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- Review count88
- Helpfulness votes217
- First reviewJune 3, 2015
- Last reviewApril 25, 2024
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4
- Review comment count4
- Helpfulness votes1
- First review commentJune 14, 2015
- Last review commentNovember 19, 2015
- Featured review comments0
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- Answer count10
- Helpfulness votes5
- First answerJune 14, 2015
- Last answerApril 19, 2021
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The Chirp Wheel+ helps reduce back pain by decompressing your spine, strengthening core muscles, and massaging out tight trigger points. Made with a rigid ABS plastic core and soft EVA compression sensitive mat, the Chirp Wheel+ can support up to 500 pounds! Three wheel sizes provide different levels of pressure for customizable back pain relief. The smallest wheel offers the most pressure, to target specific muscle knots, while the largest wheel offers the least pressure and the greatest stretch to help correct poor posture.
Customer Rating
4
Great back pain reliever if used properly & safely
on August 6, 2021
Posted by: Jack
from OR
I am always wary of things that claim pain relief, so I was not sure how good the Chirp Wheel+ will be. However, I’m happy to say, at least for me and my wife, this works quite well as claimed, if you can figure out how to use it properly.
I suffer from minor back pain, while my wife has a chronic one, so when we got this set, we first had a short consultation with our family physician just in case we didn't do any damage. Getting a thumbs up to try this out, we initially had some issue in “learning” how to use this correctly. Placing at correct spots on the back, and properly stretching on it takes some getting used to, especially for me since I’m not the fittest person out there. After doing some balancing act, I finally was able to get good relief consistently. My wife, who’s more fit and has a strong core, was able to use it with ease.
The set comes in 3 sizes, so depending on needs I was able to change out the wheel conveniently. The rubberized outer layer is just soft enough, and the inner structure is rigid enough to take on the body weight with ease. The support is just right for my back. The make and finish is very good and robust for everyday use.
In summary, this is an interesting contraction to relieve back pain, but I believe this is not for everyone. And anyone interested in getting this and suffering from chronic back pain issues should consult a doctor/chiropractor to make sure this will be helpful.
I suffer from minor back pain, while my wife has a chronic one, so when we got this set, we first had a short consultation with our family physician just in case we didn't do any damage. Getting a thumbs up to try this out, we initially had some issue in “learning” how to use this correctly. Placing at correct spots on the back, and properly stretching on it takes some getting used to, especially for me since I’m not the fittest person out there. After doing some balancing act, I finally was able to get good relief consistently. My wife, who’s more fit and has a strong core, was able to use it with ease.
The set comes in 3 sizes, so depending on needs I was able to change out the wheel conveniently. The rubberized outer layer is just soft enough, and the inner structure is rigid enough to take on the body weight with ease. The support is just right for my back. The make and finish is very good and robust for everyday use.
In summary, this is an interesting contraction to relieve back pain, but I believe this is not for everyone. And anyone interested in getting this and suffering from chronic back pain issues should consult a doctor/chiropractor to make sure this will be helpful.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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4of 4voted this as helpful.
From pour-over to French press and every method in between, Ode Brew Grinder brings the café experience to your kitchen. With single dosing, a small countertop size, a magnetically aligned catch and grinds knocker for added cleanliness, Ode turns a morning chore into an elevated experience.
Customer Rating
3
Expensive grinder with cool design with some catch
on July 18, 2021
Posted by: Jack
from OR
The Fellow Ode is an excellent grinder with a really cool and modern design with decent capabilities. However, this is not a “jack-of-all-trades” grinder - it’s designed for a very specific job: grind consistently for “brewing” coffee. And alas that excludes espresso or any kind of coffee that requires fine coffee-grinds. Thus if you need a single grinder for the whole range of use, this is not it.
From a design perspective, this is a well-made appliance that has a bit of the no-nonsense aspect going on for it. The overall dimensions are on the smaller side - the height is low enough to slide under almost all types of kitchen cabinets I can think of when placed on the counter. But it is on the heavier side of things, which actually gives a good solid support when the motor is spinning at full speed. The big dial is the most prominent thing at the front, and the clicky mechanical feel I got when choosing my grind size is very satisfying. The dial goes all the way to 11 (literally), and has 3 steps in between, giving a total of 31 positions. Thus, I can do a lot of fine tuning. To give some guidelines, the cover on the hopper has a drawing to get some idea what can be some desirable grind-size for the particular brew - I however did not find it to be much helpful and found my ideal settings via trial and error.
Regarding the hopper - this is a single-dose machine meaning the amount of beans that can be ground at once is fairly small. So it’s all good for morning coffee and stuff, but if you need to brew a lot for guests etc. it creates an issue.
The operation is simple - load beans on the top hopper, dial to desired size, and press a button. The unit has an auto-stop feature, but I found it to be a bit inconsistent - sometimes leftover coffee grinds will make the unit operate for an unnecessarily long time before it shuts down. The speed is very impressive, and compared to my older grinder, the sound is much more tolerable. I have seen claims/comments that this is a very quiet grinder, but that I think is an overstatement. The grinder has a small “knocker'' to get excess grinds off, but that does not work very well. Even after tapping multiple times I still found a lot of debris in the chute, and it was messy. Ther magnetic catch has the same issue - the metal fins inside it to guide the coffee while pouring actually traps a lot of debris and again creates a mess that needs to be cleaned every time.
To sum up, the Fellow Ode grinder is an excellent piece of appliance from a design point of view - wherever I put it it catches peoples eyes. But it has its limitations. For this price, I’d love to get something that can cover the whole grind spectrum. I heard there’s a way to change out the burrs and get finer grinds out of this, but that needs extra money and effort which is not a great consumer experience. Also the operation is a bit messy due to the knocker being a dud, and the catch being hard to clear out. I hope Fellow follows up with a better one in the near future. For now, I need to get my hand grinder out to brew some espresso,
From a design perspective, this is a well-made appliance that has a bit of the no-nonsense aspect going on for it. The overall dimensions are on the smaller side - the height is low enough to slide under almost all types of kitchen cabinets I can think of when placed on the counter. But it is on the heavier side of things, which actually gives a good solid support when the motor is spinning at full speed. The big dial is the most prominent thing at the front, and the clicky mechanical feel I got when choosing my grind size is very satisfying. The dial goes all the way to 11 (literally), and has 3 steps in between, giving a total of 31 positions. Thus, I can do a lot of fine tuning. To give some guidelines, the cover on the hopper has a drawing to get some idea what can be some desirable grind-size for the particular brew - I however did not find it to be much helpful and found my ideal settings via trial and error.
Regarding the hopper - this is a single-dose machine meaning the amount of beans that can be ground at once is fairly small. So it’s all good for morning coffee and stuff, but if you need to brew a lot for guests etc. it creates an issue.
The operation is simple - load beans on the top hopper, dial to desired size, and press a button. The unit has an auto-stop feature, but I found it to be a bit inconsistent - sometimes leftover coffee grinds will make the unit operate for an unnecessarily long time before it shuts down. The speed is very impressive, and compared to my older grinder, the sound is much more tolerable. I have seen claims/comments that this is a very quiet grinder, but that I think is an overstatement. The grinder has a small “knocker'' to get excess grinds off, but that does not work very well. Even after tapping multiple times I still found a lot of debris in the chute, and it was messy. Ther magnetic catch has the same issue - the metal fins inside it to guide the coffee while pouring actually traps a lot of debris and again creates a mess that needs to be cleaned every time.
To sum up, the Fellow Ode grinder is an excellent piece of appliance from a design point of view - wherever I put it it catches peoples eyes. But it has its limitations. For this price, I’d love to get something that can cover the whole grind spectrum. I heard there’s a way to change out the burrs and get finer grinds out of this, but that needs extra money and effort which is not a great consumer experience. Also the operation is a bit messy due to the knocker being a dud, and the catch being hard to clear out. I hope Fellow follows up with a better one in the near future. For now, I need to get my hand grinder out to brew some espresso,
Mobile Submission: False
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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1of 1voted this as helpful.
Mini version of Tweezermans award-winning slant tweezer. Famous for its precision, the Mini Slant Tweezer features perfectly aligned hand-filed tips for expert brow shaping. Grabs every hair, every time.
Posted by: Jack
from OR
The Mini Slant Tweezer from Tweezerman does what it’s designed for - a useful tweezer in a smaller package to help out working on your eyebrows. The tip is slanted which helps guide it accurately, and the body is a nob-slip metallic piece which provides excellent grip. Furthermore, a travel tube comes with it so putting it into a bag or purse is not an issue. Using this tweezer I found that the tension is just right, at least for the time being, and I hope it stays the same with future use. The bonus part is this tweezer is TSA compliant. For the price and quality, this is a no brainer.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The Soundcore by Anker Select Pro Portable Bluetooth Speaker has powerful stereo sound and BassUp technology to fill any room with high-quality sound, even in the great outdoors. It features built-in LEDs that blink in time to the beat, creating a fun light show. This portable speaker can play up to 16 hours from one single charge and has an IPX7 waterproof rating, making it even great for poolside listening.
Posted by: Jack
from OR
The Anker Soundcore Select Pro is a surprisingly capable outdoor-proof bluetooth speaker which combines a good design, cheeky lighting effect, and is pretty nice for the size and price. The construction is decent - not the toughest out there and nothing fancy, but from the couple of weeks of mixed indoor and outdoor use, it has been holding up well. The fact that it charges via a USB-C port, and on the other hand can charge other devices via the PowerIQ USB-A port, is something I found very very useful especially on the go.
It is rated with IPX7 and additionally is floatable, so this is a perfect speaker for camping or other activities, and even in the pool. The built-in handle is something that I have dearly missed in my previous bluetooth speakers I have been using, so good job Anker!
The speaker can be customized a bit via the Soundcore app - the app is pretty basic and helped me change the lighting effect and the EQ settings, but nothing much. I saw that this can be synced with other Soundcore speakers via the “Party Cast'' feature, and I think there the app will be more useful. Sadly, in the absence of another set, I was not able to test that out.
From my usage, I was able to get close to 14/15 hours of playtime - I did not have to charge for a whole week with using the speaker listening to podcasts and Spotify music throughout the day while working from home.
As for the sound, the bass is good and tight, and can be enhanced via the BassUp button, but the result was a mixed bag - some genres sounded quite good, while sometimes it felt a bit overwhelming. Luckily the BassUp button is located conveniently to alter my choice. The only caveat is sometimes it feels like the volume is not the loudest out there - but for my daily use this was a minor issue.
Overall this is a pretty good package in terms of design and capability, and certainly a good way to enjoy music outdoors.
It is rated with IPX7 and additionally is floatable, so this is a perfect speaker for camping or other activities, and even in the pool. The built-in handle is something that I have dearly missed in my previous bluetooth speakers I have been using, so good job Anker!
The speaker can be customized a bit via the Soundcore app - the app is pretty basic and helped me change the lighting effect and the EQ settings, but nothing much. I saw that this can be synced with other Soundcore speakers via the “Party Cast'' feature, and I think there the app will be more useful. Sadly, in the absence of another set, I was not able to test that out.
From my usage, I was able to get close to 14/15 hours of playtime - I did not have to charge for a whole week with using the speaker listening to podcasts and Spotify music throughout the day while working from home.
As for the sound, the bass is good and tight, and can be enhanced via the BassUp button, but the result was a mixed bag - some genres sounded quite good, while sometimes it felt a bit overwhelming. Luckily the BassUp button is located conveniently to alter my choice. The only caveat is sometimes it feels like the volume is not the loudest out there - but for my daily use this was a minor issue.
Overall this is a pretty good package in terms of design and capability, and certainly a good way to enjoy music outdoors.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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1of 1voted this as helpful.
Enjoy a smooth gaming experience with this 27-inch ASUS Full HD monitor. The Shadow Boost feature increases clarity in dark scenes, and the ultrafast response times minimize blurring and streaking for seamless gameplay. This ASUS Full HD monitor has an ergonomic design that allows tilting, swiveling and pivoting as needed.
Customer Rating
4
Great entry-level gaming monitor with G-Sync
on April 19, 2021
Posted by: Jack
from OR
The Asus “TUF Gaming” VG279QR is a 27-inch IPS display that sports a very fast refresh rate (165 Hz), with a claim for 1 ms MPRT (and 4 ms GTG) response time. Moreover, it is compatible with the Nvidia G-Sync variable refresh rate system. Thus, from a basic gaming monitor spec standpoint, it checks all the marks and being from the “TUF'' series of value oriented line from Asus, the price point seems comparable to other competitors in the market.
Setup is extremely easy and tool-less. Other than tightening a captive screw in the base to the arm and hooking up the display cable, nothing else is needed. The display is decent sized, with just under 1 cm of bezels on the size. For gaming and standard productivity, I found the 27” size to be a sweet spot, and the 1080p Full HD resolution to be adequate.
The build quality is where the monitor shows some of its “value” nature - the “shell” around the display shows some misalignment, and the material looks very basic. That does not mean it’s weak - it’s just that there are a bunch of similar monitors which look more premium. The arm and the base offers some visual uniqueness found in other TUF series products, with some red lettering in the back, and the compass like indentation on the base to show off some “gaming” aesthetics. But it’s not overwhelming like you find is some more “hardcore” gaming monitor, and personally I liked this subtle touches.
The connectivity is as expected - 2x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort, 1x 3.5-mm audio jack. Be aware that to get the full 165 Hz refresh rate, you need to plug-in your system via the DisplayPort (and make sure the GPU is capable of that). Otherwise, the HDMI ports max out at 144 Hz, which still is fantastic.
There are internal stereo speakers (audio being sent over HDMI), but the only good thing about them is that they “exist”. The volume and the quality is so abhorrent that it’s better to forget about them. Here, the 3.5-mm plug may come to your rescue since that will allow the use of external speakers or headphones, despite some background noise issue).
The display itself is pretty good. The IPS panel allows good visibility. Out of the box, I found them not very well tuned to my taste, but after some effort, I was able to calibrate them a bit. The higher refresh rate is a joy to use - if you haven’t had that experience yet you’ll appreciate that a lot. I have been using 120 Hz and 144 Hz gaming laptops for quite some time, so it was not a big jump for me, but my friends and family who are more accustomed to typical 60 Hz displays were pleasantly surprised.
In addition to the “fast” refresh rate panel, Asus provides a variety of mostly gaming-focused features. The GameVisual system offers 7 modes to choose from tuned for a variety of use cases - scenery, SRGB, FPS, Racing etc. Most of them allow tuning the brightness/contrast/color temp. etc, and also supports the Asus exclusive “Extreme Low Motion Blur” (ELMB) which allows the monitor to get that 1-ms MPRT response time, and reduces ghosting. There are also Asus Tracefree, Vivid display and some other tweaks that can be used as well. Furthermore, you can select the level of blue-light filtering that helps balance the reduction of Blue-light emission and the content color fidelity. There are some Asus gamePlus features such as on-screen crosshair, FPS counter, times, and a display alignment helper - these are cool add-ons for some cases.
The monitor offers a lot of adjustability. Along with height and tilt adjustment, it can be swiveled and pivoted to a great extent. I especially like the 90-degree pivot, as that helps me to get a portrait mode display which is useful for coding/document creating, etc.
Overall, I am very happy with the Asus VG279QR monitor. Given that your display output supports DisplayPort with 165 Hz capability, and has G-sync, this is a great entry-level gaming monitor which works well for productivity work. The only gripe is that the internal speakers are so embarrassing. Another point is that the product pages are not very comprehensive. The fact that this is a G-sync compatible monitor is nowhere to be seen in the Best Buy product page. And I had to go through a lot of hoops to understand that I need a DP cable to get the max 165 Hz refresh rate. I hope both Asus and BB work out to properly highlight the facts.
Setup is extremely easy and tool-less. Other than tightening a captive screw in the base to the arm and hooking up the display cable, nothing else is needed. The display is decent sized, with just under 1 cm of bezels on the size. For gaming and standard productivity, I found the 27” size to be a sweet spot, and the 1080p Full HD resolution to be adequate.
The build quality is where the monitor shows some of its “value” nature - the “shell” around the display shows some misalignment, and the material looks very basic. That does not mean it’s weak - it’s just that there are a bunch of similar monitors which look more premium. The arm and the base offers some visual uniqueness found in other TUF series products, with some red lettering in the back, and the compass like indentation on the base to show off some “gaming” aesthetics. But it’s not overwhelming like you find is some more “hardcore” gaming monitor, and personally I liked this subtle touches.
The connectivity is as expected - 2x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort, 1x 3.5-mm audio jack. Be aware that to get the full 165 Hz refresh rate, you need to plug-in your system via the DisplayPort (and make sure the GPU is capable of that). Otherwise, the HDMI ports max out at 144 Hz, which still is fantastic.
There are internal stereo speakers (audio being sent over HDMI), but the only good thing about them is that they “exist”. The volume and the quality is so abhorrent that it’s better to forget about them. Here, the 3.5-mm plug may come to your rescue since that will allow the use of external speakers or headphones, despite some background noise issue).
The display itself is pretty good. The IPS panel allows good visibility. Out of the box, I found them not very well tuned to my taste, but after some effort, I was able to calibrate them a bit. The higher refresh rate is a joy to use - if you haven’t had that experience yet you’ll appreciate that a lot. I have been using 120 Hz and 144 Hz gaming laptops for quite some time, so it was not a big jump for me, but my friends and family who are more accustomed to typical 60 Hz displays were pleasantly surprised.
In addition to the “fast” refresh rate panel, Asus provides a variety of mostly gaming-focused features. The GameVisual system offers 7 modes to choose from tuned for a variety of use cases - scenery, SRGB, FPS, Racing etc. Most of them allow tuning the brightness/contrast/color temp. etc, and also supports the Asus exclusive “Extreme Low Motion Blur” (ELMB) which allows the monitor to get that 1-ms MPRT response time, and reduces ghosting. There are also Asus Tracefree, Vivid display and some other tweaks that can be used as well. Furthermore, you can select the level of blue-light filtering that helps balance the reduction of Blue-light emission and the content color fidelity. There are some Asus gamePlus features such as on-screen crosshair, FPS counter, times, and a display alignment helper - these are cool add-ons for some cases.
The monitor offers a lot of adjustability. Along with height and tilt adjustment, it can be swiveled and pivoted to a great extent. I especially like the 90-degree pivot, as that helps me to get a portrait mode display which is useful for coding/document creating, etc.
Overall, I am very happy with the Asus VG279QR monitor. Given that your display output supports DisplayPort with 165 Hz capability, and has G-sync, this is a great entry-level gaming monitor which works well for productivity work. The only gripe is that the internal speakers are so embarrassing. Another point is that the product pages are not very comprehensive. The fact that this is a G-sync compatible monitor is nowhere to be seen in the Best Buy product page. And I had to go through a lot of hoops to understand that I need a DP cable to get the max 165 Hz refresh rate. I hope both Asus and BB work out to properly highlight the facts.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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4of 5voted this as helpful.
The all new XPS 13 featuring 11th Gen InteI Core mobile processors, it’s now possible to enjoy incredibly immersive entertainment on a remarkably thin and light laptop. The stunning 4-sided InfinityEdge display enables us to bring a 6.8% larger 16:10 display to the 13-inch, all in a 2% smaller size than before, delivering a 91.5% screen to body ratio. 100% of the enclosure is sculpted by a CNC (computer numerical control) machining process. A high precision, machine-milled aluminum chassis creates an elegant design with high build quality that’s stronger and stiffer than magnesium or plastic.
Customer Rating
5
Incredible build haunted by sub-par performance
on March 9, 2021
Posted by: Jack
from OR
The Dell XPS line of laptops have always been at the top of it’s class of premium thin-and-light devices, and the XPS 13 model is the smallest and lightest of the bunch. I have been using the newest version - XPS 13 9310 for more than a week now and before I delve into the details, can now summarize my experience below:
Pros:
- Superb craftsmanship with top-notch build quality
- One of the best and brightest displays I have come across in consumer grade laptops
- Great keyboard with good feel, complimented by a nice touchpad
- Fan noise inaudible with idle/low load, and not very loud even when stressed
- Superb craftsmanship with top-notch build quality
- One of the best and brightest displays I have come across in consumer grade laptops
- Great keyboard with good feel, complimented by a nice touchpad
- Fan noise inaudible with idle/low load, and not very loud even when stressed
Cons:
- Even with the best Intel Core i7 Tiger Lake 28 W mobile CPU, the performance compared to 10th gen is very minimum, and much lower than Ryzen ones
- RAM is soldered and non-upgradable
- Only comes with 2 Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports, so dongle life is the way
- Battery life is short with the UHD+ display
- One of the worst webcam I have come across
- Can get a bit hot (both top and bottom when stressed)
- CPU clock rate is unsteady under heavy load (throttling)
- Even with the best Intel Core i7 Tiger Lake 28 W mobile CPU, the performance compared to 10th gen is very minimum, and much lower than Ryzen ones
- RAM is soldered and non-upgradable
- Only comes with 2 Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports, so dongle life is the way
- Battery life is short with the UHD+ display
- One of the worst webcam I have come across
- Can get a bit hot (both top and bottom when stressed)
- CPU clock rate is unsteady under heavy load (throttling)
With that being said, I enjoyed the laptop so much that I’m taking this time write up a more detailed review, so read on if you want to know more:
When I first started looking for an ultra-portable premium laptop a couple of years back, I found the Dell XPS 13 sitting on the top - the build quality, form-factor, performance was top-notch. Alas, due to competitive pricing and the allure of 2-in-1 convertible form factor, I ended up getting an HP Spectre x360 instead. Now, in 2021 when time came to get a new laptop for my everyday use, I looked back at the XPS 13 offering, and ended up getting a late-2020 9310 model sporting Intel’s 11th gen Core i7 1185G7 ‘Tiger Lake’ CPU and the new Iris XE integrated GPU, with a UHD+ display.
When I first started looking for an ultra-portable premium laptop a couple of years back, I found the Dell XPS 13 sitting on the top - the build quality, form-factor, performance was top-notch. Alas, due to competitive pricing and the allure of 2-in-1 convertible form factor, I ended up getting an HP Spectre x360 instead. Now, in 2021 when time came to get a new laptop for my everyday use, I looked back at the XPS 13 offering, and ended up getting a late-2020 9310 model sporting Intel’s 11th gen Core i7 1185G7 ‘Tiger Lake’ CPU and the new Iris XE integrated GPU, with a UHD+ display.
The one I got has the Frost exterior with Arctic White interior, and the palm rest is made up of ‘woven glass fiber’ which is cool to the touch under any condition. The keyboard is also white which looks quite good - however with the whitish backlight makes it difficult to use in lighted condition. Thus, compared to some black/dark colored keyboards I use with my other laptops where I can keep the backlight turned on all the time, in case of the XPS 13 I had to toggle the backlight on and off depending on the lighting condition. The keyboard itself is a pleasure to type with. The chiclet/island style keys are well placed and quite big for the 13” form factor - the keyboard spans almost the entire length. Key travel is good and has a nice feel. The same can be said about the glass-covered Windows Precision touchpad. The size is adequate, and I personally prefer this taller ratio. Sensitivity while gliding and clicking is very good.
The laptop is very very light (around 2.78 lbs according to reputable sources), and screen-to-body ratio is a whopping 91.5%. It feels more like an 11-inch subnotebook of yesteryear packing a 13.4” screen. The edges are chamfered and do not have edges, and the stainless steel Dell logo is prominent while not being overbearing. The body is rigid and felt very durable. It’s so easy to walk around with the laptop in hand.
As for the display - it’s steller: the UHD+ (3840 x 2400) resolution of this Sharp IPS panel may be an overkill, but I don’t mind the extra sharpness in spite of the hit on battery life, and I’m in love with the 16:10 aspect ratio. It is very very bright, even at the lowest setting, and with a peak of 500 nits it stays usable outdoors in sunlight though not being a matte screen. The nearly all-around bezel-less ‘Infinity Edge’ display creates a distinct appeal compared to other ultra-portables available now. It supports touch, but unfortunately does not support an active pen since it does not have a digitizer. I feel there’s some confusion regarding this (since there’s the 2-in-1 XPS 13 that does support active pen), and wish Dell can make this more clear.
As for the display - it’s steller: the UHD+ (3840 x 2400) resolution of this Sharp IPS panel may be an overkill, but I don’t mind the extra sharpness in spite of the hit on battery life, and I’m in love with the 16:10 aspect ratio. It is very very bright, even at the lowest setting, and with a peak of 500 nits it stays usable outdoors in sunlight though not being a matte screen. The nearly all-around bezel-less ‘Infinity Edge’ display creates a distinct appeal compared to other ultra-portables available now. It supports touch, but unfortunately does not support an active pen since it does not have a digitizer. I feel there’s some confusion regarding this (since there’s the 2-in-1 XPS 13 that does support active pen), and wish Dell can make this more clear.
As for performance, the 11th gen Tiger Lake Core i7 1185G7 is the top-of-the-line offering from Intel at 28 W TDP range. But looking at benchmarks it seems that it still trails AMD’s Ryzen 4000 and 5000 series CPUs, especially in terms of multi-core and thermal performance. However, from everyday usage I typically do, I feel the performance is adequate compared to how small the chassis is. Adhering to the new Intel Evo platform standard, the XPS 13 features ‘instant-on’ feature, and the laptop truly turns-on almost instantly. In the typical workload of using Office apps, doing remote work via Remote Desktop and Zoom meetings, and a decent amount of video watching, I found that most of the time the fans do not kick in much, thus providing a silent environment. I do hear them turn on, and the laptop getting hot when I’m working with large spreadsheets and presentations, or when I’m trying to use Ansys FEA tools and Solidworks, but those are rare use cases for me, as I depend on my larger gaming laptop or my desktop to do those work. My laptop came with 16 GB LPDDR4x (4167 MHz) dual-channel memory that’s soldered and thus is not upgradeable. The Micron 512 GB SSD is fast enough in real-life experience (I didn’t bother to get a CrystalMark score as that’s readily available elsewhere). It is a PCIe Gen3 x4 NVMe drive, and fortunately is upgradeable. However I couldn’t figure out whether it can utilize a PCIe Gen4 x4 SSD properly.
The laptop comes with a 45 W USB-C charger with both a regular duckhead along with a power cord extension. Since USB-C PD is supported, technically it should get charge from almost all PD chargers. However, while trying to charge with a 15 W charger with the laptop powered on, I got an error that to charge more than 27 W capacity is needed. I tried a 65 W charger that came with my HP Spectre x360 and that worked fine. With power off, I was able to charge from zero to almost 90% in less than 2 hours. An LED on the lib tells the status of the charging which was handy.
The XPS 13 comes with a very limited set of ports compared to some other premium ultra-portables - only 2 USB-C ports, located on each side of the laptop. A standard 3.5mm audio jack is there as expected, and there’s a micro-SD card slot too. I felt the absence of a USB-A port dearly, as I had to fumble with the included USB-C-to-A adapter to connect my wireless mouse and USB drives. So dongle life it is for me. One key point is that the USB-C ports support Thunderbolt 4, which is the next gen version and should give some future-proofing comfort. I’m also glad that they are located on both sides, as I can charge the laptop without figuring out how to route the power cable or placing the laptop in awkward positions.
The Dell XPS 13 offers so much in terms of build quality and design that I admire it as a piece of art and exquisite engineering. Looking at other laptops in its class made me realize that more. Yet, I can feel that the performance does not hit the top marks compared to what AMD-based systems can offer. And if you look at comparisons with the M1-based Macbook Air and Pros, this is left in the dust by a long shot. Maybe the Tiger Lake CPU is to blame here, or maybe the engineers at Dell compromised in terms of performance in return for thermal or battery life - whichever it is, it makes the MSRP a bit hard to justify. And that’s a shame for such a beautiful machine. I have to rely on a different laptop to get the performance I need, but I keep going back to the Dell XPS 13 9310 for the stunning display and the exhilarating feel of using it. I will definitely recommend this to you, but only if you value the craftsmanship over performance.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro combines crytal-clear sound with unprecedented control, making it effortless to elevate everyday moments. Use intelligent Active Noise Cancellation to escape into your music at a moment’s notice, even in a noisy crowd. Close the distance with crystal-clear calls, so it always feels like you’re in the same room. And water won’t ruin your workout since the resistant Galaxy Buds Pro keeps the beat going even with a little rain. Pair your Galaxy Buds Pro with a Galaxy S21 and find even more ways to make ordinary extraordinary.
Posted by: Jack
from OR
Samsung has finally released the top-end model in their Galaxy Buds lineup of true wireless earbuds, and I am pleasantly surprised by the Galaxy Buds Pro after almost a week of use. Compared to it’s siblings, Buds Pro includes Active Noise Cancelling along with automatic voice detection, along with promising superior sound. And it comes with a premium price tag of $200 with a choice of 3 different colors.
Design and Fit:
The Phantom Black model I have has a very good build quality and the size is nice. I had no problem fitting it to my ear with the stock Medium sized ear-tips (there are 2 more pairs, Small and Large sizes). It does not have the wing-tips the regular Buds come with, but the fit is quite secure for walking and regular movement. However, for running or some intense exercise I don’t feel they will stay in place for long. The Buds Pro are IPX7 rated so there’s no issue in getting these wet with sweat or in the rain. The outer shell is a bit glossy which is not my taste, but the small footprint makes it blend in into the ear. The buds have touch-sensitive control surfaces on the outside to change volume/track etc. since they lack any physical buttons. The case can charge the buds wireless and in turn can be charged wireless with a Qi charger alongside the USB-C charging port. The matte black case is well built and seems capable of handling day to day abuse.
The Phantom Black model I have has a very good build quality and the size is nice. I had no problem fitting it to my ear with the stock Medium sized ear-tips (there are 2 more pairs, Small and Large sizes). It does not have the wing-tips the regular Buds come with, but the fit is quite secure for walking and regular movement. However, for running or some intense exercise I don’t feel they will stay in place for long. The Buds Pro are IPX7 rated so there’s no issue in getting these wet with sweat or in the rain. The outer shell is a bit glossy which is not my taste, but the small footprint makes it blend in into the ear. The buds have touch-sensitive control surfaces on the outside to change volume/track etc. since they lack any physical buttons. The case can charge the buds wireless and in turn can be charged wireless with a Qi charger alongside the USB-C charging port. The matte black case is well built and seems capable of handling day to day abuse.
Sound:
In my experience, these are the best sounding Galaxy Buds Samsung has released so far, and compared to some other “true” wireless earbuds I have used so far it is definitely in the top end. The dual driver definitely packs quite a punch and sound can be very loud if needed. The bass is quite good and maybe a bit overemphasized, but the mid and high seems to be quite balanced. I listen a lot to atmospheric rock, heavy metal, and I found the sound satisfying. These are not neutral sounding by any means, so if that’s a requirement you may have to look elsewhere.
As for the microphone, they are really good for regular audio calls/meetings. There are two visible mics (one with so called wind-shield to reduce outside noise) (I read there’s another that does the voice detection, but I don’t see any openings for that).
The Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) feature is very useful and the voice detection feature makes everyday use very easy and convenient. The ANC drowned out most of the noises I hear outside my home (some amount of car noise, etc), and though may not be the best I had experienced, definitely it is one of the better one. But when combined with voice detection the Buds Pro shines. Whenever I started talking to other people, the volume level dropped off and the ambient mode turned on automatically. The volume and ANC goes back to the regular setting when my talking stopped. After using this feature for a while, I am not hesitant to go back to my other earbuds, especially when I’m outside or have people around me.
In my experience, these are the best sounding Galaxy Buds Samsung has released so far, and compared to some other “true” wireless earbuds I have used so far it is definitely in the top end. The dual driver definitely packs quite a punch and sound can be very loud if needed. The bass is quite good and maybe a bit overemphasized, but the mid and high seems to be quite balanced. I listen a lot to atmospheric rock, heavy metal, and I found the sound satisfying. These are not neutral sounding by any means, so if that’s a requirement you may have to look elsewhere.
As for the microphone, they are really good for regular audio calls/meetings. There are two visible mics (one with so called wind-shield to reduce outside noise) (I read there’s another that does the voice detection, but I don’t see any openings for that).
The Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) feature is very useful and the voice detection feature makes everyday use very easy and convenient. The ANC drowned out most of the noises I hear outside my home (some amount of car noise, etc), and though may not be the best I had experienced, definitely it is one of the better one. But when combined with voice detection the Buds Pro shines. Whenever I started talking to other people, the volume level dropped off and the ambient mode turned on automatically. The volume and ANC goes back to the regular setting when my talking stopped. After using this feature for a while, I am not hesitant to go back to my other earbuds, especially when I’m outside or have people around me.
Connectivity:
The Buds Pro can be connected to any phone via Bluetooth and it supports Bluetooth 5.0. But here’s where Samsung phone users may start seeing the advantage being in the same eco-system. The BT codecs supported are AAC (default for iOS devices), SBC (default for Android devices), and Samsung Scalable variable bit-rate codec (proprietary, only works with Samsung phones). This does not support aptX from Qualcomm and thus non Samsung users may not get the best sound performance from the Buds Pro. However, with my use with Galaxy S10 and a OnePlus 6T, I did not find much of a difference in perceived audio quality. My understanding is the scalable codec may be more useful in environments where BT audio chopping occurs, but I did not test out this scenario. Another convenience for Samsung phones is that pairing is as smooth as it gets, as the Buds Pro pushed a notification automatically to pair to my Galaxy S10 when turned on the 1st time. For Windows 10 PCs, Buds Pro supports Swift Pair when it is in pairing mode and nearby my laptop.
The Buds Pro can be connected to any phone via Bluetooth and it supports Bluetooth 5.0. But here’s where Samsung phone users may start seeing the advantage being in the same eco-system. The BT codecs supported are AAC (default for iOS devices), SBC (default for Android devices), and Samsung Scalable variable bit-rate codec (proprietary, only works with Samsung phones). This does not support aptX from Qualcomm and thus non Samsung users may not get the best sound performance from the Buds Pro. However, with my use with Galaxy S10 and a OnePlus 6T, I did not find much of a difference in perceived audio quality. My understanding is the scalable codec may be more useful in environments where BT audio chopping occurs, but I did not test out this scenario. Another convenience for Samsung phones is that pairing is as smooth as it gets, as the Buds Pro pushed a notification automatically to pair to my Galaxy S10 when turned on the 1st time. For Windows 10 PCs, Buds Pro supports Swift Pair when it is in pairing mode and nearby my laptop.
App Features:
The Samsung Wearable app is the place to access all the settings for the earbuds. Along with the mentioned ANC, ambient mode, and voice detect feature toggle, some equalizer modes can be changed (along with firmware update, individual bud battery level) and the touch functionality can be modified. Another feature that’s only available to Samsung phone users is the 360 audio which creates a surround sound effect. However I still find this feature a gimmicky one, and the Buds Pro did not prove me wrong.
The Samsung Wearable app is the place to access all the settings for the earbuds. Along with the mentioned ANC, ambient mode, and voice detect feature toggle, some equalizer modes can be changed (along with firmware update, individual bud battery level) and the touch functionality can be modified. Another feature that’s only available to Samsung phone users is the 360 audio which creates a surround sound effect. However I still find this feature a gimmicky one, and the Buds Pro did not prove me wrong.
In summary, the Buds Pro is supposed to be the best earbuds by Samsung, and it looks, feels and performs like that in all cases. Existing Samsung users will welcome the added features. This is not the best in all the fields as an earbud, but it balances all the acts quietly nicely. This is definitely worth considering for someone in the market looking for premium true wireless earbuds.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+7points
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Protect provides 24/7 protection against viruses and bacteria.¹ Designed for maximum performance, quiet, clean air delivery, energy efficiency, and smart features. AHAM verifide for a Clean Air Delivery Rate of 435 CFM smoke, 435 CFM pollen, and >400 CFM dust. Completely filters extra-large family rooms and open concept areas about every 12.5 minutes (approx. 4.8x an hour at 674 ft²) on high. HEPASilent Ultra™ technology filters 99.97% airborne particles, like viruses, bacteria,² and dust, then kills 99%³ of the germs caught in the filter.⁴ GermShield™ technology proactively monitors and activates to kill germs and prevent growth on the filter.⁴ View particles, VOCs, and more from the premium LCD interface, and enjoy app features like Clean air ETA and SmartFilter tracking. 24/7 protection refers to the key function of GermShield™ technology, activated when the unit is in standby mode. Tested on Staphylococcus Albus & MS2 bacteriophage. Third-party tests of airborne viruses & bacteria (H1N1, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli) using GB/T18801-2015 standards. Deactivation of bacteria (Staphylococcus Albus) & virus (MS2 bacteriophage) Tested on natural flora (bacteria only - excluding viruses) on filter media under normal temperature & humidity conditions.
Posted by: Jack
from OR
Last year during the wildfires raging in the West coast, we were desperately looking for a competent air purifier that can take care of our large living space, but we were unable to get a decent one. Instead we had to make do with multiple smaller one which ended up taking a lot of space and created a lot of inconvenience. Thus the Blueair 7770i was a welcome addition to our home and replaced almost all our purifier units. After using the unit for almost a month, we are liking it even more as we discover unique capabilities Blueair has smartly integrated into it.
The unit is a tall monolith, but with a sleek, futuristing design. The white and black color combo looks something from the future (reminds me of stormtroopers from Star Wars). It is heavy, and I had to rely on the two wheels at the bottom to move it around the house. The fit and finish is awesome, and makes me feel assured that it will survive the dings and scratches my pet dog imposes on it on a daily basis.
There are basically 4 filter “elements” - 2 on the lower sides which are permanent pre-filters, and can be taken out to clean very easily. The “main” filter is actually a 2 element conjoined filter that needs to be replaced from time to time. It resides in a large cavity in the middle part and can also be taken out quite easily.
The interesting bit is the touch-based control on the top-side which looks more like a tablet. All the buttons are capacitive - there are no physical buttons anywhere. The interface is intuitive with nice graphics, has no lag, and very responsive. As with any touch interface, some people love or hate it, but in my daily use it was not an issue. I can take a look at what is the current PM 1, 2.5, 10 counts, along with a graph to show the “tVOC” aka volatile gas detected near the unit. The fan speed (different levels and auto) and the Germ Shield can be accessed there. Also the filter life, humidity and temperature can be seen. Two separate LEDs give indications, at a glance, how much PM and gas the unit is detecting. The most helpful thing is all of these (and more) can be accessed via the Blueair smartphone app. I have been using the Android app all along and have set up multiple schedules (such as when to enable Night mode etc.) through it.
The capacity of the Blueair 7770i is 674 sq. ft., and it takes care of my large living space with ease. It has been very useful whenever we cook and the odor of the oil/spice/etc. gets drastically reduced in no time. In auto mode, the fan speed gets higher whenever it detects high pollutant count. It gets quite noisy (and breezy) at that time, and I wouldn’t stay close to it when that happens. However, when the low speed mode sets in, it is almost whisper-quiet and unnoticeable. Thus I have opted to run the unit 24/7, and have set it up so it stays at a low speed when we are sleeping. That has made the Blueair almost like an invincible guardian, and I think that’s what one would like from an air purifier. This is not a cheap unit by any means, but I believe it is worth the investment.
The unit is a tall monolith, but with a sleek, futuristing design. The white and black color combo looks something from the future (reminds me of stormtroopers from Star Wars). It is heavy, and I had to rely on the two wheels at the bottom to move it around the house. The fit and finish is awesome, and makes me feel assured that it will survive the dings and scratches my pet dog imposes on it on a daily basis.
There are basically 4 filter “elements” - 2 on the lower sides which are permanent pre-filters, and can be taken out to clean very easily. The “main” filter is actually a 2 element conjoined filter that needs to be replaced from time to time. It resides in a large cavity in the middle part and can also be taken out quite easily.
The interesting bit is the touch-based control on the top-side which looks more like a tablet. All the buttons are capacitive - there are no physical buttons anywhere. The interface is intuitive with nice graphics, has no lag, and very responsive. As with any touch interface, some people love or hate it, but in my daily use it was not an issue. I can take a look at what is the current PM 1, 2.5, 10 counts, along with a graph to show the “tVOC” aka volatile gas detected near the unit. The fan speed (different levels and auto) and the Germ Shield can be accessed there. Also the filter life, humidity and temperature can be seen. Two separate LEDs give indications, at a glance, how much PM and gas the unit is detecting. The most helpful thing is all of these (and more) can be accessed via the Blueair smartphone app. I have been using the Android app all along and have set up multiple schedules (such as when to enable Night mode etc.) through it.
The capacity of the Blueair 7770i is 674 sq. ft., and it takes care of my large living space with ease. It has been very useful whenever we cook and the odor of the oil/spice/etc. gets drastically reduced in no time. In auto mode, the fan speed gets higher whenever it detects high pollutant count. It gets quite noisy (and breezy) at that time, and I wouldn’t stay close to it when that happens. However, when the low speed mode sets in, it is almost whisper-quiet and unnoticeable. Thus I have opted to run the unit 24/7, and have set it up so it stays at a low speed when we are sleeping. That has made the Blueair almost like an invincible guardian, and I think that’s what one would like from an air purifier. This is not a cheap unit by any means, but I believe it is worth the investment.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+8points
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BISSELL JetScrub Pet Lightweight Upright Carpet Cleaner was designed by pet owners with busy lives who are more than familiar with the messes pets leave behind. This less than 14-pound, lightweight machine is easy to grab when those inevitable stains strike, and its compact design also makes it perfect for cleaning rugs and smaller carpeted areas in condos and apartments. LED headlights illuminate hidden stains, and the CleanShot pretreater works with the included PET PRO OXY Urine Eliminator formula to tackle the toughest pet stains. The XL DirtLifter PowerBrush has more than twice the tufts of bristles than the competitive lightweight carpet cleaner to lift and remove embedded stains. You’ll be left with dry carpets in about 30 minutes* with JetScrub Pet’s Express Clean Mode, and the EZ Clean Up design makes maintaining the machine after use a breeze. And JetScrub Pet doesn't just clean up after pets, it helps save them, too! BISSELL proudly supports BISSELL Pet Foundation and its mission to help save homeless pets. When you buy a BISSELL product, you help save pets, too. We’re proud to design products that help make pet messes, odors and pet homelessness disappear.
Posted by: Jack
from OR
The Bissell Jetscrub carpet cleaner is a perfect companion to my regular vacuum cleaner. Especially for wet messes (whether caused by a pet or not) this works really good to lift off dirt and stain. Since it’s a wet-type cleaner, I was afraid it would be bulky and difficult to move around, but the thing is lighter even than a lot of small vacuums.
Setup is easy - you just attach the handle into the main unit. Then fill up the Clean Water Tank with water (and cleaning formula) and you’re ready to do some deep cleaning. All the buttons/controls are cleverly placed and the LED lights in the front makes checking on the messy carpet areas easy to target.
The cleaning mechanism is made of a nozzle and a roller brush. The dirty water gets caught in the Dirty Water Tank at the front, which also has a filter. The brush is well designed and doesn’t get tangled up a lot. And cleaning the brush and the nozzle is also well thought out - there’s a storage tray that can be used to rinse the Jetscrub before more thorough cleaning is required. Along with that cleaning cycle and emptying the dirty water tank, I had to do a more intense cleaning every other time. The nozzle and brush can be lifted off in a second and some warm water rinsing does the rest of the job.
Overall, I’m really happy with the Jetscrub. It worked really well to clean some accidents my pet dog had on our carpet. The overall ergonomics is good, and the storage tray cleaning system is very convenient. Along with the fact that it’s lightweight and slim makes is a must have for any pet owners who are worried about their carpeted house. Highly recommended.
Setup is easy - you just attach the handle into the main unit. Then fill up the Clean Water Tank with water (and cleaning formula) and you’re ready to do some deep cleaning. All the buttons/controls are cleverly placed and the LED lights in the front makes checking on the messy carpet areas easy to target.
The cleaning mechanism is made of a nozzle and a roller brush. The dirty water gets caught in the Dirty Water Tank at the front, which also has a filter. The brush is well designed and doesn’t get tangled up a lot. And cleaning the brush and the nozzle is also well thought out - there’s a storage tray that can be used to rinse the Jetscrub before more thorough cleaning is required. Along with that cleaning cycle and emptying the dirty water tank, I had to do a more intense cleaning every other time. The nozzle and brush can be lifted off in a second and some warm water rinsing does the rest of the job.
Overall, I’m really happy with the Jetscrub. It worked really well to clean some accidents my pet dog had on our carpet. The overall ergonomics is good, and the storage tray cleaning system is very convenient. Along with the fact that it’s lightweight and slim makes is a must have for any pet owners who are worried about their carpeted house. Highly recommended.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Essential freedom. These true wireless earbuds feature Listening Care, a water- and sweat-resistant design, and a customizable fit that makes them perfect for life on the go. Simple buttons on each earbud allow you to make phone calls, activate Siri/Google Assistant and control your music. Bluetooth 5 provides stable wireless connectivity.
Posted by: Jack
from Raleigh, NC
If you’re a musician or a sound fanatic, you may be aware that Yamaha is known not for it’s motorcycles and ATVs, they are a famous maker of musical instruments. And when I saw they are offering “true wireless” earbuds, I got really interested and couldn’t wait to try them out.
Now in this pandemic era when everyone’s stuck at home for prolonged periods, having decent earphones is a must have, especially if you’re sharing your living space with a room-mate or your significant other, and that’s where I found myself. Spotify is telling me I have listened to double the number of songs in 2020 compared to 2019. Thus, I’m always on the lookout for headphones that provide very good sound quality, very comfortable and have decent battery life. In this quest, I have got hold of more than 15 pairs of headsets/earphones/earbuds of all shapes and sizes. Thus I can say I am in a position to make some comparison.
Going back to the Yamaha TW-3A (which is a really weird naming for a consumer pair): the earbuds adhere to the standard design of the “true wireless” stuff that’s flooding the market. The form-factor is small, but not the tiniest of the bunch. Instead of just a silicone eartip, there’s a silicone sleeve too that covers the earbud and comes in 2 sizes (ear-tips come in 4 sizes). Thus it’s very easy to find a good fit, and the silicon sleeve actually helps a bit to keep the earbuds from moving about while wearing. The charging case is a bit bigger than I expected, but a good thing is it uses a USB-C port, so it’s convenient for Android folks.
Pairing is straight-forward and was painless with my Android-based OnePlus 6T smartphone. Yamaha says it uses the Qualcomm True Wireless Plus technology, so each earbud connects to the source separately i.e. are independent. Also aptX support makes Bluetooth streaming better quality (AAC is also supported for Apple products). Each side has a touch surface represented by the Yamaha logo. The learning curve of figuring out which side controls what is a pain, but I got used to it fairly quickly. A companion app is available, but I found the app pretty limited at the moment - there’s to EQ or other relevant settings to change the sound characteristics which was a big let down. Hopefully it’ll get updated.
Now comes the big question: how is the sound. Being a non-pro audio enthusiast, I found them to be pretty decent, performing higher than the average true wireless earbuds. Sound was clear, and a bit on the warmer side, and bass/sub-bass was noticeable without being overwhelming. The soundstage was pretty tight. However, the overall sonics performance was not exceptional which is the major fault of these earbuds. For the list price, I was expecting it to do something different, but found that compared to units that are half the price, the sound quality is not a very big improvement. In this saturated market, TW-3A fails to stand out in any manner.
Now in this pandemic era when everyone’s stuck at home for prolonged periods, having decent earphones is a must have, especially if you’re sharing your living space with a room-mate or your significant other, and that’s where I found myself. Spotify is telling me I have listened to double the number of songs in 2020 compared to 2019. Thus, I’m always on the lookout for headphones that provide very good sound quality, very comfortable and have decent battery life. In this quest, I have got hold of more than 15 pairs of headsets/earphones/earbuds of all shapes and sizes. Thus I can say I am in a position to make some comparison.
Going back to the Yamaha TW-3A (which is a really weird naming for a consumer pair): the earbuds adhere to the standard design of the “true wireless” stuff that’s flooding the market. The form-factor is small, but not the tiniest of the bunch. Instead of just a silicone eartip, there’s a silicone sleeve too that covers the earbud and comes in 2 sizes (ear-tips come in 4 sizes). Thus it’s very easy to find a good fit, and the silicon sleeve actually helps a bit to keep the earbuds from moving about while wearing. The charging case is a bit bigger than I expected, but a good thing is it uses a USB-C port, so it’s convenient for Android folks.
Pairing is straight-forward and was painless with my Android-based OnePlus 6T smartphone. Yamaha says it uses the Qualcomm True Wireless Plus technology, so each earbud connects to the source separately i.e. are independent. Also aptX support makes Bluetooth streaming better quality (AAC is also supported for Apple products). Each side has a touch surface represented by the Yamaha logo. The learning curve of figuring out which side controls what is a pain, but I got used to it fairly quickly. A companion app is available, but I found the app pretty limited at the moment - there’s to EQ or other relevant settings to change the sound characteristics which was a big let down. Hopefully it’ll get updated.
Now comes the big question: how is the sound. Being a non-pro audio enthusiast, I found them to be pretty decent, performing higher than the average true wireless earbuds. Sound was clear, and a bit on the warmer side, and bass/sub-bass was noticeable without being overwhelming. The soundstage was pretty tight. However, the overall sonics performance was not exceptional which is the major fault of these earbuds. For the list price, I was expecting it to do something different, but found that compared to units that are half the price, the sound quality is not a very big improvement. In this saturated market, TW-3A fails to stand out in any manner.
Mobile Submission: False
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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Jack's Review Comments
VIZIO E-Series E40-C2 LED Smart HDTV: This VIZIO Smart TV can fill your living room or bedroom with stunning visuals and your favorite movies, shows and apps in one place. You can stream media right from the TV, or use your smartphone, tablet or computer to project onto the big screen in up to 1080p quality.
Overall
1 out of 5
1 out of 5Constant buzzing noise
By Jack
Bought the TV because for the best features in the price point ($314.99+tax). Looks great, and picture quality is quite good. However, there's a constant buzzing sound whenever the display is on. Tried to troubleshoot, and contacted Vizio. They said they can send a replacement, but with an older model (E420i-B2). Instead, exchanged it for a new one at Best Buy. The buzzing sound is a lot less now, and will observe and update review if it persists. Would have been a great value.
Jack
Raleigh, NC
June 14, 2015
Update: 06/14/15
I liked the TV so much that I exchanged it for a 3rd time. However, that annoying humming sound is still present whenever the backlight setting tweaked. Best Buy couldn't do anything about it, and Vizio did not provide any suitable solution (again offering the older model as replacement).
Thus, sadly I returned it and got a Samsung (UN40J6200) which was on sale for $50 more. No humming/buzzing nonsense, and picture is pretty good. The set, however, is not as sleek as the Vizio (a lot thicker bezel, and depth is bigger too). Hope this will workout finally.
+1point
1of 1voted this comment as helpful.
VIZIO E-Series E40-C2 LED Smart HDTV: This VIZIO Smart TV can fill your living room or bedroom with stunning visuals and your favorite movies, shows and apps in one place. You can stream media right from the TV, or use your smartphone, tablet or computer to project onto the big screen in up to 1080p quality.
Overall1 out of 5
1 out of 5Constant buzzing noise
By Jack
Bought the TV because for the best features in the price point ($314.99+tax). Looks great, and picture quality is quite good. However, there's a constant buzzing sound whenever the display is on. Tried to troubleshoot, and contacted Vizio. They said they can send a replacement, but with an older model (E420i-B2). Instead, exchanged it for a new one at Best Buy. The buzzing sound is a lot less now, and will observe and update review if it persists. Would have been a great value.
Jack
Raleigh, NC
June 15, 2015
Actually, it was my first guess too. But I tried a number of scenarios, and in all cases what I observed was that the buzzing is somehow correlated to the backlight (like the noise changes when the screen is all dark or all white). Also, all three exhibited the problem when I took them back to the Best Buy Geek Squad counter. The fact that both Vizio and Best Buy tech support asked me to exchange the sets without even mentioning any troubleshooting steps worried me that maybe there's no easy solution.
Somehow, I got my hands on three defective units. Bad luck I guess.
0points
0of 0voted this comment as helpful.
Samsung 40" Class UN40J6200AFXZA LED Smart HDTV: With a Full HD viewing experience and easy access to your favorite media and entertainment, you'll love this Smart TV. Enjoy the rich color and quality resolution as you shop online, watch streaming videos or update social media from your TV screen.
Overall5 out of 5
5 out of 5Excellent TV for the price
By Jack
from Raleigh, NC
I got this TV from Best Buy a few days back, after getting very disappointed with a Vizio E40-C2 (had it replaced 3 times, but a humming/buzzing sound is always there driving me nuts).
Initial thoughts: The picture is pretty good. The design is not minimalistic as the Vizio, and its a quite thick TV. The only complain is out of the box, the picture looked terrible due to very poorly done calibration. Had to spend a lot of time to get a well-balanced picture.
Smart hub is OK, and a bit better than what Vizio had to offer.
A fair bit of googling indicates that it uses a native 120Hz panel made by Samsung themselves. The picture is also more legible in a bright room compared to the Vizio E40-C2.
Jack
Raleigh, NC
June 26, 2015
After using the TV for more than a week, all I can say is the TV is performing just the way I wanted. The only drawback I found is that the Samsung Smart Hub software used is an older version (2014), not the new 2015 'Tizen' based one. The apps are also very slow. So if Smart features are important to you, make sure you look into this carefully before buying. I don't mind because I only use the major apps (Netflix/Amazon), and the sluggishness does not bother me.
0points
0of 0voted this comment as helpful.
VIZIO E-Series E40-C2 LED Smart HDTV: This VIZIO Smart TV can fill your living room or bedroom with stunning visuals and your favorite movies, shows and apps in one place. You can stream media right from the TV, or use your smartphone, tablet or computer to project onto the big screen in up to 1080p quality.
Overall1 out of 5
1 out of 5Constant buzzing noise
By Jack
Bought the TV because for the best features in the price point ($314.99+tax). Looks great, and picture quality is quite good. However, there's a constant buzzing sound whenever the display is on. Tried to troubleshoot, and contacted Vizio. They said they can send a replacement, but with an older model (E420i-B2). Instead, exchanged it for a new one at Best Buy. The buzzing sound is a lot less now, and will observe and update review if it persists. Would have been a great value.
Jack
Raleigh, NC
November 19, 2015
@MiketheD:
I don't think it's related to my room or anything, as the Geek Squad person also heard the buzzing sound and thus suggested to try another TV
I don't think it's related to my room or anything, as the Geek Squad person also heard the buzzing sound and thus suggested to try another TV
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Jack's Answers
Enjoy a smooth gaming experience with this 27-inch ASUS Full HD monitor. The Shadow Boost feature increases clarity in dark scenes, and the ultrafast response times minimize blurring and streaking for seamless gameplay. This ASUS Full HD monitor has an ergonomic design that allows tilting, swiveling and pivoting as needed.
Is the monitor free sync or g-sync?
The monitor supports G-sync. Check the Asus website: https://www.asus.com/us/Displays-Desktops/Monitors/TUF-Gaming/TUF-GAMING-VG279QR/
3 years ago
by
Jack
Get a new take on security, with the latest indoor 1080p FHD Wi-Fi security camera. Small and lightweight in design, this camera gives users the flexibility of multiple placement options along with a simple set-up and installation process. See more and know more with an ultra-wide 135° diagonal field of view and night vision capabilities. Pan and tilt to cover larger areas so you don’t miss out on the most important details. Be aware when you’re not there with person detection technology, which will notify you when a person is detected.
Is this camera good for streaming/ use with Zoom? It says "Security" camera but I do not want a security camera. I want a camera that can work with Zoom and stream live with remote control app over wifi.
This is not a camera compatible with "Zoom" the online meeting service. Rather it has digital zoom to magnify the video.
3 years, 8 months ago
by
Jack
Pair your workout with these black Jaybird Vista wireless headphones. The rechargeable lithium-ion battery provides up to 6 hours of listening time, while the waterproof, sweatproof design helps prevent fluid damage. These Jaybird Vista wireless headphones have ear hooks and three pairs of soft interchangeable eartips for a secure fit and added comfort during extended periods of use.
Are they really sweatproof?
It survived when I took it for a run. Also survived a trip to the washer
4 years, 8 months ago
by
Jack
Pair your workout with these black Jaybird Vista wireless headphones. The rechargeable lithium-ion battery provides up to 6 hours of listening time, while the waterproof, sweatproof design helps prevent fluid damage. These Jaybird Vista wireless headphones have ear hooks and three pairs of soft interchangeable eartips for a secure fit and added comfort during extended periods of use.
How do you control the volume
There's no dedicated volume control button, so you have to rely on your phone/device volume controller
4 years, 8 months ago
by
Jack
mophie powerstation mini: Built to keep your smartphone full of power throughout the day to help it keep up with your busy lifestyle, this charger fits right in your pocket, and has a protective metal outer band.
Voltage input? 100-240V ?
It's charged from a stranded 5V USB supply (PC USB port or other standard USB charger) so the AC voltage level is irrelevant.
7 years, 9 months ago
by
Jack
Hear yourself in the studio with these Audio-Technica ATH-M50x AUD ATHM50X monitor headphones, which feature 45mm large-aperture drivers for faithful sound replication. The 90° swiveling earcups allow comfortable 1-ear monitoring.
How well does this work plugged in to a desktop computer?
I have a Mac Mini that is use for music mixing. Will these work with the headphone port, or will the sound be too quiet?
I use it with my laptop (Lenovo Ideapad) audio out, and it works fine. You may opt for a dac/amp if you want better performance.
8 years ago
by
Jack
Hear yourself in the studio with these Audio-Technica ATH-M50x AUD ATHM50X monitor headphones, which feature 45mm large-aperture drivers for faithful sound replication. The 90° swiveling earcups allow comfortable 1-ear monitoring.
Can these be worn while I walk or jog?
I KNOW these are advertised as studio headphones. But could they be worn while a person walks or jogs?
I use them while walking, but maybe I'll refrain from using them while jogging/running. The size of these headphones are not "small", so I'd feel very awkward while jogging with them.
8 years ago
by
Jack
Samsung 40" Class UN40J6200AFXZA LED Smart HDTV: With a Full HD viewing experience and easy access to your favorite media and entertainment, you'll love this Smart TV. Enjoy the rich color and quality resolution as you shop online, watch streaming videos or update social media from your TV screen.
Does this tv have a digital tuner built in?
Yes, it does have a built-in digital tuner.
8 years, 10 months ago
by
Jack
Raleigh, NC
VIZIO E-Series E40-C2 LED Smart HDTV: This VIZIO Smart TV can fill your living room or bedroom with stunning visuals and your favorite movies, shows and apps in one place. You can stream media right from the TV, or use your smartphone, tablet or computer to project onto the big screen in up to 1080p quality.
Does the Vizio E40-C2 have an Ethernet port?
Yes, it has a standard Ethernet port
8 years, 10 months ago
by
Jack
Raleigh, NC
VIZIO E-Series E40-C2 LED Smart HDTV: This VIZIO Smart TV can fill your living room or bedroom with stunning visuals and your favorite movies, shows and apps in one place. You can stream media right from the TV, or use your smartphone, tablet or computer to project onto the big screen in up to 1080p quality.
Does the TV stand only fit in one position?
Does the TV stand only fit in one position? Or can the two pieces of the stand be moved inward towards the center of the TV and fit into other positions of the base, so that the TV can rest on a table that isn't as wide as the TV itself?
No, the stand only fits in one position.
8 years, 10 months ago
by
Jack