3Tcubed's stats
- Review count170
- Helpfulness votes1,527
- First reviewJanuary 3, 2014
- Last reviewMay 21, 2024
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.3
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- Answer count72
- Helpfulness votes45
- First answerJanuary 10, 2015
- Last answerJanuary 12, 2022
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Easily shift between tasks with the new Dell Inspiron 14 3420. Multi-tasking is a breeze with the Snapdragon compute platform powering swiftly between applications, browser tabs, and tasks on this Windows 11 PC.
Customer Rating
4
Color me pleasently suprised
on May 27, 2023
Posted by: 3Tcubed
This is not the type of notebook I'd usually get for myself, it, on the surface appears to be an entry level notebook. And with only 8GB ram (not upgradable) and 256GB m.2 SSD (upgradable) and this new'ish Snapdragon 8cx G2 CPU, I really did not know what to expect. It ships with Windows 11 Home S edition. This can easily be changed to the full windows home edition. Windows S only allows apps from the Microsoft store to be installed. That wont work for me, as the first thing I wanted ot install was Google chrome. So good bye S Edition. I also wanted to upgrade the SSD from the 2230 single channel SSD that the unit comes with to m.2 Gen4 Samsung 850 Pro (2280). To do this you must disable Bitlocker that comes enabled by default. It took about 10min for the decryption to be completed (I don't plan to re-enable it). I then installed CrystalDisk to see what the read perfomance of the installed SSD drive was. I got what I expected about 2000mb/s read; max for a Gen 3 SSD would be 3500. for a gen 4 it could be well over 6000. I then cloned the installed SSD to my Samsung 1Tb SSD installed in an external USB SSD case. It took nearly an hour.
This Dell had 8 philips screws than needed to be removed/released (4 stay in place), the plastic back then needed to pryed off. The only thing upgradable inside the case is the SSD. The battery can easily be changed if necessary. The SSD has a room for a 2230, 2240 or 2280 m.2 SSD. Dell has a simple aluminum heat spreader on/over the SSD. Two smaller philips head screws, and the SSD can be easily removed. I then installed the 850 Pro SSD with a copper/graphine heat spreaded (3mm), which should be an improvement over the originally installed aluminum head speader. I made sure it booted, which it did, before screwing it back together. Now I rebooted, and all looked good, back to CrystalDisk Sequential reads were 3500mb/s. Not what I'd hoped to see, but almost double what I started with (not to mention 4x the space). But even thought Dell's service manual says the 3420 supports gen3 & gen4 the BIOS (which is VERY limited) currenly only supports gen3 speeds. I guess this could change with a future firmware/BIOS update, as the hardware seems to support gen4. I considered re-imaging to another 1Tb SSD (gen3), but decided not to.
Now some great news, the time to boot the 3420 was now less than 3 seconds. Quite remarkable. I did find that some software could not be installed as it was expecting a windows 64 bit, some how it got a response tht told it differently. I tried installing Microsoft Office (2019) and it gave me errors. I deermined the errors were caused by Office 365 being installed to begin with. I removed the 3 different office365 version and the 3 versions of onenote. Rebooted, and the install of office with the SnapDragon CPU went perfectly. This is was a suprise, I was not sure that older software would work correctly with this CPU, and without Windows S. Well no issues. And Chrome a with gMail worked pretty swiftly, not much different than my i7 12th gen Intel notebook. Draw3D with a large image seemed somewhat sluggish in loading. But streaming video from YouTube worked fine, as did with movies from VUDU (I do have Gb connection with wifi6).
I confirmed the 8cx CPU does in fact have 8 cores (running at 3.?? Ghz). With "nothing" running about 3.5GB ,of the 8GB memory is still available; I wish this could be easily increased, that would make this a REALLY surprising machine. The touch screen looks good and works very well, the trackpad is a nice size for a 14" notebook. The keyboard is pretty average, it's not backlit, it's a little soft, with no tactile markings on the keys. But the battery life looks to be excellent. I did not do any extensive tests, but it looked like, with periodic use, +12h would be achievable with minimal usage like browsing the internet.
This is a really good budget notebook, if you can live with its limitations; 8Gb memory limits running many applications at the same time (or Google Chrome or MS Edge having many tabs open). The stock SSD is not very good, or sufficiently large. But with m.2 gen 3 drives becoming cheaper weekly, a 1Tb drive is now under $80. I can't recommend a gen 4 drive until the firmware is updated to support the faster speeds, in which case the performance of this "little" notebook will get even better. For the price it's a good deal that could get even better.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+9points
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Store your favorite bottles of wine and impress your guests with a nice, chilled drink for your next small gathering. The Insignia NS-WC29SS3 14-Bottle Wine Cooler allows you to store your wine and other drinks at an ideal temperature, so they are always ready to drink. Perfect for any gathering, store up to 14 bottles of wine in an organized layout. Moving the party? Position the cooler wherever you’d like. With a reversable door and adjustable legs, the cooler doesn’t have to stay just in the kitchen. Finally, this appliance adds a modern look to any space with its stainless-steel finish and tempered glass door. Prepare for your next party knowing your drinks will be chilled and ready to let the stress of the day melt away.
Posted by: 3Tcubed
I've had several solid state coolers in my exercise room, they just have not lasted. So I inquired at BB what would provide a longer life. A sales person told me to get one with a real compressor, he acknowledged the solid state units didn't last if you didn't keep their fans clean. I told him how I was going to use it, so he showed me a can fridge, "dorm" fridge and this wine fridge. The appearance of the wine fridge was far superior, and it cooled to a lower temperature (41 degrees) [but no temperature display (-1 star)]. The temp adjustment is on the bottom, behind the bottles, making it inconvenient to get to, but I doubt I'll change it much. Given that I'm going to use this for water and medications that must be kept cold, the shelves in the wine cooler seemed to offer a better fit than the can cooler. They had an 8 bottle cooler, but based on my calculations I could not store more than 16-20 water bottles, this can easily accommodate over 24, although 20 will be fine. Another nice feature is that the door swing can easily be changed from the right side to the left side, by unscrewing 3 screws on the top and bottom of the door, moving the bracket to the other side and screwing the screws back in (no flipping the door). There is a grab handle on both sides of the door.
Installation requires removing some packing materials, it is packed quite nicely. I like the exterior appearance of this cooler. The top rack probably would not accomodate a tall wine bottle (like some Rieslings). The unit also does not have an interior light, I had not noticed this in store. But given my exercise room is well lit, this is not a problem for me. The unit is about 18w x 19t x 17d, it runs very quietly, with only a moderate humm. The lowest could get the temperature to go (turning past 'cooler') was 44.5 degrees. I think it looks quite modern, I hope to have it for a long time.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Experience a balanced sound, with crisp, soaring teble and controlled, runbling bass. Built-in Dynamic Loudness adjusts the tonal balance of the sound, ensuring your music sounds brilliant at every volume, while Placement Compensation corrects for any nearby reflective surfaces that may affect the sound. Marshall has taken its signature rock 'n' rollhome speaker line-up and given it a stripped-back look that makes a loud statement. Its iconic design knocks all other speakers off the shelf. Generation III is ready for the future of Bluetooth technology and has been built to deliver next-generation Bluetooth features the moment they are available. Over 55 years of sound knowledge is combined with future-proof technology to completely immerse you in your music.
Posted by: 3Tcubed
I had a hard time deciding whether to get the portable or corded version of this, they are different models and sizes, but priced about the same. Finally I decided that +90% of the time I'll be in a location that has power, either on my patio, pool or at work. And the Action III has the larger amplifier, with hardware bass and treble controls. I have two other BT speakers that are about this size, one does not have an Aux input, as this Marshall does. Both are priced about the same. They both start with a brand name that starts with "S". I did some side by side comparisons, and this Marshall Action III, was far better than the one from a well known Japanese manufacturer. The Marshalls bass and mids were much more well rounded, fuller. Its highs were similar, both very pleasing, the Marshalls had a wider soundstage. Compared to the American "S" brand, which had a room tuning tool, the Marshalls bass was again fuller. But the mid's/voices of the Marshall were not as precise. But to be fair the room tuning tool of the American brand adjusts, equalizes the speaker based on the room's acoustics. The application that comes with the Marshall speaker is pretty primitive, it allows you to change the bass/treble knobs from the app, instead of turning the knobs. Both of the other speakers have more sophisticated apps. Apple's Music app has a set of equalizer settings, these helped me get the Marshall's sound much better to my ear, but not as crisp as I'd hoped. IOn my iPhone I also use an 'Equalizer Pro' app, that provides a sophisticated graphic/parametric equalizer. Using this I could dial in a better tone curve that I could get from either of the other speakers. So with the appropriate sound tools, I found the Marshall better filled the room than either of the others.
But like I said I'm going to use this speaker outside the majority of the time. So out the door I went. I started listening to Boston's first album. I was about 15' from the speaker with the speaker close to a wall. More than a Feeling, sounded quite airy, the speaker seemed to bounce highs around. Quite pleasant. The bass was a little thin, so I adjusted the bass via the knob on the speaker, and that muddled the mids. I used the equalizer I used indoors and knocked up the bass from 40hz to 120hz about 8db, and what a difference. Another boost from 1k to 2k and the mid highs from the speaker were much improved. As Boston's Foreplay switches to Long Time, and the rhythm picked up, the speaker sounded very sweet, very easy to listen to. Pretty superb. The bass of Smokin was ok for a small speaker, I didn't expect chest thumping bass, and I didn't get it but it had a very even tone, just what I wanted. I was listening with the speaker turned up to 6, and it was plenty loud. But turning it up to 8 it was really loud, MUCH louder than my Japanese "S" brand could go, and a bigger, deeper bass. I then listened to some DSOTM, Money sounded amazing, a little bass light but the mids and highs were awesome. US And Them had a nice presence, some nuances of the girls' voices seemed to get lost in the mono mix, but the subtle voices in Brain Damage and Eclipse seemed quite fine.
All and all this is an excellent speaker, the software they provide is somewhat deficient, but this is easily remedied. The bass and treble knobs do boost those frequencies, but depending on your listening environment some additional help will yield better results. This is exactly what a parametric equalizer is intended to do, help get the most out of a good speaker, based on your rooms acoustics. Marshall has a winner here.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+2points
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WHCH720N Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones
Customer Rating
5
A big improvent over CH700Ns
on April 30, 2023
Posted by: 3Tcubed
About 4 years ago I reviewed the Sony CH700N headphones and said it sounded better than 6 other BT headphones I had, but they were not comfortable for more than an album or so. Needless to say I've kept looking, and looking, and with 7 more set earbuds and 5 more over the ear headphones to consider I now have the updated Sony CH720Ns. They weigh a little less than the CH700's and are said to offer 35hours of listening. I understand they have improved drivers. They have a similar feel on my head to the CH700Ns, but a little lighter, and that matters.
Id's also say that the foam around the ears is a bit softer, and they are deep enough that my ears don't touch the inner drivers, which is what I think caused the discomfort with the CH700s. They are much more comfortable and do a slightly better job of noise canceling. I've found them much more comfortable than the CH700's but they still squeeze a little tight. In addition I can use Alexa or to change volume (nice). It also has an ambient mode so you can clearly hear the environment around you via a single button. The 700's didn't have this function. Several other headphones I've acquired recently have this feature in one fashion or another. It's truly worth having if you're going to wear headphones around others. Using these headphones on the telephone seems fine for the listener but still has the same tunnel sound I found on the CH700s. The echo cancellation seems to work better, the CH700s prevented me from hearing myself talk and these CH720s allow my voice to be heard as I talk. This is another improvement.
Now how do they sound? I tried to compare the two headphones (which BT I can't pair simultaneously (nor can I wear). There is no question that the CH720Ns are louder. And the bass is better, maybe deeper, or just tighter. They are not as bass forward as I've found in 'B**ts' headphones, but at the same time these Sony CH720N's mids and highs are a bit firmer and louder than that of the CH700's.
I think that the CH720N's do a much better job of noise cancelation; I tried listening to both with my television on, and the external noise bleed with the CH700's was noticeable, where it was better with the CH720N's (but not perfect). The ambient listening environment, where you turn off noise cancelation and "bring in" the external noises. This allows you to hear what's going on around you. I could hear the television on when my music was low enough, but over say 5 or 6 it had little effect. Still this is a great feature.
Now to some music from Boston and Pink Floyd; The transition from "Foreplay to Long Time", has some great surround stereo separation, softly swirling from ear to ear. The CH720s were deeper and more airy. But I found the mid-range lacking some sort of complexity. The overall balance of the lows and highs on the CH720s was very good but not quite captivating. As "Smokin's" bass built the CH720s certainly get your attention but are not overwhelming. Here the CH700's were not as captivating, lacking some thump. Listening to the Immersion Edition of TDSOTM, the voices in my head in "Speak to Me (Live)" were surreal with the subtle background noises being heard clearly. But the full open soundstage was somewhat missing. The girls in "The Great gig in the Sky'' sounded surreal. I enjoyed the comfort and sound of the CH720s more. That being said, the deep bass of Money seemed a bit muddled. But after spending some time with Sony's HeadPhones App I found that via the 'Equalizer' I could either use their Bright mode or create my own custom mode, taking down the bass a notch and kicking up the highs, to give me a better balance.
The headphones also support 360 Reality Audio, which is another subscription service, to which I didn't have any subscriptions. You can't get to these features from the headphone directly (that I could find). You need to access them from the phones 'Headphones App' and/or 360 Reality app. But the best feature of the Headphones app is the equalizer, you can modify their sound curve from the app to your liking.
One other touted feature is Google and Alexa integration. Having both Google and Alexa I tried Google first, but the first instruction I tried (skip to next song) was not supported. It could handle volume up and volume down though. Also when issuing voice commands, my other Google devices could hear my commands and they "won" over the headphones. Maybe my understanding of how this integration is supposed to work is misunderstood.... but it's not explained anywhere in the "manual" or via the online Headphone app. After many years I'd say this is a work in progress with too many features not supported..
I also listened with the wired connection and as expected the overall sound stage was much wider and the brightness of the headphones really shined. Until I connected these headphones directly to my DAC I really didn't know how much better the CH720s were (via my custom equalization).
The headphones take 3+hrs to fully charge, in 3min you can add an hour of play time. They are a big step up from the CH700s. And they are available at a very reasonable price. I'm impressed they are not my best in my collection, but for the price they are outstanding, nothing less than $300 comes close.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+1point
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Achieve high-quality visuals on every play with this Panasonic Ultra HD Blu-ray player DP-UB154P-K. Deep color HDMI output and 4K upscaling delivers immersive enjoyment of your favorite movie titles, showing images at their very best. Featuring Dolby Atmos and HDR10+ compatibility, this Panasonic UHD Blu-ray player immerses you both in lifelike sound and images.
Posted by: 3Tcubed
I can't believe how small and fast Blu-Ray players have gotten. It seems like I've been upgrading Blu-Ray players about every two years. When they first came out they were quite big with all sorts of features. Many included the original steaming products, offering included streaming functions before Streaming functions became common on HD TV and then 4K; although most 4K TVs had streaming functions by the time they came out. Ten plus years later, we all have streaming boxes or TV's that stream on their own. But when 4K ultra Blu-rays started to be released, HD10+ was not yet released, and Hi Res (384kHz/32-bit PCM wasnot common). But the feature I was most looking forward to was DVD to 4K upconversion. I have a lot of early TV shows from the 60's/70's that are only available on DVD's; I'm anxious to see how this Blu-Ray player does on these. I have 3 current Blu-Ray players, one was supposed to upconvert from DVD to Blu-Ray quality, It was a nominal improvement.
To get started the front of the Panasonic DP-UB154P-K is about as plain as it could get, gone are the big LEDs telling you what it's doing. I'm going to hide this in a big Audio Cabinet, where it won't be seen, so the fancy display won't be missed. The on/off eject buttons are on the top right, they are small and black, hard to find; they had some LED backlighting to better find them. There is a single red LED that tells you the unit is on. Setup was an absolute breeze. I connected to my Ethernet network, checked for updates and I was ready to go. Note: this unit this not support/offer a WiFi connection. So without a Ethernet connection, advanced Blu-Ray features won't be accessible. The back of the unit has a power connection, HDMI connection and an Ethernet connection. That's it. No optical/digital output, only HDMI. The unit supports 3D output if you have a DVD/Blu-Ray that supports that. No Glasses are provided. The unit supports absolutely every Audio/Video format that exists, including FLAC, via CD/DVD or USB connection. It also supports DLNA connections, it found my NAS Server and 2 media servers with me only needing to provide user/password information where required. And it supports most Dolby Surround formats (except Atmos).
In operation I started watching Wonder Woman 4K Ultra, I've watched it several times before but never on a player that supported HDR10+, HDR10. I have to say the difference is quite impressive, the things in the shadows are much more apparent, and motion is more clear. WW has a lot of very dark scenes, and visually they pop a lot better on this BluRay player than on my others. I then tried playing Lost in Space, the 3rd season (in Color!). And the quality on my 4K Sony TV was surprisingly good. I could see some color blending issues, but compared to the original which was heavily pixelated, the 4K image was remarkably good, and it surprisingly fit the screen very well (no black bars). Very good. Then on to Colombo, where I got black bars but again a much better image than I had before. Here the player really shines. It's great at upconverting.
The biggest con I had was lack of digital/optical outputs. My surround setup feeds multiple independent Stereo systems, one 7.2 the other 5.1 (outside). Without optical/digital outputs I could not get both to work. With HDMI I could get one or the other but not feed the audio signal to both. I tried a HDMI splitter, but it did not do what I needed. I also with this blu-ray supported WiFi natively so that updates could be done without hooking it up to an Ethernet network. For where I plan to use this player it's not a big deal, but for a different location it would be.
It is quite a nice BluRay player, especially for state of the art 4K discs and older DVDs.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+6points
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Own your space with the K585 Slim Multi-Device – an ultra-thin and design-forward keyboard perfect for simultaneously typing your ideas on your laptop and a text on your smartphone. Type across computers, tablets, and smartphones from one keyboard for one seamless workflow — with a built-in phone cradle for easier multitasking. The compact design integrates a number pad and media shortcuts, so you can work efficiently and comfortably in tight spaces. The quiet low-profile keys offer fluid, laptop-like typing, while an auto-sleep feature preserves battery life, so you can power through your work..
Posted by: 3Tcubed
This is a nice little keyboard, it was very easy to set up (Windows, Apple, Andriod & Linix). I would have given it 5 stars if the built in stand for phone and tablet was wider and had better support. It's not quite big enough to fit my iPad air with no case. And the wight of the tablet tips the kbd over (no issues with a smaller lighter phone. But with a tablet device you must move between kdb and touch tablet. Not a big deal for me as I plan to use it with a computer and raspberry Pi. But my first usage was trying multiple devices.
The K585 keyboard is very thin, much thinner than anything Logitech has produced previously (I have 5 or 6 K830s which is still my favorite, but it does not support multiple devices, and is not a full size keyboard (so more of an apples to oranges comparison). Sitting on your lap it has minimal flex, and the keys move with little effort. The keyboard is not backlit. And you can pair it with either Bluetooth or the logitech USB RF adapter. I used to find BT was a little slower response, but since BT 5, I can't tell the difference. The unifying USB RF Adapter can be stored under the top of the keyboard (see photos). The keyboard uses 2 AAA alkaline batteries (included) they claim it will get 2 years of battery life. In using it as a Mac kbd I found some compatibility issues (fn key did work as expected, so using it with the Swift development environment is almost impossible). It is also difficult to get the upper cover back on correctly, it's made of a softer plastic, which makes aligning the little connector teeth more difficult than it should be, you must align all of the teeth at the same time to get it to reconnect, fortunatly I don't need to remove it often.
For Windows and Linux use I found the keyboard a nice comfortable layout, can't say the same for Apple.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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0points
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The Philips Norelco Shaver 7600 glides smoothly over your skin, while cutting each hair close - even on 3-day beards. Equipped with SenseIQ technology, the shaver senses, adapts and guides on the correct motion, for better skin protection.
Customer Rating
4
An Improved Shaver, does a nice job
on January 28, 2023
Posted by: 3Tcubed
My first electric shaver was the Norelco Triple Header with a slide "closeness" adjustment during High School. I used through College. A fwe years later I moved to Japan and discovered a new Wet-Dry rechargeable shaver and converted. Now, I'm back to the Philips Norelco 7200, a much lighter shaver than I recall, it claims to have a runtime of 60 minutes with a 60 minute charge. It has a popup trimmer which locks solidly in place. It is a wet/dry shaver which weights 7oz. The handle has a rubbery feel to it, is very comfortable, about 5" long. The entire razor being a little shorter than 7". In glancing at the instruction manual I noticed that they recommend using the shaver with a circular motion, not up and down, that this motion will improve the quality of the shave, and will require require less effort. The shaver comes with a USB-A charging cable, it does not include a USB power adapter (if your like I am I have plenty). Well my bathroom wall outlets actually have 2 usb charging ports, so this was not a problem.
So how did I like, it; the shave on my face and chin was very smooth, moving in a circular motion required some retraining, only under my upper lip did it seems odd. This shaver is noticibly quieter than the electric I've been using. But the shaver provided a nice close shave with no missed area after a few passes. No different than what I'm accustomed to. The wider pentagon shaped pads surrounding the circulat blades did a nice job of smooth gliding over my skin and placing the blade where it did it's job easily. No tugging, no pulling. When it got to doing my neck after several passes there were still whiskers that laid down, flat to the skin that the shaver missed repeatedly. This is a problem I've always faced, and why I can't use a shaver without a trimmer. The trimmer pops out easily and locks into place (better than what I've been using). With a few passes the "trouble" whisker were dispatched, another pass with the rotary head, brought a smooth neck.
The Shaver comes with an app (doesn't everything these days). The app telles you if your using a circular motion, and keeps a history of how long you shaved an on what days....yawn. The only feature I really liked was the improved battery charge display/status. I don't like to leave things charging all the time (especially if they charge in an hour). I can rely on the charged percentage to remind me to charge the shaver when it gets down to about 20%. The shaver also comes with a plastic cover for the top that protects the head when traveling. It very easy to open to clean, it also comes with a little cleaning brush. The shaver has a LED display on the front that notifies you when it needs cleaning, the battery level (only 3 bars), an app connected indicator and a motion led (which you can't see when your using it), and a SenseIQ logo. My only real complaint is the battery indicator, I'd much rather see a numeric percentage, rather than just 3 bars, maybe I'm just being picky, but needing the app to get a more accurate battery display was somewhat disappointing, although I'm glad the app has it. Other than that the shaver does a great job.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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A compact, foldable design weighing under 249 g makes DJI Mini 3 a great companion on any outing. Capture in 4K HDR, and with an extended battery life of up to 40 minutes, you can capture your surroundings in stunning detail without worrying about low battery.
Posted by: 3Tcubed
The new DJI Mini 3 is a step down from its slightly older sibling the Mini 3 Pro. Both weight in under the magic 250g mark (where at or over that you need FAA License, which is easy to get but required for drones weighing over 249g). It loses forward and rearward obstacle avoidance (APAS), its camera sensor is 12MP vs 48MP, its max video resolution if 4K/30p vs 4K/60p, and the Pro’s advanced video functions of 10-bit D-Cinelike Video, Timelapse/Hyperlapse, Active Track, Spotlight and MasterShots. But its camera is much the same with a very fast 24mm F1.7 lens (fixed aperture), than can shoot in portrait or landscape orientation. But with the standard battery its flight time is 38 minutes vs the Pro’s 34 minutes. The 3 axis gimbal is extremely fast and stable. I took my first test flight with a 8-10 mph breeze, and I was immediately impressed with how well the Mini 3 handled in the wind, far more stable than I expected. The Mini 3 can use the same snap on filters that Mini 3 Pro uses.
My Mini 3 came with the DJI RC (LCD display), but can be flown with the DJI RC-N1 (no LCD display). Having used several drones with my phone as the display, the RC’s LED display was joy to use, it was bright enough to overcome most sunlight, whereas most phones are not nearly bright enough (and add to the weight). The RC had a 5.5” FHD, touch display with a 700nits brightness (few phones are more then 400) and it only weights 390g (<14oz) with a 4 hour runtime. The RC remote has 2 USB-C ports, one for charging, and one for connecting to a computer. It also has a microSD card slot, this card is used for 2 purposes, one to store detailed local maps and to store transmitted video (1080p max) and transmitted photos. The controller uses DJI’s O3 and OC3+ transmission for a max range of 12k (7.5 miles) with the Mini 3, but legally you must keep your drone in sight, which you can’t do with it miles away. But DJI’s great transmission distances are many times further than a Wi-Fi only drone, with a much more stable signal. The controls are very smooth and the joy sticks re-center very quickly. I found that RC remote took 2-3 minutes to acquire 10 satellites. I find in order for return to home to function properly 9 the minimum I’d typically fly with (with 11 or more preferable). The Mini 3s downward sensors allow you to fairly safely fly indoors but if you’re going to do this I’d suggest getting a set of prop guards to protect the propellers from nicking any walls.
This Fly More combo comes with three 38min batteries, a 3 battery charger, a padded case, a mini-screwdriver and 3 sets of replacement blades & screws, the RC remote and the Mini 3 drone and 2 USB cables and a gimbal cover (used when storing drone in case). When using the battery charger, the batteries are charged in sequence (the strongest to the weakest, never multiple at the same time). The charger can also connect to the remote, or other devices to charge them. The Mini 3 also supports the ‘Plus’ longer life battery (51 minutes of flying time), but this put the drone over 249 grams (to 287g). It took me about 1 hour to charge each battery.
This Fly More combo comes with three 38min batteries, a 3 battery charger, a padded case, a mini-screwdriver and 3 sets of replacement blades & screws, the RC remote and the Mini 3 drone and 2 USB cables and a gimbal cover (used when storing drone in case). When using the battery charger, the batteries are charged in sequence (the strongest to the weakest, never multiple at the same time). The charger can also connect to the remote, or other devices to charge them. The Mini 3 also supports the ‘Plus’ longer life battery (51 minutes of flying time), but this put the drone over 249 grams (to 287g). It took me about 1 hour to charge each battery.
The RC remote has the DJI Fly app already installed, but both the drone and the app needed an upgrade when I first started each. Both of these updates went smoothly once I’d connected to my local WiFi network. The Mini 3 drone has 3 flight modes, ‘C’inematic, ‘N’ormal and ‘S’port. These are marked with C,N & S on the remote. In Cinematic mode the drone fly/s turns slower and smoother, to improve the video quality (less jerky). In Sport mode it will fly much faster and its avoidance sensors are disabled. And any movement of the joy sticks lead to an immediate movement of the drone. In Normal mode small movements’ lead to small changes, in sport mode (which should be called expert mode) the drone reacts much faster to movements. The RC remote has two programmable buttons on the bottom, these can be set to any number of user selected functions.
On the Mini 3 drone there is a USB-C charging port/computer connection and a microSD card slot. 4 foldable arms and the removable battery compartment. The first outdoor images I captured were extremely bright, much brighter than I expected. I’m sure the camera fast f1.7 lens had a lot to do with this. Most drone’s I flown have slower lenses f2.4 and higher. This made me appreciate that the Mini 3 can easily accept filters. Having captured video over water before, I’ve experienced how important ND and polarized filters can be to getting decent video in bright environments. With the Mini 3s fast lens, I’ll probably always fly with at least ND8 filter in daylight (this also helps to protect the camera’s lens). Since almost all shooting is done in ‘Auto’ mode knowing how to adjust the cameras manual settings in ‘Pro’ mode I think is essential to improve video quality. When in video mode the controller shows the video options and in photo the photo options (on the touch screen). The bottom left corner displays an Icon showing the drones position from the takeoff location, and its “H”eight and “D”istance away (and rate of change (speed)) from the takeoff location. You can change the take off point to your current location, in the upper right corner by selecting Update “Home Point”, very useful if walking around with the controller and not planning to land where you took off from. The lower right corner shows the storage photo/video options, tapping here brings up the ‘Pro’ options, to change ISO, Shutter Speed, Resolution and FPS rate. The DJI Mini transmits video back to the controller in 1080P but display it on the screen in 720P, so live video appears softer then video played back from the SD card. Not sure why this is, as the Mini 3 Pro apparently does not do this. Keep in mind the highest quality video and images are stored in the SD card in the drone. Its 4K video images are truly sensational. As are the 12MP still images. I attempted some panoramic shots, that were just ok, could be me just learning, or the need to shoot pano when completely still. On the video side there are 5 preset shot types: Boomerang, Circle, Dronie, Helix and Rocket in each you select a subject with an x or by drawing a box around it, then Drone then moves around the object in the pattern selected around the subject. It does this much more accurately than you could do this by hand. In photo mode you can either a single shot, multiple bracketed shots or timed shots. The quality of photos is substantially better than pulling a single frame from a 4K video (which you can also do). You will want to use the DJI Quick Transfer feature which uses WiFi to transfer Video/Images from the drone to your Phone, not when doing this make sure the Drones arms are fully extended (not folded up). The other alternative is to move the microSD card to your computer.
The Mini 3 is quite a step up from the Mini 2, pretty much all around, especially with the RC remote, which I truly enjoyed. It made flying so much more natural. Highly recommended, but if cost is not really an object, or is you’re more concerned about hitting objects the Pro’s object avoidance and improved 10 bit video has to be considered. Both are great options, a step ahead of the competition.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+3points
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Sonos Roam SL allows the user to enjoy hours of music, radio, audiobooks, and more from all your favorite services thanks to the long-lasting rechargeable battery. Listen at home with WiFi and easily control the sound with the Sonos app, and stream with Bluetooth® everywhere else. Add more Sonos speakers around your home for multiroom listening. Everything works together over WiFi.
Posted by: 3Tcubed
Let me start by saying I like Sonos products, I have the Sonos One and Sonos SL in my office. Initially I did not like their unifying software, but now that it supports Airplay, Casting and Bluetooth it really does a good job. The ability to set up all your streaming services in one place is most convenient. But it is a closed ecosystem, it will only communicate with Sonos products. So when I went to compare this Sonos Roam Speaker to other portable speakers I have, it was not as easy as I anticipated.
Let’s start with the packaging. All parts come wrapped in a thin felt like cover. The does a great job of preventing scratches, and can be reused to transport your speaker inside a briefcase or beach bag. I wish it had a Velcro closure rather than a sticker, but it makes the package look/feel like a premium product. Their boxes are very strong, and protect the product(s) very well. I got the roam speaker with the Roam Wireless Charger. The Roam Speaker comes with USB-A to USB-C charging cable and a (10w) charger 5V@2.1A (10W). The Wireless charger is 5V@1A (5W), so it will charge slower but the convenience of just setting it down, versus plugging it in was a feature I wanted to have (I didn’t know when I got it that it was slower). Neither box indicated the power ratings. The wireless charger does have some magnetic connectivity, so it can be used horizontally or vertically.
After I got the speaker I charged it up (it came about 50% charged – normal for Lithium-Ion batteries). I was able to easily pair the speaker with the Sonos app. All of my existing music sources (8) became immediately available. I then took the speaker out to my pool and played Boston's first album. Immediately, the clairity of the sound was apparent. So was the not so surprising, mono output (why small speakers can’t output Stereo sound is beyond me, I had small stereo radios in the 70s/80s, why modern speakers can't do this is a source of constant frustration (I know just buy another)). The sound was full and crisp with a bit of low end presence, considering I was in a large outdoor space. I tried the speaker horizontally and vertically, the bass output was more solid when the speaker was horizontal, radiating the sound off the solid table I’d placed it on. I moved to the other side of the pool, about 20' from away from the speaker, the sound exceptionally clean. The sound was very good, turned up all the way there was no distortion whatsoever. The overall sound was nicely balanced, but in this large area, there was no deep bass. But from a speaker 6.5” wide and 2.5” tall expectations had to be reasonable. And the quality of clean output was exceptional. I did more listening. Foreplay-Long Time breezed in and to my surprise the initial low vocals were front and center. The soundstage was in front of the speaker, not coming from it, a good thing (considering its mono). As the beat built, it was pleasant, easy to listen to, and at the transition to Long time I was able to hear most of the subtleties, something missing from many smaller speakers. Clearly this little Sonos speaker is doing something to improve the sound quality. The more I listened, the cleaner the music seemed, this little speaker really brings the vocals out, and they’re quite clean. Snare and tom-tom drums have a bit of kick and ring to them. But the horns are really spectacular. I was accustomed to using Trueplay with Sonos speakers, but this roam speaker claims to have Automatic Trueplay. Where it automatically adapts its sound to the content and environment/surroundings. Whatever it’s doing, it is improving the sound quality.
This speaker claims to get 10 hours of playing time (a 50% volume with WiFi streaming). I got a bit over 7 at nearly full volume with Apple Play. The speaker comes in numerous colors. It is water and dust resistant (IP67). The speaker comes in two versions, the Roam and Roam SL the only difference between the two is the Roam SL does not support voice control (which I find I rarely use, I prefer controlling via my iPhone).
I took the speaker inside to my family room (16x30). I listened to Pink Floyd DSOTM, the speaker filled the room fairly well once it was high enough (fireplace mantel) the floor. But again the bass was thin. But I detected a different tone to the speaker inside. Maybe Trueplay was changing the sound based on it detecting different room acoustics…. Whatever, there was some magic making many of the subtle sounds have more presence. I used SiriusXM to stream some music and it sounded exceptional. The Clocks in “Time” had a superb ring to them. The swirling voices in “The Great Gig in the Sky” didn’t have the R/L stereo effect, but they could be heard clearly/distinctly. And in the fade up out of “Eclipse”, every word could be heard.
So how would this little Roam SL compare to several other portable speakers I have (only using BT connections). I took them all outside and tried to set them up with similar conditions. In terms of just volume level the Roam was about the same volume as the largest speaker, but not quite as loud as my oldest BT speaker (front left). The pair of cylinder (R & L back) speakers, set up as a stereo pair, had the best bass response. Sounding fuller than the bigger speaker in the center. But in terms of the cleanest vocals the Roam was in a class of its own, only the stereo pair was even close. The biggest speaker, not surprisingly had the most richness, but it's vocals and highs didn’t soar like the Roam. Then I found that My IPhone could send more than one at a time. I could send the same signal to all 5 speakers at the same time. Really nice, it filled the backyard much better. And I found I could literally pick out the sound of each speaker.
I like this speaker. I like it so much I might just get another to get the Stereo output that my 80's boombox had. It has the cleanest output of any portable (battery powered) speaker I’ve tried. It does not have the battery life of some of the others but it’s smaller, a clear tradeoff.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+9points
10of 11voted this as helpful.
Sound like a pro and take your production quality up a notch with the Razer Seiren V2 Pro—a USB microphone designed for those serious about streaming. Whether you’re an industry vet or a professional-to-be, enjoy top-notch voice clarity and quality thanks to its suite of high-end features.
Posted by: 3Tcubed
I wanted to like this mic. I wanted to use it for travel as it’s smaller than the “well known” mic I use today. I wanted to use it with my macs. For a brand-new product, I was surprised it did not use the newer USB-C connector (would have made it easier to use with my mac too). USB-C connectors are so much easier to use, especially in the dark.
I found the included software (Razer Synapse) was difficult to set up, and hard to use with the other software I use while streaming. The stream mixing software seemed like a nice product, but overly complex. Why it has to add 10 virtual devices to the windows audio menu is beyond me. It’s like they think that their software will be the only software being used. Most unlikely. And it only runs on windows.
The automatic gain control was too aggressive, I had to disable it to use the Siren Mic. Once I had the mic setup, I was generally impressed with the sound quality, that is when the mic was just the right distance away. Here is the real problem, in actual use the mic needs to get moved, or I have to move fairly frequently during the course of use. The microphone stand was quite wobbly, a small bump could knock it over, and that crashing sound was something I was thinking about, trying to avoid. If I’d really liked it the only way, I could see using it was on an external boom. The included stand does not support the mic as it should. This further prevented me from wanting to use this to travel with. I found the external buttons less intuitive than the mic I’m accustomed to using, the mute made sense, but the other 2 controls (volume and gain) just spin. The mic does have a headphone port, but setup with their software is overly complicated (you have to adjust the sound level of the headphone port versus PC output, and you have to do it through the mixer…).
The sound quality was very good when I was just the right distance from the mic, but small variations in distance from the mic dramatically changed the audio quality significantly. Much more than my other mic. The sweet spot for the mic was uncomfortably close. Trying to use the gain control didn’t provide any improvement. I found this very frustrating, and on this basis alone I cannot recommend this mic compared to other products available. It does not perform as well as I expected it to. It does not perform as well as its competition.
I found the included software (Razer Synapse) was difficult to set up, and hard to use with the other software I use while streaming. The stream mixing software seemed like a nice product, but overly complex. Why it has to add 10 virtual devices to the windows audio menu is beyond me. It’s like they think that their software will be the only software being used. Most unlikely. And it only runs on windows.
The automatic gain control was too aggressive, I had to disable it to use the Siren Mic. Once I had the mic setup, I was generally impressed with the sound quality, that is when the mic was just the right distance away. Here is the real problem, in actual use the mic needs to get moved, or I have to move fairly frequently during the course of use. The microphone stand was quite wobbly, a small bump could knock it over, and that crashing sound was something I was thinking about, trying to avoid. If I’d really liked it the only way, I could see using it was on an external boom. The included stand does not support the mic as it should. This further prevented me from wanting to use this to travel with. I found the external buttons less intuitive than the mic I’m accustomed to using, the mute made sense, but the other 2 controls (volume and gain) just spin. The mic does have a headphone port, but setup with their software is overly complicated (you have to adjust the sound level of the headphone port versus PC output, and you have to do it through the mixer…).
The sound quality was very good when I was just the right distance from the mic, but small variations in distance from the mic dramatically changed the audio quality significantly. Much more than my other mic. The sweet spot for the mic was uncomfortably close. Trying to use the gain control didn’t provide any improvement. I found this very frustrating, and on this basis alone I cannot recommend this mic compared to other products available. It does not perform as well as I expected it to. It does not perform as well as its competition.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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The Brydge 12.3 Pro+ wireless keyboard with touchpad matches the quality and functionality of the Surface Pro 4,5,6, and 7 seamlessly. Designed to meet the standards set by Microsoft, the Brydge 12.3 Pro+ features a precision touchpad, adjustable viewing angles and 3-level backlit keys, bringing a laptop-like experience to your Surface Pro.
Is it running on windows 10? And What’s the speed how fast is it?
This is a Keyboard/Track pad only.
It is intended to be use with a MS Surface Pro (G4-G7); the Surface typically runs Windows 10, and there are multiple versions (processor/memory for the surface).
It is intended to be use with a MS Surface Pro (G4-G7); the Surface typically runs Windows 10, and there are multiple versions (processor/memory for the surface).
3 years, 5 months ago
by
3Tcubed
The Brydge 12.3 Pro+ wireless keyboard with touchpad matches the quality and functionality of the Surface Pro 4,5,6, and 7 seamlessly. Designed to meet the standards set by Microsoft, the Brydge 12.3 Pro+ features a precision touchpad, adjustable viewing angles and 3-level backlit keys, bringing a laptop-like experience to your Surface Pro.
Is this a laptop and keyboard
Keyboard/Trackpad only intended to be used with MS Surface Pro (G4-G7)
3 years, 5 months ago
by
3Tcubed
Make healthy smoothies and drinks with this SharkNinja Ninja Foodi blender. A 1400W motor base ensures exceptional ice-crushing results, while the 800W heating element cuts down boiling time for faster preparation of soups and sauces. This SharkNinja Ninja Foodi blender features preset Auto-iQ smart programs that take the guesswork out of operation and dishwasher-safe parts for effortless cleaning.
Is there a compatible single serve blending cup that I can use with this blender? I’m interested in a 20 or 24 ounces blending cup option.
It comes with 2 x 16oz personal containers (actually 32oz, but for blending you should only fill to 16oz when using
3 years, 6 months ago
by
3Tcubed
Make healthy smoothies and drinks with this SharkNinja Ninja Foodi blender. A 1400W motor base ensures exceptional ice-crushing results, while the 800W heating element cuts down boiling time for faster preparation of soups and sauces. This SharkNinja Ninja Foodi blender features preset Auto-iQ smart programs that take the guesswork out of operation and dishwasher-safe parts for effortless cleaning.
There's no Puree' option, so does this blender not have a way to blend a smoothie until it's basically almost as smooth as milk? That's pretty much going to be my deciding factor between this and the Instant Pot blender. Thanks.
It does have a Pulse mode that moves the mixture thought-out the container, fine for a puree
3 years, 6 months ago
by
3Tcubed
Make healthy smoothies and drinks with this SharkNinja Ninja Foodi blender. A 1400W motor base ensures exceptional ice-crushing results, while the 800W heating element cuts down boiling time for faster preparation of soups and sauces. This SharkNinja Ninja Foodi blender features preset Auto-iQ smart programs that take the guesswork out of operation and dishwasher-safe parts for effortless cleaning.
What is the height of appliance with glass jar and lid attached ?
Make healthy smoothies and drinks with this SharkNinja Ninja Foodi blender. A 1400W motor base ensures exceptional ice-crushing results, while the 800W heating element cuts down boiling time for faster preparation of soups and sauces. This SharkNinja Ninja Foodi blender features preset Auto-iQ smart programs that take the guesswork out of operation and dishwasher-safe parts for effortless cleaning.
How do I purée foods? It doesn’t have a purée button.
It has 2 modes, smooth and pulse, the pulse mode move the mixture throughout the container very effectively, would easily puree.
3 years, 6 months ago
by
3Tcubed
Make healthy smoothies and drinks with this SharkNinja Ninja Foodi blender. A 1400W motor base ensures exceptional ice-crushing results, while the 800W heating element cuts down boiling time for faster preparation of soups and sauces. This SharkNinja Ninja Foodi blender features preset Auto-iQ smart programs that take the guesswork out of operation and dishwasher-safe parts for effortless cleaning.
Can I use another attachment with this blender like Nutri Ninja or the coffee and spice grinder ?
They offer a separate small jar (not included) which would be great for a spice grinder, you could probably use the included large polycarbonate container for grinding coffee with the pulse mode, it should work well.
3 years, 6 months ago
by
3Tcubed
Upgrade your daily cooking with this Instant Pot Duo Nova pressure cooker. The 8-quart capacity holds enough food for up to eight people, while the 14 one-touch smart programs simplify meal preparation. This Instant Pot Duo Nova pressure cooker includes a steam rack, soup spoon and measuring cup for convenience.
Does instruction manuals come with it and recipe book
Yes, but pretty limited. There is on online app with a lot of recipes (well organized, searchable) you'll find several for just about everything.
3 years, 7 months ago
by
3Tcubed
Upgrade your daily cooking with this Instant Pot Duo Nova pressure cooker. The 8-quart capacity holds enough food for up to eight people, while the 14 one-touch smart programs simplify meal preparation. This Instant Pot Duo Nova pressure cooker includes a steam rack, soup spoon and measuring cup for convenience.
What are in internal dimensions? All I can find are external.
Upgrade your daily cooking with this Instant Pot Duo Nova pressure cooker. The 8-quart capacity holds enough food for up to eight people, while the 14 one-touch smart programs simplify meal preparation. This Instant Pot Duo Nova pressure cooker includes a steam rack, soup spoon and measuring cup for convenience.