for a little while and goes away. For the next few days it seems to get itchy every so often and by the end of the week, I end up with a welt. I've tried a few after-bite ointments and most recently a Benadryl cooling gel that doesn't seem very effective.
Enter the Beurer Insect Bite Healer. I was out doing some yard work and got myself a mosquito bite. Ran inside used the 3 second setting and the itch subsided. What's surprising was that the next day, I didn't have any inflammation!
It's a great product. It does what it claims.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
+3points
4of 5voted this as helpful.
 
The myQ Smart Garage Camera is the only smart camera optimized for the garage. It works alone or as an upgrade to your existing myQ connected garage door opener to easily add streaming video, recorded events, motion detection and 2-way audio communication in one single myQ app experience. With a magnetic mounting base, and 360 degree swivel camera lens, you can see what is happening inside your garage 24/7.
 
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Customer Rating
3 out of 5
3
Good WiFi Camera requires subscription for storage
on September 17, 2021
Posted by: bzm3j81
from Detroit, MI
I have gone through a few camera systems to find a good match throughout my house. Unfortunately the Chamberlain myQ Smart Garage Camera isn't a good match for my purposes.
I happen to have a Chamberlain garage door opener with myQ functionality but it is an older model that requires an internet gateway component. If you don't have a myQ garage door opener, Chamberlain actually sells what I would characterize as a universal retrofit kit (MyQ-G0401) that works on all the major door openers manufactured after 1993 that have the safety sensors.
The setup of the myQ Smart Garage Camera was pretty easy. It needs to be in range of WiFi and you set it up via the myQ app on your mobile device through a Bluetooth connection. Adding the camera in the app went very smoothly. If you're just looking for basic functionality, you can just leave it like this.
The myQ system allows you to link your garage door opener so that you have a button to open/close your garage door while in live view mode. For that, you need to either have the myQ functionality set up via a myQ opener, myQ opener with internet gateway or the universal retrofit kit mentioned above.
The camera itself delivers nice crisp images, decent 2 way audio and provides two mounting options. The stand has a snap on adapter to allow you to screw in the adapter and then snap the stand to the adapter if you want to secure the camera to a wall or ceiling. The magnetic mount lets you attach it to any magnet friendly surface. Surprisingly, the underside of my garage door opener was cooperative to this. I previously thought was just plastic. With that in mind, Chamberlain includes a 10' power cable, so it gives you greater flexibility to mount this camera.
With the myQ app configured for this camera and a few tweaks to the settings like the motion sensitivity and the custom notification messages, I was getting appropriate alerts for motion in the garage. Where I was particularly disappointed with this system is where the myQ system requires a subscription in order to store videos. So without the subscription, you get alerts, but cannot view the motion that triggered the alert. But you can jump into the app and get a live view. For video storage for a rolling 7 days, you need to pay $3 a month or for a rolling 30 days of storage, you need to pay $10 a month with discounts if you pay for an annual subscription. I think this is really steep for 1 camera.
In general, I like that this is a WiFi based camera, but having to pay for any amount of storage turns me off from this system. Having to use the myQ app to view the video is slightly off-putting since my other cameras are on a different system/app. I like the video and audio quality and it's nice to be able to open/close the garage door while viewing video. If myQ would just grant 3 days of free storage, I think it could garner a 5 star review.
Mobile Submission: False
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
+2points
2of 2voted this as helpful.
 
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bzm3j81's Review Comments
 
Add high-end performance to your everyday life with the Google Pixel XL. A quad-core processor, a 5.5-inch LED screen and 32GB of memory ensure this phone is able to handle daily life, and Corning Gorilla Glass 4 protects the screen. Easy cloud storage ensures you never run out of space on the Google Pixel XL.
 
Overall4 out of 54 out of 5
Amazing Phone
By bzm3j81 from Detroit, MI
First and foremost, this phone is amazing. Performance and quality exceed my expectations from Google.
Pro’s:
- Build Quality
- Phone Performance
- Google Assist
- Unlimited photo storage
- Battery life
- Camera!
Con’s:
- Cost
- Lack of some “flagship” features (i.e. IP67 rating, wireless charging, removable storage)
Build quality: This phone is solid in your hand from the moment you pick it up. The aluminum body feels solid and the phone has enough weight behind it to sit comfortably in your hand. I was concerned about the glass portion of the back panel, as I cringed every time I put the phone down on a solid surface, but it has endured very well so far and beyond adding a little flair it helps to quickly identify the top from bottom of the phone as I bring it out of my pocket. The front screen is probably the best screen I have ever used on a smart phone, colors are vibrant, the blacks are deep, and I would put it up against any screen that Apple or Samsung produce. It would really be nice if this was IP 67 rated for water resistance and dust resistance.
Performance: The new Qualcomm 821 processor doesn’t seem leaps and bounds above the older 820 model, but there are times where it is noticeable. Transitions are smooth, scrolling is faster and more responsive, and the phone overall just seems more fluid. The finger print reader is very quick. The camera does load faster than my old phone, but isn’t instant.
Software: The new launcher is very smooth. Took a little bit of time to get used to the “pull up” for the app drawer, but it seems much more natural than the old app drawer button. The Google assistant is nice, but seems to be a slightly more powerful Google now… I expect this will get better over time, but right now seems to be a little basic. Verizon did a great job with the phone’s “bloatware”. I haven’t “noticed” the applications and it seems that they can be uninstalled if I want to. (good job guys). Everything seems to work really well, and the 3D touch is really nice for the applications it works with right now (mostly google apps) but as with most of the software, it will just get better with time.
Camera: This is hands down the best camera I have ever used on a phone. I was worried about the lack of OIS (optical image stabilization) but after seeing how well the EIS performs, it really isn’t a concern anymore. Photos look amazing, the stabilization is awesome, and the HDR+ mode is so fast, I do not even know it’s on. Combined with the unlimited Google photos storage, I really don’t mind the 32GB storage size. Low light photos are amazing and the autofocus is fast. Colors look amazing. I really can’t say enough about this thing. I do wish it had OIS to cover those situations where EIS struggles (lose some details in low light with HDR+ and shaky hands) but I do not think it’s needed overall.
Battery: bottom line, rock solid. I run my phones hard, and normally have to charge them in the car to and from work. (sometimes even at work). But no issues with this Pixel XL. The Qualcomm 821 processor combined with the OLED screen seem to have really helped battery life out. I am looking at 18 hours of life today alone and that’s with about 7 hours of screen time on.)
If you are in the market for a phone, and you have the money, this phone will not disappoint.
Customer Avatar
bzm3j81
Detroit, MI
Yes 3D Touch!
October 25, 2016
@RTB1980, to answer your question, yes 3D Touch. So when I press and hold a Google application, it displays a context menu specific to that application. It may not be based on pressure sensitivity, but timing. The same action on a non-Google app will 'zoom-out' so that you can drag and drop the app like in previous generations of Android.
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bzm3j81's Questions
 
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bzm3j81's Answers
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PowerCore III 10K is a slim and powerful portable 10000mAh battery. With two USB-A port PowerIQ outputs for high-speed dual device charging and one USB-C PD input for incredibly fast recharging. This is all you need as your charging companion.
 

The indicator light appears to be flashing while charging. Is this normal? Also, where can I find a manual for this online?

Make sure that you're plugged into the correct port. I was able to trigger the flashing if I plugged my phone into the USB-C port (middle port). That port is only for charging the power bank (input) and not for charging your mobile device. The two USB-A ports are used for charging your devices (output).
2 years, 5 months ago
by
bzm3j81
 
Capture stunning imagery with the legendary Hasselblad camera and enjoy a smooth flight with omnidirectional obstacle sensing. Every improvement on Mavic 3 sets a higher standard for aerial photography. Fly with Mavic 3 and discover imaging above everything.
 

What VR/FPV goggles can be used with this new Mavic 3?

The Mavic 3 will not be compatible with the DJI FPV goggles at launch. DJI hints that it may be supported in the future with possible firmware updates.
2 years, 5 months ago
by
bzm3j81
 
Coffeehouse Versatility meets Pod Convenience with the Ninja DualBrew Pro Specialty Coffee System. Included 12-cup, double-walled thermal carafe is perfect for both hot and over-ice beverages, with an ergonomic handle and spout allow for easy control of pouring. Tackle grounds and pods with 9 grounds brew sizes from small cup to full carafe, and 4 pod brew sizes from 6 to 12 ounces. Brews a coffee pod faster than a leading Keurig coffee maker upon startup. With Thermal Flavor Extraction DUO technology, perfect flavor for grounds and pods is delivered with even saturation and precise temperature control for ultra-flavorful coffee. Separate from the coffee system is a dedicated hot water line. Using a separate line eliminates flavor contamination and delivers clean water. 2 temperature settings, hot and boil, allow you to make tea, hot cocoa, instant soups, and oatmeal. Brew a super-rich coffee concentrate that you can use to create delicious lattes, macchiatos, cappuccinos, and other coffeehouse-style drinks. Use the built-in, fold-away frother to transform hot or cold milk/milk-alternatives into silky-smooth froth in seconds. Top your Specialty brew with frothed milk for a coffeehouse-style drink.​ The frother is also removable for easy cleaning. Choose from one of four different brew styles; classic or rich for a traditional hot cup of coffee, over ice for an iced coffee that's never diluted, or specialty to make a cappuccino or latte. Clean function, dishwasher-safe parts, removable Ninja pod adaptor and frother allow you to easily deep clean your unit.
 

Must I use the pods for single cup?

It has a more traditional brew basket for a filter and coffee grounds that allows you to brew from 8 to 55 oz.
2 years, 6 months ago
by
bzm3j81
 
Who’s in the garden? Are the kids doing their homework yet? Nest Cam is wire-free, so it goes almost anywhere, outside or in. It knows the difference between people, animals, and vehicles, so you can get the alerts that are important to you. Listen and speak through the camera right from the Google Home app. Check in anytime with 24/7 live view.* If you miss a notification, you can always go back and see what happened with 3 hours of free event video history.* And it’s easy to install yourself – no outlet or wires required. Nest Camera Battery requires the Google Home app and a Google Account – it’s not compatible with the Nest app or the home.nest.com site. *** Stand and cable sold separately
 

Hi! Is it mandatory to have the camera be connected to a home wifi? I read that it is battery operated. With just battery, can I still get alerts on my google home app while I’m in an international country? Thanks for your answer.

Your usage scenario requires it to be connected to some kind of local WiFi, whether that's a home WiFi or a hotspot that remains in the vicinity of the camera. The camera itself cannot send the video nor alerts via cellular data.
2 years, 7 months ago
by
bzm3j81
 
Who’s in the garden? Are the kids doing their homework yet? Nest Cam is wire-free, so it goes almost anywhere, outside or in. It knows the difference between people, animals, and vehicles, so you can get the alerts that are important to you. Listen and speak through the camera right from the Google Home app. Check in anytime with 24/7 live view.* If you miss a notification, you can always go back and see what happened with 3 hours of free event video history.* And it’s easy to install yourself – no outlet or wires required. Nest Camera Battery requires the Google Home app and a Google Account – it’s not compatible with the Nest app or the home.nest.com site. *** Stand and cable sold separately
 

Do the video feeds show up on home.nest.com for the new cameras?

Not it does not. While it is branded as a Nest Cam, it only connects through the Google Home App.
2 years, 7 months ago
by
bzm3j81
 
Who’s in the garden? Are the kids doing their homework yet? Nest Cam is wire-free, so it goes almost anywhere, outside or in. It knows the difference between people, animals, and vehicles, so you can get the alerts that are important to you. Listen and speak through the camera right from the Google Home app. Check in anytime with 24/7 live view.* If you miss a notification, you can always go back and see what happened with 3 hours of free event video history.* And it’s easy to install yourself – no outlet or wires required. Nest Camera Battery requires the Google Home app and a Google Account – it’s not compatible with the Nest app or the home.nest.com site. *** Stand and cable sold separately
 

Can I install this camera outside, not under a cover?

I have it installed outside, it is rated IP54 for weather resistance.
2 years, 7 months ago
by
bzm3j81
 
Everything you love in a Galaxy PC, and more. Galaxy Book Flex2 ⍺ sits at the top of its class with high-quality features to match. Equipped with our latest technology, innovative design, vivid display and a high-speed processor that'll dazzle your senses while exceeding all expectations. Its super vivid QLED screen features millions of colors realized at 100% color volume, adapting to your environment so you have an easy viewing experience no matter the lighting. Choose your view with the ultra-slim 2-in-1 design that transforms from laptop to tablet. Add the latest 11th Gen Intel Core i5 / i7 processor, and your work, play and entertainment continue from morning to night. Enjoy added built-in features like Second Screen capability and enhanced connectivity to anything within the Galaxy ecosystem, from buds to tablets and so much more. Plus, a super-fast charging battery¹ that lasts 17 hours on a single charge makes it easy to accomplish everything you need to do and everything you want to do wherever, and whenever you want.
 

Does this have thunderbolt 4 that I could use with an egpu or is it only usb c?

It does not have Thunderbolt 4, just USB-C.
2 years, 10 months ago
by
bzm3j81
 
Immerse yourself in every detail with the Samsung A700 high resolution 4K UHD monitor. With HDR10 technology, colors will look vivid and lifelike while the TUV-certified eye comfort care will reduce eye fatigue and keep you productive. The minimalistic, virtually borderless design, clean cable management and slim, sleek stand gives you an optimized clutter-free workstation.
 

Does this tv support screen mirroring

This isn't a Smart TV, it's a monitor. Therefore there isn't any casting options available. If physically connected to your computer, you can change your display settings to duplicate your display across your monitors.
2 years, 11 months ago
by
bzm3j81
 
Soundcore Life Tune XR are active noise cancelling headphones with Hi-Res Certified sound. The Multi-Mode noise cancellation technology detects and cancels out exterior noise. Use for calls with the dual microphones and have long, 60 hour listening sessions due to the long battery life and comfortable earcups.
 

Why does the Product Name say “Earbuds” when the Images show “Over the Ear” headphones and the Specs mention “Over the Ear”? Which one is correct “Earbuds” or “Over the Ear”? thx

These are Over the Ear headphones.

Anker does have an ear buds variant of this line.
3 years ago
by
bzm3j81
 
Soundcore Life Tune XR are active noise cancelling headphones with Hi-Res Certified sound. The Multi-Mode noise cancellation technology detects and cancels out exterior noise. Use for calls with the dual microphones and have long, 60 hour listening sessions due to the long battery life and comfortable earcups.
 

How much do they weigh ?

~267 grams
3 years ago
by
bzm3j81