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Philippe
Philippe's stats
- Review count9
- Helpfulness votes12
- First reviewJuly 28, 2016
- Last reviewDecember 25, 2016
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating3.6
Reviews comments
- Review comment count0
- Helpfulness votes0
- First review commentNone
- Last review commentNone
- Featured review comments0
Questions
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- Answer count12
- Helpfulness votes2
- First answerAugust 13, 2016
- Last answerDecember 25, 2016
- Featured answers0
- Best answers1
Philippe's Reviews
Simplify your everyday life with the Google Home, a voice-activated speaker powered by the Google Assistant. Use voice commands to enjoy music, get answers from Google and manage everyday tasks. Google Home is compatible with Android and iOS operating systems, and can control compatible smart devices such as Chromecast or Nest."
Posted by: Philippe
So first, when you install it, you have to disable any Wifi optimization on your phone like auto-switch between wifi and 4G as your android phone will have to connect directly to home using a hotspot not yet connected to internet. If you miss this, the installation just keeps waiting.
Once this is done, you think you will enjoy it straight forward, but the setup is asking you many things to confirm.
When finally you are done, you can add your smartthings things to manage, but frankly, this is really more gadget than useful as it only manages the switch things category, it cannot read other sensors or things.
Finally, you start playing and here is the nightmare starting: every single command has to start by the Hey/OK Google. Where Amazon Echo seems to be a person/assistant, Google brings their company in your house which is kind of annoying. Then you cannot have a continuous discussion like: what is the weather in SF today? How about tomorrow?
No, you have to say: Hey google, what is the weather in SF today? Hey google, how about the weather in SF tomorrow?
Then, you realize that listening music through a speaker in the same room or having you child making some noise will just prevent the Hey/OK google from being detected and when detected, a lot of commands are not understood using natural language while Amazon Echo works perfectly using same kind of sentences. And it has no humor... Check the screenshot I attach...
So I am returning this product tomorrow. Bad product definition and user experience.
Once this is done, you think you will enjoy it straight forward, but the setup is asking you many things to confirm.
When finally you are done, you can add your smartthings things to manage, but frankly, this is really more gadget than useful as it only manages the switch things category, it cannot read other sensors or things.
Finally, you start playing and here is the nightmare starting: every single command has to start by the Hey/OK Google. Where Amazon Echo seems to be a person/assistant, Google brings their company in your house which is kind of annoying. Then you cannot have a continuous discussion like: what is the weather in SF today? How about tomorrow?
No, you have to say: Hey google, what is the weather in SF today? Hey google, how about the weather in SF tomorrow?
Then, you realize that listening music through a speaker in the same room or having you child making some noise will just prevent the Hey/OK google from being detected and when detected, a lot of commands are not understood using natural language while Amazon Echo works perfectly using same kind of sentences. And it has no humor... Check the screenshot I attach...
So I am returning this product tomorrow. Bad product definition and user experience.
My Best Buy number: 4179153277
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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-13points
1of 15voted this as helpful.
Samsung SmartThings Arrival Sensor: Stay informed when people enter and leave your home with this arrival sensor. Just connect to your SmartThings hub and your Apple® iOS, Android or Windows mobile device to receive alerts on the go. You can also set up the sensor to trigger lights to turn on and unlock your door when you arrive home and shut lighting off and lock the door when you leave.
Customer Rating
1
Very little battery life and erratic detection
on December 12, 2016
Posted by: Philippe
I have 4 of them since last July.
3 of them needed to get their battery replaced already.
One sensor has lousy battery holder so the battery cannot stay in.
2 others, despite putting a Panasonic recommended battery still display low battery indication.
The detection is not accurate and you can have to wait 5 minutes in front of your garage if you don't want to trigger your alarm. The mobile localization works better than these dongles.
However, one good feature is that you can make them beeping and sometimes, it works...
3 of them needed to get their battery replaced already.
One sensor has lousy battery holder so the battery cannot stay in.
2 others, despite putting a Panasonic recommended battery still display low battery indication.
The detection is not accurate and you can have to wait 5 minutes in front of your garage if you don't want to trigger your alarm. The mobile localization works better than these dongles.
However, one good feature is that you can make them beeping and sometimes, it works...
My Best Buy number: 4179153277
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
NETGEAR Powerline adapters are ideal for deliver high-speed wired and wireless Internet to every room in the home using existing electrical wiring for all your gaming and streaming activities. It's simple to set up - just plug it in and start playing.
Posted by: Philippe
I have these 2 adapters on both sides of the wall to avoid drilling it and it seems they are very sensitive to the quality of the installation. Moving from one plug to another led to significant loss of speed. Comcast being not very stable either, it is hard to know who is really the culprit. but in average I reach 190Mbps down/10MBbps up.
My Best Buy number: 4179153277
I would recommend this to a friend!
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0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
The NETGEAR 16 x 4 DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem provides a connection to high-speed cable Internet, up to 680Mbps - 16 downstream & 4 upstream channels. It's CableLabs DOCSIS 3.0 Certified to work with cable Internet providers XFINITY from Comcast, Spectrum, Cox, Cablevision and more.
Customer Rating
5
Simple and easy to setup
on August 13, 2016
Posted by: Philippe
I had my own router so just needed something to make the link with my comcast cable. Despite it has very simple feature set (only one RJ45 port), it works fine and was easy to setup following the quick start guide steps that explains the comcast activation too.
My Best Buy number: 4179153277
I would recommend this to a friend!
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0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Samsung SmartThings Multipurpose Sensor: Stay informed and in control with this multipurpose sensor, which pairs with your SmartThings hub and your Apple® iOS, Android or Windows mobile device. A built-in accelerometer sends you alerts when someone knocks on your door or your laundry is done. You can also get notifications when doors, windows or drawers open. Plus, the sensor monitors the temperature and triggers your thermostat to adjust accordingly.
Posted by: Philippe
The multi-purpose embeds several sensors in addition to the open/close.
It has integrated thermometer, acceleration and 3 axis sensor allowing to use it in many usages. You can use it without the magnet for your garage door open/close detection. Despite it is not recommended for outdoor usage, putting is in small zip bag. you can insert it in its screwed support while keeping it out of moisture and water.
It has integrated thermometer, acceleration and 3 axis sensor allowing to use it in many usages. You can use it without the magnet for your garage door open/close detection. Despite it is not recommended for outdoor usage, putting is in small zip bag. you can insert it in its screwed support while keeping it out of moisture and water.
My Best Buy number: 4179153277
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+1point
2of 3voted this as helpful.
Provide smart illumination for your space with this Philips Hue white light bulb. The equivalent to a 60W standard bulb, this advanced bulb can be used as a regular LED light or to enhance your enjoyment with the Philips Hue app. This Philips Hue white light bulb is compatible with Alexa, Apple HomeKit and Google Assistant.
Posted by: Philippe
I didn't want to spend money in Philips Hue Hub as I already have a Samsung Smartthings hub. Despite I had doubt it would fully operate with my hub and despite the Bestbuy staff are not knowledgeable enough to confirm it would work, I took the risk and using the Belkin WeMo Smart LED Bulb profile, I was able to set it up directly and I can switch it on/off and dim it too.
My Best Buy number: 4179153277
I would recommend this to a friend!
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0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Create exceptional movies that show off the world around you with this Ricoh Theta S camera. It takes 360-degree HD movies wherever you are, and Wi-Fi lets you control it from your smartphone or tablet. The Ricoh Theta S camera is small enough to fit in your pocket yet powerful enough to produce up to 25 minutes of continuous video.
Customer Rating
2
Disappointed by the indoor quality and sharing
on July 28, 2016
Posted by: Philippe
I brought back this 360 camera after one week of usage. I bought it because a friend of mine sent me pictures he took with it in Canada and I found the outdoor picture quality really nice with sharp and vivid colors and good definition. So I thought I would buy it and use it first in my home chasing to share the houses I visited to my wife remotely. Unfortunately this didn't work well. Despite a very reactive startup time (immediate), the camera deforms the image too much so it is very difficult to appreciate the square shapes like walls and corners. Additionally, the resolution for indoor is too limited: you quickly see pixels when zooming in, the noise in the picture is not acceptable on white surfaces and the light control (flare) is not good if you have a light source like a window but your room is dark. The camera design is nice with one easy access button to take a shot but the soft touch paint gets dirty and greasy easily. Regarding the sharing, this is really unacceptable that you cannot share your pictures through WhatsApp or any other IM devices and have to go through a facebook or twitter that will then upload to the Ricoh cloud the pictures. We should be able to use their cloud whatever the sharing we are doing so that the remote doesn't need to download Ricoh app to watch the picture in 360. BTW, 360 pictures are not natively readable on smartphone but it might depends on your OS and version. Mine didn't so I had to use their app. The app is not very reactive and a bit messy. You can download the pictures from the camera to the smartphone or a laptop but you always have to go through the app to watch them.
My Best Buy number: 4179153277
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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0points
5of 10voted this as helpful.
Samsung SmartThings Home Monitoring Kit: Make sure your home stays safe when you're away with this monitoring kit, which comes with SmartThings Hub, a motion sensor, 2 multipurpose sensors and a smart outlet. Just pair the hub with your Samsung SmartCam HD Pro camera (sold separately) to enjoy remote monitoring on your Apple® iOS, Android or Windows device.
Posted by: Philippe
I bought this set with additional smartthing sensors and I am delighted by my purchase. The installation is simple regarding the hub. Now the smartthings are sometimes more difficult to setup if you have the bad idea to pull-up the battery isolation flex before you went to the marketplace and choose add a new thing. So my advice is: really follow the procedure. My home is now totally automated and I even added a Honeywell thermostat that works nicely with it. The radio coverage of the hub is really good and covers my house entirely.
My Best Buy number: 4179153277
I would recommend this to a friend!
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0points
1of 2voted this as helpful.
Honeywell Home RTH6580WF 7-Day Programmable Thermostat with Wi-Fi Capability: Control your indoor temperature settings with the touch of a button, whether you are at home or away. Download the free app to monitor your heating and cooling systems from your laptop, tablet or smartphone.
Customer Rating
5
Very simple installation and flawless setup
on July 28, 2016
Posted by: Philippe
I bought this model yesterday in order to get it included in my SmartThing environment. I spent some times on internet checking if it would be compatible as this was not advertised and some models are compatible some aren't. At the end it works perfectly choosing the Honeywell Wifi FocusPRO 6000 in Smarthing marketplace. Regarding the installation itself, it was really simple by following the guide and using the stickers they provide to label your wires when you migrate from your old to your new thermostat. One small issue however, there was a white particle (dust) behind the glass of the display but taping gently the thermostat with my hand help to make it falling where you cannot see it. The subscription to the Honeywell cloud service was very simple despite taking some minutes and the mobile application provided for free is working nicely. I asked the app support to add Celcius unit that it misses and they immediately feedback they would take this into consideration which shows a very reactive support. I am really pleased with this purchase.
My Best Buy number: 4179153277
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+3points
3of 3voted this as helpful.
Philippe's Review Comments
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Simplify your everyday life with the Google Home, a voice-activated speaker powered by the Google Assistant. Use voice commands to enjoy music, get answers from Google and manage everyday tasks. Google Home is compatible with Android and iOS operating systems, and can control compatible smart devices such as Chromecast or Nest."
What do I need to connect Google Home?
a wifi router connected to internet
7 years, 4 months ago
by
Philippe
Simplify your everyday life with the Google Home, a voice-activated speaker powered by the Google Assistant. Use voice commands to enjoy music, get answers from Google and manage everyday tasks. Google Home is compatible with Android and iOS operating systems, and can control compatible smart devices such as Chromecast or Nest."
does it use internet or data from phone for service
it connects to your router wifi.
7 years, 4 months ago
by
Philippe
Samsung SmartThings Arrival Sensor: Stay informed when people enter and leave your home with this arrival sensor. Just connect to your SmartThings hub and your Apple® iOS, Android or Windows mobile device to receive alerts on the go. You can also set up the sensor to trigger lights to turn on and unlock your door when you arrive home and shut lighting off and lock the door when you leave.
Will this work on any door as in old homes?
This is to be used on your key ring or things you carry with you. The only important thing is to make sure your hub can detect your sensor from where you need. Imagine an old house with thick walls or your hub is somewhere it cannot easily reach the arrival sensor, then the performance will not be good at all. It already struggles in ideal conditions. I prefer using the mobile phone detection which is based on your phone location and it directly use your data connection to indicate to the hub you are here or not. However, this is not as accurate as the arrival sensor.
7 years, 4 months ago
by
Philippe
NETGEAR Powerline adapters are ideal for deliver high-speed wired and wireless Internet to every room in the home using existing electrical wiring for all your gaming and streaming activities. It's simple to set up - just plug it in and start playing.
can this receive signal form a wi-fi hotspot
No. This has a RJ45 port in which you connect your signal source and the other adapter receives the RJ45 cable of the device that will receive the signal. There are adapters that are Wifi capable but they are meant to be a hotspot, not a user of a Wifi signal. As you can use your entire house mesh network you should not need to use a Wifi signal as a source, just plug this neaby the box that sends your wifi signal.
7 years, 8 months ago
by
Philippe
NETGEAR Powerline adapters are ideal for deliver high-speed wired and wireless Internet to every room in the home using existing electrical wiring for all your gaming and streaming activities. It's simple to set up - just plug it in and start playing.
Can this be used to relocate my Nighthawk as1750 router
I would like to move my router from the basement to a more central location on the first floor of my house. Is this an option or would it still be better to run an ethernet cable?
I think the ethernet cable will be a better solution if you can make holes in your house. I bought this set because I rent the house and cannot make holes in the walls. If you go for cable, think about the quality/speed it can support (category) so that you don't have speed loss.
7 years, 8 months ago
by
Philippe
NETGEAR Powerline adapters are ideal for deliver high-speed wired and wireless Internet to every room in the home using existing electrical wiring for all your gaming and streaming activities. It's simple to set up - just plug it in and start playing.
Is this compatible with a Belkin modem? Or does it have to be netgear?
This kind of devices are agnostic of modem brand. What you should consider is the speed you want to spread in your mesh. If your modem is not gigabit capable, it is not useful to go to this model as you will never reach the 1200Mbps and lower speed are cheaper.
7 years, 8 months ago
by
Philippe
Samsung SmartThings Multipurpose Sensor: Stay informed and in control with this multipurpose sensor, which pairs with your SmartThings hub and your Apple® iOS, Android or Windows mobile device. A built-in accelerometer sends you alerts when someone knocks on your door or your laundry is done. You can also get notifications when doors, windows or drawers open. Plus, the sensor monitors the temperature and triggers your thermostat to adjust accordingly.
Does this alarm go off on the door that opens or is there a way to have it sound in another room? I need an alarm to sound when the door opens -especially at night - away from the door. Don't want to wake neighbors..
Nothing rings on the sensor itself. This is just a sensor. It can detect open/close and notify the hub which can trigger a compatible siren or simply send a notification to your phone.
7 years, 8 months ago
by
Philippe
Samsung SmartThings Multipurpose Sensor: Stay informed and in control with this multipurpose sensor, which pairs with your SmartThings hub and your Apple® iOS, Android or Windows mobile device. A built-in accelerometer sends you alerts when someone knocks on your door or your laundry is done. You can also get notifications when doors, windows or drawers open. Plus, the sensor monitors the temperature and triggers your thermostat to adjust accordingly.
I have numerous simple battery operated floor water alarms (pictured) in a basement. Would this "recognize" their siren sounds (if they detect water and go off)? I was hoping it would then notify me via text/or cell call.
The multi-purpose sensor is not equipped for sound detection but if your siren is strong enough to generate vibration, you might be able to hack it, using the sensor on it's vibration detection via the g-sensor capability. I didn't try but it could work. I guess the simplest is to buy water sensor from smartthings as the cost is same as the multi-purpose sensor.
7 years, 8 months ago
by
Philippe
Samsung SmartThings Multipurpose Sensor: Stay informed and in control with this multipurpose sensor, which pairs with your SmartThings hub and your Apple® iOS, Android or Windows mobile device. A built-in accelerometer sends you alerts when someone knocks on your door or your laundry is done. You can also get notifications when doors, windows or drawers open. Plus, the sensor monitors the temperature and triggers your thermostat to adjust accordingly.
Can i buy only the smart things multiple sensor, or do I have to buy the hub to make it work, I only need for when a door is opened as I have an elderly in the home
you will need a hub otherwise it won't be able to communicate to your phone app. This s not a wifi module so the hub is there to make the pipe between the sensor and your router to your phone via internet.
7 years, 8 months ago
by
Philippe
Samsung SmartThings Multipurpose Sensor: Stay informed and in control with this multipurpose sensor, which pairs with your SmartThings hub and your Apple® iOS, Android or Windows mobile device. A built-in accelerometer sends you alerts when someone knocks on your door or your laundry is done. You can also get notifications when doors, windows or drawers open. Plus, the sensor monitors the temperature and triggers your thermostat to adjust accordingly.
Can this alert only when a door is left open for more than a certain amount of time, not when it just opens? Renters leave doors open in winter!
Yes, you can set-up the smartapp Smart Home Monitor adding a security push/message on a given multi-purpose sensor and delay the sending of the message between opening and this number of minutes you define.
7 years, 8 months ago
by
Philippe