3Tcubed's stats
- Review count213
- Helpfulness votes1,593
- First reviewJanuary 3, 2014
- Last reviewJune 29, 2025
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- Average rating4.4
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- Answer count72
- Helpfulness votes46
- First answerJanuary 10, 2015
- Last answerJanuary 12, 2022
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Unleash advanced cleaning power with the Roomba Max 705 Vac Robot + AutoEmpty Dock, engineered to keep busy, pet-loving homes spotless. Extreme power-lifting suction combined with anti-tangle Dual Rubber Brushes extract and eliminate debris from carpets and hard floors. Get the most out of your robot with fast, advanced 3D mapping, object recognition, custom settings and precise navigation. Dirt and debris are trapped for 75 days in the dock for hands-free cleaning.
Posted by: 3Tcubed
Ok, this is my 8th vacuuming robot. I live in a multi-floor, split level home. I have 5 specific levels (with one or more steps between levels). This one I got for my largest area, my great room (Entry, Kitchen, Dining & Living area). Long ago I got tired of moving robots from one area to another. This is my second Roomba, it's replacing a Korean brand that is not performing as expected. All but one of my robots self empty themselves (I won't get another that does not). Roomba for years has continued to improve their robots, both making them more and less expensive; with the 700 series being more upmarket. For example, their entry level robots only support 2.4G WiFi, this one (and all my others support both 2.4G and 5G). This one also has voice announcements to tell you when it's changing modes of operation (or if it needs assistance). This is much better than not knowing, or needing to look at their app. Its base unit is pretty light, but when returning to charge it backs in very slowly. But it is very easy to bump it and change its position. As I've done with others, I suggest using some Alien tape on both sides to make it more difficult to move (stays put). Getting it setup was very easy, but you must create an online Roomba account (with a 12 character password and a verified email to use the iRobot Home App). Once the account is set up you can use the Home app. First you set up the WiFi connection, then you map the room where it will be used (you may have to do a firmware update (that takes nearly 30 minutes)).
This Roomba uses ClearView (Pro Lidar); it creates a detailed map of your room before you use it the first time. It then calculates a back and forth pattern to cover your space allowing for furniture and/or other obstacles (I have a lot). Its mapping is so accurate it rarely touches any large objects, and is very gentle around chair legs and such. It moves pretty quickly, faster than my other Roomba. It has four power levels plus a smart mode which allows it to choose/change power levels based on various sensors (vision/dirt detection). It does a great job of negotiating rugs/carpet and changing power/height as necessary (much better than some of my others). Like most of my others it will grab on to my carpet fringe, at first I thought it was trying to avoid it. It seemed to recognize it and avoided going directly over it. However as it departed my oriental rug with fringe its suction pulled on the fringe, and I had to manually release it. On hardwood and tile floors, its little whiskers help bring in the dust rather than just blowing it around. But after making two passes around my great room, I saw it over/past two objects several times. As it changed suction going up/over 2 rugs a piece of onion skin was miss/scooted aside every pass.. I also had a small garlic paper on the floor that never got picked up. I think its exhaust is disrupting some of its cleaning duties. On carpet is did a much better job, it did a great job of picking up crumbs under my dining room table, even with all the chair legs it had to work around. The home button caused it to return home, not in any sort of direct path. The go home command in the app had it take a much more efficient path (go figure, no big deal).
The plastic dust bin is fairly compact and well designed, it has a disposable vacuum bag (and an extra). It's easy to remove, replace and dispose of. This, I think, is better than a plastic bin to empty, too much dust escapes. Compared to other robots I think iRobot has greatly decreased the noise that their robots make. In its smart mode where suction varies, on hard floors it is very quiet. As it gets to carpets, it sucks louder, but it's a different sucking sound, somewhat muted by the carpet. Dust does stick to the front of the unit, you will want to wipe the front down periodically. It has dual rotating "cleaners", both with different textures. The combination they use seems to prevent the collection hair (a good design).
For the price this robot is competitive, it's not cheap, but it is full featured. Using it in smart mode it is quiet enough that you can still listen to a TV while it's running (I can't do this with my other Roomba, in a bathroom). Where I'm planning to use it, it will be more than adequate.
This is where my wife calls me Mr. Obvious....
This is where my wife calls me Mr. Obvious....
I would recommend this to a friend!
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ACCENTUM Open brings a dose of Sennheiser’s legendary sound in a lightweight, breathable open design. With German engineering that just works—no instructions or app needed. With up to 24 hours of battery life, seamless multitasking, and IPX4 splash resistance, these earbuds deliver rich, natural sound without isolating you.
Customer Rating
4
Open earbuds with the Sennheiser Sound
on June 26, 2025
Posted by: 3Tcubed
This is now my 18th set of BT wireless earbuds. The third from Sennheiser (I also have Momentum 3 & 4). Why so many; they keep improving. I thought Sennheiser Momentum 3 & 4 were both sensational. These Accentum Open earbuds feature BT 5.3 (not 5.4) with up to 28 hours play time. The open design means that they don't have any tips to plug your ears and they don't offer active noise cancellation. I also found that they also don't work with Sennheiser's Smart Connect App (something I'm accustomed to using). I guess this set of earbuds is too affordable to use their high end tools. Before I did any testing I broke the Sennheiser Accentum Open's overnight with Tara Labs Noise burnin, they lasted just over 5hrs (80% volume), not quite the 6hrs. Sennheiser claims the Accentum Open's have 28hrs of battery life (6+22h from the charging case). Since there is no app the earbuds firmware can't be updated and the "1 tap", "2 tap", "3 tap", "hold" functionality can't be changed.
I listened to Accentum Open earbuds from both an iPhone 15 pro and an Android 14 phone w/Poweramp. I appreciated the poweramp equalizer, not having the EQ from the Smart Connect App. The open design means you can readily hear sounds from around you. If a kid/wife is hollering at you they will be able to get your attention. But you can not listen to a baseball game on a television and music at the same time and hear the television; I think this is called "Stay aware" on the momentums. The natural awareness of open design only goes so far. I did find the earbuds comfortable, but when exercising one earbud or the other would mistakenly detect a tap and pause. I also found some BT dead spots with these earbuds that I did not notice with either of the Momentums (probably 25' from my phone, behind a wall with 240V appliances running (laundry room). I did take a phone call, and on my end the sound was excellent, and the person I was talking to was impressed by the voice quality and lack of background noise.
On my iPhone I listened to Boston's first album; 'More than a Feeling' was excellent great 'signature' Sennheiser high's little low bass (not surprising based on the open design), on 'Foreplay/Long Time' the fade out fade in separation was excellent, during the subtle build I could hear the subtle details. The mid-bass and bass was not what I'd call precise. In general the bass is just somewhat absent. And without an app with some sort of EQ, it was not going to get much better. I'm very accustomed to using the included software custom EQ. I then listened to Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. Overall the sound quality was nice and even, the earbuds sounded like Sennheisers, but overall a bit weak on the bass. I jumped over to my android phone, and with poweramp I could significantly improve the low end of these earbuds, not quite making them punchy, but adding a more well rounded mid-bass and improving the very low end (a better balance over all). I really liked the comfort of the open feel, they are quite light and comfortable. I then bounced around listening to some Beach Boys, Warren Zevon, Queen, Rush, Yes and Zeppelin. My android phone sounded better then my iPhone with these earbuds. I've rarely felt this way before. Anyway I liked the Accentum's overall sound.
Just for fun I compared my Momentum 4's to Accentum's. Listening to Yes's roundabout the mids and highs were very equivalent. But the Momentum's details were much more rich as was their low end. I'd rate the Sennheiser Momentum 4s a 9.5 and the Accentum's a 7. Considering the huge price difference this speaks pretty well for the Accentum's. After listening for several hours, I found both very comfortable. The Accentum's do have the high quality sound I expect from Sennheiser, they hit the mark here. I'm going to deduct a star for them not having an app (I mean not being able to use Sennheiser's excellent Smart Connect App). These earbuds are comfortable, easy to wear, and have an overall good sound.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Experience the next level of racing with the MOZA R5 Bundle. With its impressive 5.5 Nm torque direct drive, customizable driving modes, and robust aluminum, leather, and steel construction, it’s designed to provide unparalleled immersion and durability. The MOZA Pit House control center offers convenient device monitoring, settings adjustment, and preset loading. Elevate your racing setup today and embrace a new era of performance and precision.
Posted by: 3Tcubed
Any decent Direct Drive racing base system was well over $1k three years ago. And the quality of some of the products was... often substandard. A few years ago the entry level products were mostly light weight plastic. So much has changed over that time frame. There are now wheelbase, steering wheel and pedal combos like the Moza R5 is much less. It’s getting much more affordable to participate in the "DD" because of products like this Moza R5 Racing Simulator.
The R5 package weighs 29 lbs in its packaging. It's got some heft. My first impressions of the wheelbase is that it is tiny, but heavy (compared to others). It’s only 4.5" in deep (not including the shaft). This makes it much easier to desk mount right in front of a monitor or notebook. The steering wheel is only 12" wide which is really small (compared to others). But this is a great design decision. It's not that fancy but it has plenty of buttons and two great shifters. It is big enough, heavy enough, so it does not seem like a toy. It is small enough to give you decent torque quite accurately. More on the force feedback later; but it more than met my expectations. The pedals are heavy metal, they offer some adjustment that you don't find at this price point. You can adjust the throw, the pedal face height and even the spacing between the pedals. There is also an optional brake upgrade and an optional (SR-P Lite) clutch to complete the floor pedals. Both options are very reasonably priced, great options to complete the kit.
The hardware installation, fortunately Moza supplies a desk mounting bracket with the bundle but at my dest I found the mount to be too close to my knees. So for testing I mounted it to a granite counter in my kitchen, where I use several notebooks. Mounted to a standard desk I did feel that leg clearance was less than it needed to be. The desk mount can accommodate desks/counters up to 2.5" thick. The mount is also heavy metal making it very stable. It has a fixed angle (not adjustable) which should be fine for most installations. The pedals should be connected to your wheelbase before mounting them. They plug in under the heel plate which can’t be accessed when mounted. Mounting them was relatively simple with the bolts which were provided. The steering wheel has 11 pins on the rear. These pins provide power and data communications. The R5 does not have a wireless module (making it more reliable). There are inputs for the pedals, dash, shifter, expansion ports, & E-Stop on the rear of the wheelbase (image shows all connections).
The software installation, I'd previously used the notebook in my kitchen with the Asphalt Racing series and Raceroom. The version of Steam I had installed was out of date so I upgraded it (all my windows games use it). I then installed the Moza Pit House. When it started it recognised what Moza hardware was installed/connected. It also prompted me to update the wheelbase firmware. Once done I had to remove the "quick release" steering wheel and reinstall it. The software shows all the basic things on the home tab. You can see your pedal inputs, button presses, rotation and overall force settings. You can fully adjust the pedal curves and dead zones via their software (more of a high end feature). You can adjust the force feedback setting using a 'equaliser' setup screen. It works quite well (but depends on the sim you're - you make changes on the fly while driving). MOZA also gives lots of presets. You can tweak the settings all you'd like. It even has one click configuration for multiple games which don’t natively support MOZA the wheelbase. The Moza Pit software needs to be running in order for the LEDs on your steering wheel to work. The software has just about everything you could ask for.
The pedals are the weakest part of this bundle. They perform pretty well, but they very much are entry level. I wish they included a clutch, but some sim racing games don't need/require it. I had a minor issue calibrating the brake where the high end was not being set right. The steering wheel is exceptional. The materials feel quite good, better than I expected. There are plenty of buttons that are easy to reach. I really like the d-pad and the shifters. The size of this steering wheel is perfect for this setup. It's nice with a quick reaction.
The force feedback is what really matters; you really cannot expect the world. But the accuracy and speed of the movement of the wheel is excellent. The force feedback was enjoyable and above my expectations. I tried this wheelbase across several sims and it performed very well. The default settings in the MOZA pit house software are good starting points for most cars. I did have to play with the settings quite a bit to get set up for drifting. The more I used it, the more I liked the smaller size. It gives you a nice tight, crisp force feedback.
I love the form factor. The quick release wheel is quiet and reliable. It has no flex whatsoever. I had no connectivity issues throughout my testing. The steering wheel is basic, containing lots of simple buttons and two surprisingly good shifter paddles. The pedals are functional but unremarkable. But they are perfect for entry level sim racers. I really recommend this setup to those that are looking to get into sim racing. It’s a great set up to get started with.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The Shark Detect Pro bagless upright vacuum combines stronger suction with better debris cleaning. It features the new DuoClean Detect nozzle which includes two brushrolls and a network of proprietary sensors that automatically sense and react to hidden dirt by boosting suction and brushroll speed when you need it most across floor type, corners, edges, and it even detects direction for powerful suction in forward and reverse to grip and capture more dirt, debris & hair than Shark's original DuoClean nozzle. Large piles, fine dust, and & pet hair are no match for DuoClean Detect. Shark’s Odor Neutralizer Technology guards against bad odors inside your vacuum to help freshen your home. Plus, Anti-Allergen Complete Seal with HEPA filtration seals and traps 99.99%** of dust, dander, and allergens inside of the vacuum, and out of the air you breathe. For above-floor cleaning, you can Lift Away the detachable pod and take your cleaning to stairs, furniture, windowsills, and more. In addition, when you lift away the pod, you transform your vacuum into a stick, for easy motorized cleaning under furniture. *Based on ASTM F558, measured at the hose **Based on a geomean of combined tests -IEC62885-2 Sec 5.3 FWD, IEC62885-2 Sec 5.3 REV, IEC62885-2 Sec 5.5 FWD, IEC62885 Sec 5.5 REV
Customer Rating
5
A Great Vacuum (for hard floors, rugs and carpets)
on June 14, 2025
Posted by: 3Tcubed
I've now gone through about 9 robot vacuums. Several still work, but few have done a great job in a long time. In fact I still have a Kirby G5 I kept as a backup. It's heavy and does a good job on carpets, but not so much on hardwood/tile floors. The last upright vacuum I got was in 2019 a Shark DuoClean. It did a FANTASTIC job on hardwood and tile floors (so, so on carpets). I live in a 2 story split level home. I need 5 robots to cover each level. This week I came home from a vacation and with the afternoon sun streaming through the window I noticed how much dust had accumulated while I was gone. I checked the run schedule for my robot for this area, and found it had not run for 6 weeks, guess I was not paying attention. I recalled what a good job my last Shark did. I recently saw an ad for the new Shark Detect Pro and was intrigued, could various sensors detect and adjust a vacuum for multiple surfaces?
Over the last 5 years almost all my floors are now hardwood or tile with various throw rugs all over (except for my stairs which are still carpeted). The new "Shark Detect Pro" has two sets of rollers, one 'smooth' the other with a beater bar built in. It also has a squeegee Bristle strip behind the two rollers. It also had 4 dirt detection sensors (one on side, on ob bottom and two in the nozzle area. It uses these sensors to increase the suction speed when it detects extra dirt in the various areas. In my initial tests they are very effective, you put the edge of the vacuum against a wall edge or a piece of furniture, and that edge gets more suction power. When cleaning my wooden floors, the detector lamp (purple) only came on when I went into areas with more dust (under the piano bench) and behind furniture where the robot could not reach. The front spinning roller gets up dust like I can't believe (and on the back it has a 'comb' that prevents hairs from winding up around it. The Shark passes over/across dusty areas leaving a clean strip of floor behind. The grittiness the robot's seemed to leave behind is a thing of the past (YEA). The Detect Pro has 4 modes of operation: Detect Mode and Manual (Hard Floor, Carpet/Low Pile and Carpet/Thick). The outer shell of the on/off button rotates to make this selection (the icon selected will be illuminated). On the head of the unit to the right is a Dirt Detection indicator, it will be white under normal circumstance, but it turns purple when a surface is dirty, it then goes into "Cleaning Boost" mode, as lond as heavy dirt is detected. To each edge there is an arrow, when this is illuminated the headlight to that edge will brighten, if more dirt is detected the purple boost light will also light up. When I first used my Detect Pro all of the edges caused boost mode to be detected. when I went back over the same areas boost mode was not triggered (I guess most of the dust was gone). If something is wrong the headlight will blink red/white to indicate the problem.
The other feature I missed was the ability to "lift away" the vacuum from the floor cleaning head, and use either the long floor wand or the short handle with various accessories (3 are provided, a crevice tool, a small brush, and a wider longer fine brush (perfect for fan blades and dusting or other high objects). Two of these tools can be stored on the side of Detect Pro Vacuum.
If that's all there was, I'd be most pleased, but then I go to use the Shark on my still carpeted stairs (no robot currently does stairs (duh)). The Shark is quite light and the long wand reaches more than half way up the stairs (Hay Shark, a lighted wand would be nice!!), so after finishing 1/2 I take the Shark to the top and work my way down (not too difficult). And the handy little tools make getting behind and under things is much easier. The new attachment to better clean ceiling fans is most welcome. The bright LED lights on the front are also a nice touch and when they brighten for corners it makes a real difference. And it's very easy to empty the dust container. You simply lift off the canister (and pop open the bottom to empty it).The Shark will likely get emptied with each use, it's that easy. It also has a powerfully self propelled motor for use when vacuuming the floor within the floor cleaning base.
The great job the Detect Pro does on hard floors as well as on carpets makes this a most impressive vacuum cleaner.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Turn heads and ears with the impeccable audio and timeless design of Kilburn III. This portable speaker comes with 360° True Stereophonic sound and makes a statement wherever displayed. Its dust and water resistance rating means it’s not bothered by a bit of dirt or a splash of water. No wonder it’s got such an obsessive following.
Posted by: 3Tcubed
A couple of years ago I got the Marshall Action 3, and I absolutely love it. I use it in my office daily. Now, I wanted/needed a high quality portable. I like the Action 3 so much I started researching the latest Marshall products (I have two other similar BT speakers with brand names that start with 'S'). I'd looked at the Kilburn 2 a few months ago, and decided I could not deal with the decreased power output (36w vs 60w of Action 3). So I was ecstatic to see that the Kilburn 3 had a 80 watt amp.
Compared to the other BT speakers that are about this size, one does not have an Aux input, as Kilburn 3 does. The Kilburn is slightly more expensive than the other two (not much). I did some quick side by side comparisons. This Kilburn III, was far better than the one from a well known Japanese manufacturer. The Marshall's bass and mids were much more well rounded, fuller, richer. Its high's are similar, both very pleasing, the Marshall's has a wider soundstage. Compared to the American "S" brand, which has a room tuning tool, the Marshall's bass was again fuller. But the mid's/voices of the Marshall were not quite 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 lets you choose the 'Marshall sound profile' or you can use an included 5 band equalizer for a custom curve, or some saved presets. The Kilburn has a button to select one or the other. You can also turn the bass/treble knobs from the app. Both of the other speakers have more sophisticated apps. Marshall's EQ is an improvement to their app. For years I've used an iPhone app called 'Equalizer Pro', it 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 tool, I found the Kilburn better filled the room with a better sound than either of the other speakers. Marshall claims that the Kilburn 3 has a play time of 50 hours. This I did not verify.
But I'm getting this speaker to travel with, and to use outdoors. The Marshall Kilburn III has an IP54 rating for water and dust resistance. This means it can withstand splashes of water and some dust, making it suitable for outdoor use, but it is not fully waterproof, an improvement over the Action 3, and this is the same as the 'S' brands. So out the door I went. I started listening to Boston's first album. I was about 15 feet from the speaker with the speaker close to a wall (I set this in the Marshall app). 'More than a Feeling', sounded quite airy, the speaker seemed to bounce the high's 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 mentioned before to kick up the bass from 40hz to 120hz about 8db, and what a difference. Another boost from 1k to 2k and the mid-high's from the speaker were much improved. As Boston's 'Foreplay' switches to 'Long Time', and the rhythm picks up, and the speaker sounds very sweet, very easy to listen to. Pretty superb. The bass of 'Smokin' was ok for a smallish 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 (I expected to see my neighbors poke their head over my wall), far 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 midrange and highs were awesome. 'Us and Them' had a nice presence, the nuances of the girls' voices had a surprisingly good stereo separation. And the subtle voices in 'Brain Damage' and 'Eclipse' were superb.
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 best sound possible out of a good speaker. Marshall's Kilburn III is a real winner, I've found my new travel companion!
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Discover 3.1.2ch spatial sound with the BRAVIA Theater Bar 6. Up-firing speakers, a dedicated center channel speaker, and support for Dolby Atmos® and DTS:X® will surround you with expansive sound and clear dialogue. The included subwoofer adds deep, powerful bass, letting you feel the rumble in every scene.
Customer Rating
4
A few things missing, but a great sounding System
on June 13, 2025
Posted by: 3Tcubed
I currently have 4 full surround setup in my home (Family Room, Outside, Master Bedroom and Master Bath). Im's either going to change the soundbar in my living room (Sony TV) to a Dolby Atmos setup or upgrade/replace my Master Bedroom system (LG TV). But if I can get my wife's approval I'd rather upgrade the living room. I'm testing the Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6; 3.1.2ch subwoofer, Dolby Atmos/DTS:X System. The system consists of a Soundbar and a Subwoofer. The soundbar has 2 upward facing speakers on each end. They support Dolby Atmos & DTS:X. First I have to convince myself that I like the sound of these speakers, that they are loud enough for the room (16x24 but open to the kitchen/dining area). When I got this system I thought that they could be "upgraded to Atmos 5.1.2" speakers with the addition of a pair of rear speakers (I was wrong; Sony offers a Theater Bar 6 5.1.2 system which includes wireless speakers, but they can't be bought separately. I have other Atmos systems and I love their surround quality.
The soundbar is on the wide side, It's about a foot longer than the B*** soundbar it might replace. But for improved separation this should be expected The subwoofer, is also on the large side, at least 50 taller then the B*** it's replacing. So I'm expecting deeper bass, (which spoiler) it does have deeper, fuller bass then the B*** does. And for me the subs size is not an issue, it's quality is more important.
I set up the system using Sony's BRAVIA Connect App. This app connects with Bluetooth, it can also change the speaker to connect to BT sources. The soundbar only supports BT, no casting or ApplePlay. The app does not have any room tuning capabilities that I've come to expect with the Atmos setup that I have elsewhere. It also does not indicate what version of BT it supports. Setup and configuration was very straightforward, no issues. The app is pretty simple with quite limited options. The system does not support Google Home, Alexa or Apple home (all of which I use with my home automation system).
I'll start by saying this Bar 6 system is darn efficient (read: loud). To just evaluate the sound quality I streamed Boston's first album. 'More than a Feeling', sounded very airy, the high's bounced around the room effortlessly, the Atmos surround speakers creating a nice soundstage, but it lacked some separation. The bass was very tight (room filling, but not chest thumping), the bass complemented the rich high's. The mid's were rich and the vocals were exceptional. As Boston's 'Foreplay' switched to 'Long Time', and the rhythm picked up, the speakers sounded very sweet, excellent to listen to, and excellent sound details. Except for some separation and surround effects, they approached the quality of my family room system (6x the $s). In fact the horn section brought a bit of a smile to my face, so realistic. I was very impressed with high's and low's as they were much better than my existing B*** soundbar. I then listened to Pink Floyd's Animals, 'Dogs' had a richness and overall smoothness throughout. The high's in Pigs were most excellent. I then listened/watched to the new Top Gun in 4k, I set the surround to 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos (no 3.2.1 setting), but the quality of the sound still rocked the room, not chest thumping, just a little rumbling, and the center vocals were better than I expected. But rear surround speakers would have improved the surround experience, as would have more stereo separation.
All and all I'm quite impressed. I'm still convinced that seperate speakers still blow away what you can get out of a soundbar. If I don't use this system in my living room they will replace some older (planar) speakers in my master bedroom. I wish I could easily add rear surround speakers, that would be a big step up to my bedroom system (My wife and I both watch movies and baseball games there frequently). This soundbar has very rich voice qualities and is overall a punchy speaker system. A very full rich sound, and quite efficient. Easily filling my great room with high quality sound, certainly a step up from my B*** system that supports DTS, but not Atmos. The quality from 4K movies was very good. I wish it had some sort of home automation built in.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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JVC Gumy Premium active noise cancelling inner ear style headphones with improved sound quality, featuring an ergonomic stick design for a secure fit and a translucent recharging case.
Posted by: 3Tcubed
This is my 17th set of wireless BT earbuds and first from JVC. Why, because they keep getting better, and lesser known makers have made improvements, this is JVC's first with ANC and Ambient sound. First I was surprised that JVC does not have any sort of app for these earbuds. Which means that their firmware can't be updated. Longevity continues to improve, these gumy's 26h wo/Noise Cancelling 21h with. (8h+18h from charging case) and a 10m rapid charge will give you an additional 1 hours listening time. I fully charged mine when I got them, then paired them with my iPhone 15 Pro, which was trouble free. I then ran them through Tara Labs Noise burn in tones for 6h 20m (to verify the battery claims, and to break them in), where the left earbud was exhausted; pretty close to the 7 hour quoted battery life (w/NC). The Gumy's use BT 5.4 which should offer better sound quality and lower latency. As soon as I put them on my wife asked me a question from across the room, I found that tapping the right earbud cycles them from: off, N/C, Ambient. After finding 'ambient' she asked me the question again; I still could not hear her. I tried Ambient listening to a baseball broadcast. I could not make it out. I'd call Ambient mode "missing in action". I went outside where I knew my AC was running. With ANC on I could still clearly hear the hum of the AC. I cycled through off, NC and Ambient. Little difference between the modes (boo).
Let's get to the important part, how do they sound/fit. After testing the larger and standard silicon ear inserts I found the standard silicon cushion felt the best (they are all round and come with 4 sizes). The Gummy earbuds don not have ear-detection so the music continues to play when you take them out (boo). BTW: The case does not support wireless charging and they do not come with an AC charger; only a short USB A to USB C charging cable.
Now onto some Beachboys, a Summer in Paradise, in remembrance if Brian Wilson, who just passed. 'Hot fun in the Summertime' had nice separation and the harmony sounded very nice, but the bass was thin and the highs not as crisp as I would have liked, but overall listenable. 'Surfin' being more rock sounds a bit better on the high end but deep bass was largely missing. Turned up all the way, they are pretty loud, but not overwhelming. You can change the sound mode from flat, bass or clear with a long tap. I can't say that any made that much difference. I think I prefered clear as the voices were a bit more forward. Clear helped the vocals in Island Fever. The strong drums on 'Still Surfin', just seemed to cut off where I wanted them to kick. 'Under the Boardwalk' had the most even sound, the Gumy's found their sweet spot. But their weakness emerged in the title song Summer in Paradise. A much more complex song, more bass, more guitars and horns. The horns just didn't have the squeal I desired (boo).
Then I listened to Boston's first album; 'More than a Feeling' was just so, so with missing high's and no low bass, on 'Foreplay/Long Time' the fade out fade in separation was excellent, during the subtle build I struggled to hear the details I know are there. The mid-bass and bass was not precise. In general the bass was just missing. And without an app with some sort of EQ, it was not going to get much better. I'm very accustomed to using the included software custom EQ. So I've accepted the highs and lows that lacked "authority". While on this point I compared the ANC and Ambient setting. Very little difference (boo). I did take a phone call at this point, and the quality I heard was clear and the person I was talking to thought it was pretty good, but not great; she could still hear ambient background noise.
All told these are just ok earbuds, for the price not bad. But compared to earbuds costing many times more you can find better sound spending more. They don't get as loud as I would have liked, and they are fairly comfortable. As I said, the bass is weak. A lot of details are just missing. The ANC and Ambient mode can certainly be improved. I wish they had an app with an EQ and the ability to change how taps on the earbuds are interpreted. I do wish it was easier to read the "R" and "L" on the earbuds (maybe white printing?); same on the case. The Gumy's are a good value earbud, just don't expect them to compete with those costing much more.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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With 16 buttons, an adjustable 12-button Key Slider, the astonishingly accurate MARKSMAN S 33K sensor, and low-latency SLIPSTREAM WIRELESS, the CORSAIR SCIMITAR ELITE WIRELESS SE MMO Gaming Mouse is legendary MMO gaming gear. Embrace wireless freedom and enjoy up to 150 hours* of gaming on a single charge. Control the situation during intense raids and boss fights with 16 customizable buttons and the patented adjustable Key Slider which puts 12 buttons in comfortable reach of your thumb. Also control your stream like never before with native Elgato Stream Deck integration giving you quick access to your most important functions.
Posted by: 3Tcubed
I've never been a fan of touch pads. They've certainly improved, but they don't provide the same flexibility as a mouse. And for gaming purposes they just don't have the same feature set. I have to admit that all too often I find myself grabbing my travel mouse, which is too small for my hand size and it does not have the resolution of a decent full size mouse. This Corsair Scimitar (named after saber with a curved blade with the edge on the convex side and used chiefly by Arabs and Turks) Elite Wireless SE, is so much more advanced. In order to take full advantage of the mouse's functionality you must first install the Corsair iCUE dashboard (with the mouse hardwired). And then Stream Deck to utilize the 12 programmable buttons. The dashboard provides a great deal of information about your PC and its performance. It also allows you to move into configuration mode and change the led brightness settings, change the Led colors, change the led display mode (see image). The BT/RF poll rate is set to 2000mHz. Using the button on the top center side of the mouse you can change the DPI from 400 to a crazy 33,000 DPI setting any of 5 for the button to cycle through. The mouse is fairly light, weighing only 114g (4.1oz). I used it with the Corsair RF dongle and Bluetooth (both were very simple to set up). I found it hard to tell the difference (which is good). I also used it directly connected via a USB cable which did feel more responsive than either wireless mode (but not by much). The USB charging cable is a nice long braided cable. The internal battery should last at least 122-150 hours depending on the LED lighting effects used (in wireless mode). Before using the mouse you need to remove the clear protective plastic off the bottom of the mouse.
The mouse wheel can be used to scroll the browser display, and all of the buttons can be programmed for specific tasks or with macros. Any number of profiles can be defined, but only one at a time can be saved to the mouse (if connected via USB the iCUE utility allows you to quickly change profiles (ideal for gaming where you set up a different profile for each game). The USB charging cable can also be used to hardwire the mouse via USB to your computer. So if you're looking for a hardwired mouse this fits the bill. The mouse has a nice flat finish, leaving no fingerprints. The USB cable is about 6' long, with a USB C connector on the mouse end and a USB A on the computer/charger end. No charger is supplied and the USB connection is USB 2.0. The 12 keypad can be moved up or back by about 1/2" based on what's comfortable for your hand. The iCUE software can be synchronized to other smart lighting. It of course works with other Corsair products, but also can be integrated with Philips Hue, Nanoleaf, Govee and Nvidia lighting. I happen to have Govee lighting around my desk, and this worked pretty nicely. When set to respond to music the mouse responded just as my Neon Rope did. In actual use it is very comfortable and amazingly accurate. If you are looking for a highly responsive, programmable mouse this is about the best there is.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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A 24-inch FHD monitor that optimizes eye comfort and features impressive visuals with outstanding acoustics in a lifestyle-inspired design.
Posted by: 3Tcubed
Monitor quality keeps improving. I come from the CRT monitor era. But I continue to evolve and I'm always looking for deals and better computer monitors. I'm a software developer. I use my different notebooks (8 Windows, 3 Apples) for different projects. I keep some with older OS's for testing, others for the differing software and hardware projects I'm working on. In most situations I prefer a multiple monitor setup, almost always having a 24-27" monitor next to the notebook I'm using (when I travel I have 2 USB portable monitors). I pretty much can't work without a second monitor. This Dell is light (6.88 lbs without stand), it has almost no bezel (allowing 2 to be used close together) and the colors are spectacular. I was surprised how vivid this monitor is. It supports a 100Hz refresh rate, which helps prevent eye strain. Its display is extremely steady, no flickering. It has a Anti-Glare / Matte screen which works extremely well; it benefits from improved 'ComfortView Plus', a built-in feature that reduces blue light emission to less than 35%. I thoroughly enjoyed watching videos on this display. The speakers are excellent; they include a custom setting that offers a 5 band equalizer (an unexpected benefit). The on screen setup for the display is fairly extensive (accessed via joystick on the lower back right of the monitor).
This is strictly a 24", 1920x1080 HD monitor, it's not a 2K or 4K display. It does not support HDR (extended blackness, mostly having to do with video), yet its blacks are acceptable and its colors exceptionally vivid (almost matching the OLED of my notebook). The monitor stand offers only a tilt adjustment (no height, it can't be used in portrait mode with the stand provided. But it does have 4 VESA mounting holes (100x100) on the back (which is very flat) and Dell includes 2 "vanity" plates that makes the back look very clean, hiding wires/connectivity. The screen's matte finish offers almost no glare. I personally prefer this finish on my monitors. The screen can only be connected via HDMI (two HDMI 1.4 ports). This is not the highest performing monitor you could purchase, but for its price you get a very high quality product (great colors and a fast refresh rate). It makes a great extension monitor. The only thing I noticed was that it's black on some dark videos were not as precise as they could have been, but the color/contrast controls can improve this. But for day to day use it's a superb monitor. The shortcut keys are another bonus. But the power of the speakers truly blew me away; I was not expecting such great sound from a monitor in this price range.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The Hisense U7 Series is the ultimate TV for sports and video games. It’s enhanced with Mini-LED Pro technology, reaching up to 3,000 nits peak brightness, which makes for the sharpest contrasts, brightest lighting and most dramatic shadows. Soak up over a billion vibrant shades on your screen with QLED Color and see how every play unfolds. And 165Hz Game Mode Ultra powers smooth, tear-free gaming for even the most action-packed video games.
Posted by: 3Tcubed
This is my second Hisense TV, the first one is just over 8 years old. It's still an excellent TV (55H9D). It ended up in my office as a presentation device. I thought I'd compare this 55U75 to my aging S*** (XBR55X900C) that I still think has the best picture of the 8 TVs (and 2 projectors) that I own. So I acquired a 4K (60HZ) HDMI 2.0 pass-through splitter, allowing me to send the same 4K HDR10 signal to two TV's at the same time.
This is the first fully local dimming QLED TV that I've owned. It's my 4th with Google TV (which I love for its combined menus). I'm anxious to see how much TVs have improved. I went throught the EZ setup and registration, installing the Google TV app on my iPhone. I first started a std HD DirecTV baseball game, I attempted to get the color and brightness settings of the two sets comparable. The Hisense allows a much more complete set of modifications than the S***, the Hisense has four times the number of options. It allowed me to "tune In" pretty comparable settings; the S*** seemed dimmer than the Hisense and all greens were a little brighter than the Hisense. The blacks on the Hisense were much cleaner (HDR10 probably). I believe I got the black levels to be equal (disabling HDR). Looking at a pure white screen the Hisense was slightly whiter and more even than the S***, and the S*** had a white light seepage in all 4 corners, where the Hisense was 100% consistent. Both of them displayed close to a perfect inky black, but the Hisense had more shades of black, offering better black detail. But onto live TV.
A side by side comparison of the two showed the Hisense offered a much better detail with fast motion, both claimed to offer something like 'motion flow' 165/240, but the Hisense with full motion clearly clearly showed better resolution of the fine details, the blades of grass were clearer and the lines on the field and numbers on uniforms were SHARPer. With both set to their Sport to their "Sport" setting the Hisense had a better/faster image display. The more I watched for differences, the more the Hisense revealed finer details, a better picture with fast moving action.
On to a UHD 4K movie, both sharing the same signal. Now up Wonder Woman. I again attempted to get the colors as close to the same, by adjusting the two TVs during the Menu Loop; they were close, the Hisense still had a slightly brighter overall display; blacks and bright areas were nearly identical. Both were very detailed in the picture quality, a credit to what UHD 4K can deliver. After more critical watching of a few scenes a couple of times, it became clear that the darkest areas on the Hisense had more details hidden in the shadows, and in the fast paced full motion scenes the Hisense captured the edges more crisply, where the S*** smoothed out the details, the edges not as fine.
I also compared the sound from the two TVs, which I would normally be using through a Home Theater system but for this side by side evaluation I would not. The S***'s sound was not nearly as loud or as clear as the Hisense, and the Hisense had better bass and a better vocal tone as I increased the volume. The Hisense could almost fill a big room, not surprising its 2.1.2 Multi-channel surround sound (50 watts total - 2x10W, 20W, 2x5W) was much better than the S***. The Hisense 55U75 also supports AMD's FreeSync Premium pro, which will help if used with a gaming console (or PC). I didn't know TV's (vs high end Computer Monitors) offered this.
Both TV's support casting and screen sharing. The Smart TV are very similar, both have Google TV, The Hisense is a later implementation that is more complete then the Hisense. Hisense has greatly improved its user interface from the 55H9D that I have in my office. Hisense supports Apple Home, Apple Airplay and Google Home. Google Home continues to get upgraded and improve the Smart TV offering. With a variety of streaming services, it can present a unified menu across the different services (see image). I quickly looked at my Fandango support on each, both fully supported all formats including UHD, I tested both with a 5G wireless connection and both streamed without any problems. The Hisense 55U75 initial setup was very easy, up and running in less than 5 minute. The easiest set up of any TV I've installed.
In conclusion, outside of OLED displays, the Hisense is state of the art. It has the best sound I heard from any stock TV. It's not the thinnest profile, but to get more/larger speakers into the TV I suspect it had to be thicker. The cords and cables all exit parallel to the back of the TV so that it can be placed close to a wall. It can be hung on a wall with a 200x400 wall mounting bracket (not supplied). But when watching this side by side, the Hisense 55H9D was the clear winner; I asked a few others what picture they preferred and all chose the Hisense. It's a great "high end" QLED TV, that's going to give the bigger names a run for their money.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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can A sim card be put into the Apple® - The new iPad® with Wi-Fi - 32GB - Black for local internet
Im trying to get internet access in Afghanistan
No, you either buy a 4G version or the Wi-Fi version; you can't upgrade/add 4g to the wi-fi version.
10 years, 5 months ago
by
3Tcubed
Phoenix.AZ
Toshiba Chromebook 2 CB35-B3340 Laptop: This ultrathin, portable Chromebook is great for anyone on the go. Easily connect to Wi-Fi hotspots with the built-in high-speed wireless LAN.Learn more about Chromebooks ›
Will a Chromebook 2 pair with a single band 2.4 mhz wireless N router?
Yes; I'm using with Netgear Nighthwlk x6; and I can pair with 2.4g & 5G networks a swell as AC, and it can see my other legacy networks.
10 years, 5 months ago
by
3Tcubed
Phoenix.AZ