enem156's stats
- Review count150
- Helpfulness votes345
- First reviewJune 7, 2013
- Last reviewDecember 12, 2023
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.5
- Review comment count1
- Helpfulness votes1
- First review commentFebruary 25, 2016
- Last review commentFebruary 25, 2016
- Featured review comments0
Questions
- Question count0
- Helpfulness votes0
- First questionNone
- Last questionNone
- Featured questions0
- Answer count6
- Helpfulness votes5
- First answerApril 3, 2014
- Last answerJuly 15, 2020
- Featured answers0
- Best answers2
Enjoy constant, fade-free power with the battery-powered Greenworks 80V 16” Brushless String Trimmer. With high and low speed settings and a responsive variable speed trigger for on-demand power, you can choose the best cutting power for the job. Plus, load-sensing technology automatically provides more power when needed, and never bogs down. The Load N’ GoTM trimmer head makes cutting line reloads a breeze, and the bump-feed feature means quick, easy line advancements on the fly. Greenworks unrivaled Intelligent Power combines TRUBRUSHLESS motor technology, lithium-ion battery power, and ultra-fast control systems for power output equivalent to a 27cc gas-powered motor. Includes 2.0 Ah battery and rapid charger. Battery is compatible with 75+ Greenworks 80V products. Life. Powered. By Greenworks.
Customer Rating
5
Great features and plenty of power
on April 22, 2023
Posted by: enem156
I've used trimmers for years and have owned both electric (corded) and battery powered ones. Even if you have a small lawn, battery power is the way to go. No dragging a cord all over your yard, and no monkeying around with gas trimmers that won't start and are so loud you disturb the whole neighborhood.
I've never owned a Greenworks product in the past, and I can say that I will certainly look for their products when I'm in the market for other yard tools. While trimmers are all pretty basic in what they do and how they accomplish it, there are features that can make or break that process. The Greenworks trimmer really seems to check all the boxes on a device like this. While the 80 volt battery is not small, it does counter balance the trimmer nicely. The whole design is well thought out. The brushless motor helps make this trimmer the quietest I've ever used. It was a very pleasant surprise when I first turned it on and I didn't hear an annoying whine. This guy is quiet!
The battery charges up very quickly (in 40 minutes, so the instructions say). My initial charge time was much less because the battery comes partially charged. The battery charger has a built in fan to help keep it cool, so I'm guessing without that, charging an 80V battery would generate quite a bit of heat. The full charge I started with was more than enough for me to edge my entire medium-sized lawn. I didn't put the battery in the charger when I was done because it didn't seem to need another charge. After I was done, I pressed the status button on the battery and found that I still had 2/3 charge left.
Using the trimmer was as easy as you might expect. The trigger portion on the handle is very ergonomic. When you grasp the handle, you depress the safety switch, and then pulling the trigger on the bottom side starts the motor. Even with the large battery installed, I was surprised at the weight of this trimmer. The brushless motor and the aluminum shaft help to keep the weight down considerably, which allows for a larger capacity battery to be used. All my previous trimmers all suffer from the same problem, they're just too heavy. Steel shafts with standard motors add to the weight. Not so with the Greenworks trimmer. And as a bonus, in case you have a big yard or will just be trimming for quite awhile, they've included a nice padded strap to help distribute the weight over your shoulder. I did use the strap and with a little experimentation I found you can dial in the perfect height so that you can just concentrate on steering the business end. The strap attaches on a floating ring which will rotate around the shaft freely, meaning it's not a fixed connection point and will hold the trimmer without binding up or getting caught.
There's also a conveniently placed slide switch right by your thumb. This trimmer has two speeds (1 & 2). The trigger is variable speed, but the speed switch will let you choose either a faster or slower setting. I found I didn't need to switch it out of the #1 setting. I had plenty of power to trim any grass I couldn't get with the mower. Presumably, the #2 setting would run down the battery a little faster but for my size yard, this is not a problem either way. I found the trimmer to be maneuverable and very comfortable to use. The trimmer line (which is pre-wound for you) cut grass very well. This is another area that some of my previous trimmers had problems with. I have not had the opportunity to “re-string” this trimmer yet, but it appears to be quite easy to do. The trimmer also has a bump-feed feature to let out more line when you need it. This is a pretty standard feature these days and I found it to work quite well. One bump let out the needed line and I didn't need to keep bumping the head on the ground to get it to work correctly.
If you have other Greenworks tools, you already know that they use the same battery in other tools as well, so they are interchangeable between tools. Greenworks states that over 75 other tools they make can use these same batteries. That's a lot of tools! If there was something I didn't like about this trimmer, that wouldn't be a big selling point but since I've been very happy with it, I will definitely consider purchasing more of their tools in the future. As a final point, it's sometimes a little challenging storing a tool like this because of the length. I usually hang my trimmer horizontally on the garage wall, but this time I'm going to hang it vertically by using the area on the bottom beneath the battery that's meant for hanging it with a single screw or nail. Much easier and it takes up less wall space that way. This tool has a 4 year warranty on not only the tool itself, but the battery as well. That's a pretty strong selling point. I really like this trimmer and I'm anxious to check out some of the other Greenworks tools that are available.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+9points
9of 9voted this as helpful.
Philips 3200 Series Fully Automatic Espresso Machine with LatteGo and Iced Coffee, Black - EP3241/74
Customer Rating
5
Great coffee with little effort
on April 8, 2023
Posted by: enem156
I love Philips appliances. They make well engineered products that just work. Their user interfaces are always on point and the build quality of their products has always been very good. This 3200 series fully automatic coffee machine is no exception.
Is it the least expensive coffee maker on the block? No. But I'm a firm believer in the old adage, you get what you pay for. For those of us who love coffee, we want a machine that can keep up with our tastes. From Cappuccino to Espresso, to Latte to iced coffee and yes, even your first black wake up cup in the morning. This machine has it all and does it all, well.
Lets start with the build quality. Top notch and well engineered. It's extremely difficult to engineer a product that does what it should and also does it in the simplest way possible. This machine could really not be any easier to operate. Turn it on, select your coffee style and size, and press start. The beans are fresh ground for your cup every time so there's no extra step for you to grind your own beans and no added cleanup. You can even adjust the grind from fine to course. The mid setting is what I've left it at (which is the default), but you can go in either direction from there.
So starting from the top, the beans are held in a hopper that feeds them into the grinder. The beans are gravity fed into the grinder. If you want to use your own ground coffee instead, Philips has you covered with a separate little door that allows you to put a measured amount of ground coffee right into the machine. They even give you the measuring spoon to use. This way, you can still have beans in the hopper but if you want a change of pace, you can use ground coffee as well.
There's a little bit of setup involved, as you might expect, but the process was not complicated. You need to open the side door to remove some tape that's used to secure things in place, activate the water filter, and rinse out the water reservoir and LatteGo. After that it's just a matter of getting used to the machine. A machine like this that does everything for you does require some diligent maintenance. For example, the drip tray will need to be regularly emptied. This is something that most people aren't used to doing very often, but on this machine you will need to do it every other day or so (at least that's what my wife and I needed to do after having two cups each per day). It's an easy process, pull the drip try forward and tilt it into the sink to empty. When you do this, you'll also notice a plastic box sitting in the drip tray assembly. This is where the used coffee grounds end up (you didn't think they just disappear, right?). The box just lifts right out so it's incredibly easy to do these two things together. Aside from these steps, Philips recommends pulling the “brew group” and rinsing it about once per week. This is the main assembly behind the water tank that performs all the internal hoop jumping to make your coffee. This may all seem like a lot of work to some people, but consider the baristas at your favorite coffee house and all the cleaning they go through. This is really not a big deal and Philips has gone to a lot of trouble to keep this process as painless as possible.
So, yeah yeah, but how does the coffee taste? Well, it's pretty amazing. I recommend using good quality beans to get the best coffee experience, but really, I don't think you can go wrong using beans you know and love. The hopper lid has a rubber seal around it to help keep the beans as fresh as possible. The only complaint I have about this machine is that when brewing a standard cup of coffee, I was somewhat surprised when my cup was only filled halfway. I love my cappuccino, but I also want to be able to have a full cup of the black. If you look through the instructions you'll find a section that tells you how to increase the amount of coffee that gets brewed on the highest setting. So there is a work around for this. Or, you can brew for two people and just use one cup. Either way, the coffee tastes great. This is probably tied closely to the amount of coffee that's ground. If you increase the volume of coffee that's delivered, you run the risk of weaker tasting coffee. The grounds strainer is only big enough to brew a “standard” size cup of coffee, so increasing the volume will still use the same standard amount of grounds.
If you're like me and love Cappuccino, you'll be happy to know that it's easier than you might think to have one anytime you want. The LatteGo is by far the easiest way I've ever used to steam your milk for your Cappuccino (or Latte). The LatteGo itself is basically just the reservoir you put the milk in. The cool part is that it's so easy to use it's ridiculous. The milk is steamed and drips into your cup through the tube extension on the LatteGo. There's no mess, it's easy to put on, and it works great. It's also dishwasher safe. There's no intricate parts to clean, just the base, the clear cup and the lid. They all assemble and disassemble easily. Another nice feature is the the dispenser spout (for lack of a better term). The part that actually delivers the coffee is vertically adjustable to accommodate different height mugs and glasses. Just lift it up to raise it and push it down to lower it. When brewing coffee, it will come out in two streams from this dispenser. If you want to, you can brew two cups at once by selecting this option and putting a cup under each stream.
I really like this machine. It has a ton of features. Anyone who has used a machine like this to brew a variety of coffee types will appreciate the easy day to day cleaning and maintenance. It makes fantastic coffee with minimal effort. Really nicely done Philips!
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
Get ready to experience mesmerizing gaming with Samsung's 175Hz QD-OLED screen. Enhanced with the Neo Quantum Processor, it delivers brighter whites, deeper blacks and near-infinite color contrast, for an intensely captivating view in QD-OLED. The fastest Odyssey yet moves at electrifying speed with a hair-raising 0.03ms GTG response time. Instantly access top streaming services via Gaming Hub and enjoy smooth play with Samsung’s advanced streaming technology. Additionally, your game room will be instantly upgraded with the Odyssey QD-OLED G8's super slim frame, premium metal finish and visually stunning Core Lighting+.
Customer Rating
4
Beautiful display but sometimes frustrating UI
on March 4, 2023
Posted by: enem156
There is no monitor screen that you will find currently, that will give you a better picture than OLED. Samsung has been putting out superior monitors and touchscreens for a long time and they are very good at it. As far as picture quality goes, their displays are some of the best on the market.
Picture quality on the Samsung G8 OLED monitor is gorgeous. No question about it. The colors are deep and rich, the blacks are as black as you can possibly imagine and the contrast is superb. Look at your digital photos, and you'll be amazed at just how different they look on a monitor of this caliber. I looked at hundreds of vacation photos I took in Oregon and was just blown away by what I saw. Photos or videos, it makes no difference, they're all stellar.
Moving into the game realm, I played a lot of the games I enjoy playing, only now, the games I'm familiar with look so good, it's like discovering them for the first time all over again. Once again the color depth and clarity take center stage. Everything I played just looked phenomenal. My machine has an Intel ARC graphics card in it and up until now I've used a Visio Omni 27” monitor (which I've been very happy with). Playing on not only a wide screen, but a curved wide screen is an incredible experience. With a refresh rate of 175, intense motion games like Doom and the Tomb raider series (including Rise and Shadow) were super smooth. I have all the game graphics at the highest settings and this monitor performed beautifully. Everything remained clear without any tearing or stuttering. I can honestly say I've never played on a more competent display. I know some people are turned off by the fact that this is a 2K display instead of a 4K, don't let the 3440 number fool you, it's a 2K monitor. So don't expect it to do what it's not meant to do and be disappointed when you can't get it to deliver 4K. In addition to the respectable refresh rate, you also get AMD FreeSync Pro (which accounts for the smooth game play) and HDR True Black 400 (which is great for seeing dark, dark colors that don't look black or dark gray.
So in addition to the fantastic display, this monitor has a whole host of additional features. You'll need to use the included remote control to get to any of the additional inputs or streaming services. You can access Netflix, Prime, Disney+ and Samsung TV directly from the 4 separate buttons on the remote. Any other channels you're looking for, you need to hit the Home button and choose from the list of what's available, or add channels that may not by default be in the list. I was somewhat overwhelmed at first when trying to navigate the menu system but as I learned my way around, I was able to find what I needed. I do think that some “extra” buttons on the remote could make things even easier and faster to get to where you want to go. For instance, if you want to get back to your PC after streaming a show, it would be nice to see a remote button that was labeled PC. As it is, you need to go to Menu and then to Connected Devices and find your PC and select it. Maybe a similar remote button to take you to the Sound settings so that you can use your PC speakers instead of the built in monitor speakers. Little things like that can reduce the number of button clicks you need to go through and help make finding these settings more intuitive.
This monitor does offer you a lot of features. The streaming benefits alone are pretty cool. It does mean that this monitor will expect to connect to your WiFi, there is no network jack. There's two USB-C inputs that will allow you to connect your laptop or phone to it in addition to your desktop. You have you're choice of connections. You can use a Micro HDMI (2.1) connection, the USB-C connections (there's 2 of these and yes, they will charge your plugged in device), or the Mini Display Port (I connected my desktop to this one). So, a lot of choices although you may need to purchase additional cables to use the ports. I didn't find that to be a big deal, but for some people it apparently is. There is a Mini DP to DP cable included in the box, so don't despair, as long as your graphics card has a Display Port connection, Samsung has you covered. I should also mention that if you have an audio system that you're happy with for your PC, you may have to jump through some hoops to have any of the streaming choices actually use your PC speakers. I could see this being a problem if you use PC (powered) speakers that connect to your computer with a mini audio jack. Any of the streaming choices are piped out the monitor speakers by default. Going into the advanced settings will allow you to choose where the sound comes out, but you're limited to the built in monitor speakers or Bluetooth speakers. I use a small amp with passive speakers so I was able to connect to it via Bluetooth and hear the streaming channels out my normal PC speakers. I didn't try this but I suppose it's possible to use an HDMI connection to your PC to accomplish this but I didn't have a Micro HDMI cable to try it. For me, I had to go into the settings and choose Bluetooth for streaming, and then go back in and choose the monitor speakers when I was done. This removed the Bluetooth link between the monitor and my amp so that I could hear my PC through the wired connection. Anyway, depending on your setup, and how you plan to use the monitor, this may or may not be an issue for you but I thought it was worth mentioning. I tried to look up the manual but it doesn't seem to exist on the Samsung site just yet. There is an onboard set of instructions in the monitor however, and I found them to be very helpful.
I saved the obvious cool stuff for last. And first and foremost is the physical beauty of this monitor. The side and top edges are only about 1/8” thick. There's just a small silver bezel around the whole display that's visible from the front. It's a pretty big monitor, but it only weighs in at 16.5 lbs., which is a lot lighter than it looks. Samsung's build quality in this monitor is as top notch as all their other devices are. The back panel is silver. Most people probably have their desks facing the wall, so they really won't see this. The stand it comes with is nice, it will allow you to tilt and twist, raise and lower your monitor until you find the sweet spot you want. It also has a VESA 100 compatible bolt pattern if you want to mount it to a different stand or put it right on your wall. I chose to use my desk mounted, articulated arm stand, and I had no trouble at all connecting it up. Also on the back panel, you'll find a really cool additional feature; an LED effects lighting display. If your monitor is against the wall, you'll be able to enjoy this a whole lot more than I was able to. My desk is away from the wall and faces the center of the room. But I like the idea of including the LED effects on a monitor. You can choose from about six or so different lighting effects. If your display is set up to use the Game Mode, you can even project your current on screen game colors to the rear LED's. Pretty cool. It's a great immersive effect, especially for people who love to get the full gaming experience. You need to turn this feature on in the Game settings, so if you don't want it on, you can just leave it turned off.
I absolutely love this monitor. For me, it will be first and foremost a PC monitor. If I choose to use the smart features, I know how to get to them, so not a problem. This OLED curved display is stellar. The curved aspect adds a LOT to the gaming experience, but also to the day to day user experience. This would also be a fantastic work or business monitor, as you get a lot desktop real estate to spread out into. You will be spoiled either way.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
The 4th generation Motion Series ushers in a new era of design and aesthetics for MartinLogan. The three modern, yet timeless, colorways can compliment any room while being a focal point if so desired. Motion evokes a unique look and sound, pairing high-performance woofers with exclusive Folded Motion Tweeter technology, a staple of MartinLogan products. The Motion Waveguide enhances the Controlled Dispersion of the Gen2 Folded Motion Tweeter to a generous 90°(Vertical) by 90°(Horizontal) to accommodate a wide range of seating and speaker placement options, while avoiding clarity destroying sound reflections within the environment.
Customer Rating
5
Smooth and natural sound
on February 27, 2023
Posted by: enem156
I've owned a lot of good speakers over the years. Axiom, Bowers & Wilkins, Mirage, JBL and even Klipsch. I've never had the opportunity to listen to any from Martin Logan, so I was very anxious to hear how they sound.
Martin Logan has been around for forty years now and they've been a respected brand for pretty much the entire time. It's easy to see that reputation in action when you listen to the Motion Series B10 bookshelf speakers. There are some unique features of these speakers that I needed to find out more about. Probably the most obvious impression that anyone has of a pair of speakers is how they look. I would have really loved to see the walnut finish, but the black are really pretty great looking. Honestly, the photos just don't do them justice. It's not just black, it's a piano black, high gloss finish. This finish is on everything except the front panel. The mid/bass grill makes it a truly signature ML speaker. I like the look of the grills. I generally run my speakers with the grills removed because I love to see fine speakers in all their glory. Usually, grills cover up all the beautiful engineering and style, but by just covering the mid/bass speaker, you still get that grill-less feel.
The drivers themselves scream luxury. You know this is not going to be your routine listening experience when you see the Gen2 Obsidian Folded Motion Tweeters. These are not your typical tweeters. They've been around for a long time in different variations but ML has put their own spin on them with larger magnets. This helps to improve the performance by lowering distortion. More and more speaker companies are adopting this type of tweeter design for a number of reasons but for the B10s, the choice is obvious. They have a very natural sound to them, and they do it in a way that allows the listener to not have to sit dead center to hear it.
The mid/bass driver has a woven fiberglass cone. The bass and mid bass is tight and very realistic sounding. I was able to listen to these speakers on two of my sound systems. One in my office without a subwoofer and one on my basement system that has a subwoofer. I can say without a doubt, I prefer using a subwoofer with the B10s. As good as they are, they are still bookshelf sized cabinets and really benefit from the low end a subwoofer provides. With the sound pressure levels being handled by a subwoofer, these speakers really shine. The first thing I noticed when listening to music was the larger than expected sound stage. It sounds like the speakers are much farther apart than I had them placed. You feel as if the sound is coming from a wider, deeper room.
In general, I could easily listen to these speakers for hours without noticing any ear strain whatsoever. They are, in a word... smooth. They have a very natural sound and don't “color” the sound you hear. I listen to music with a subwoofer and flat EQ settings, but with a lot of other brands of speakers, after a time, my ears literally get tired. That's usually because of harsh or tinny tweeters and a crossover that just doesn't produce smooth transitions between speakers. I won't say I'm able to hear and pick out a good crossover from a poor one, but when everything is properly dialed in, like it is with the B10s, it's easy to start understanding the difference. All these special features combine to make a speaker that is crystal clear and accurate. If you're looking for the deep thumping bass, you'll benefit from pairing these guys with a separate subwoofer. Not that they aren't punchy, they are, but they're punchy in the mid bass area instead of the sub bass area. I should also mention that there is a bass port on the rear of the cabinet. This will also help to provide even more punch with experimental placement of the speakers. I wasn't able to put them on a shelf or in an enclosed bookshelf, but I bet they would sound even more punchy if you don't have a subwoofer to pair them with.
I put in several movies to see how these guys played with other non Martin Logan speakers and I was not disappointed. I have an Axiom center channel and Klipsh rears. I found the B10s performed similarly to the music listening I did. Smooth, natural sound that blended well with the rest of the speakers. I will say that after using them in my office system with an Onkyo 900 series receiver and a smaller room environment, the bass response was better. Still punchy mid/bass but because of the smaller room, it was a fuller sound. I had these guys on stands, but again, if they were put in a bookshelf they would probably perform even better for those wanting the low end.
At 14.5 pounds each, they are hefty for their size. They come with feet that screw into existing holes in the bottom of the cabinets. One thing I wasn't too keen on was the fact that the feet are plastic, which seems like an odd choice to me. Since in my listening tests, I placed them on top of my basement tower speakers, and in my office I put them on my existing speaker stands, I replaced the plastic feet with small rubber bumpers. I didn't want the speakers to vibrate and slide off their perches. The binding posts are very nice and are, for lack of a better description, oblong in shape. This allows you to crank down sufficiently on bare wires (although I used banana plugs with mine).
I'm very glad I was able to test out the Martin Logan B10s. I really like the sound of them. The smooth transition from the drivers and the wide natural sound was a very positive experience. I welcome the chance to review some floor standers from them. If I'm this impressed with bookshelves speakers I can only imagine the sound of the towers. Very nice job Martin Logan!
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+2points
2of 2voted this as helpful.
Mind all your manholes with MANSCAPED Power Duo Plus Package with everything you need to look good from every angle. The Lawn Mower 4.0 takes any man’s groin and body grooming game to the next level while the Weed Whacker 2.0 makes those dangling ear and nose hairs disappear without the ouch factor. To make sure you smell the part, MANSCAPED Crop Cleanser will keep your groin zone so fresh and so clean with a luxurious lather.
Customer Rating
5
Nice grooming kit with everything you need
on February 27, 2023
Posted by: enem156
Well I've never used a trimmer for any of my grooming needs. The Manscaped Power Duo Plus is a really nice set of grooming aides in a nicely packaged set.
To start with, the kit has everything you might want in a convenient and well thought out box, complete with all the accessories. It comes with the “Ear and Nose Trimmer”, the “Lawn Mower”, the “Crop Cleanser” as well as the wall charger, the USB-C cable, the charging stand (for the Lawn Mower) and even a small brush for cleaning up after use. It even includes a nice set of instructions for each tool.
It's difficult not to like this product. Everything looks and feels well engineered and they have obviously put a lot of thought into the design and the implementation of both of these products. Both of the trimmers are waterproof for starters. That's a nice feature since the shower is probably the easiest place to use both of these tools. Both of these devices have a battery status light so you always know when you may need to charge them. In the case of the Lawn Mower, you can charge it by putting it in the charging stand, although they caution you to not overcharge it so leaving it in the charging stand is not really an option.
The Ear and Nose Trimmer is easy to use and pretty self explanatory. It takes a little getting used to in order to use it efficiently, but it works well. It's easier than using scissors for this type of thing and it's nice to just grab it and get things done. It's quick and easy to get rid of any strays you don't want. You still may need touch ups with an electric razor trimmer depending on your situation but it does a good job and I like the way it's designed to do just what you need it to without fear of self inflicted injury.
I really like the Lawn Mower. For me it worked perfectly. It comes with two trim guards. Each one has two different indents in the tracks where they attach to the Mower. Using the first indent leaves things longer that the second indent. So in all you have four different lengths you can choose from. I chose the shortest to see if I had any issues with using it and also to see the uniformity in the trim. It was very easy to use it and I am really happy with the results. The LED spotlight if very helpful and shines light where you need it. Very uniform trim, no nicks or cuts at all (I actually think you'd have to be using it wrong to get cut). If you read through the instructions to understand how to use the Mower correctly, you should have no issues at all. When you're done, you can rinse it under running water to clean it, or use the included brush. This of course is if you groomed on dry land and not in the shower. The power switch allows you to do a little more that just turn it on or off. Pressing it once turns the trimmer on or off. If you wish to turn off the spotlight, while in the “on” position, press and hold the button for 3 seconds. If you want to ensure the trimmer doesn't accidentally turn on (for instance: if you have it packed in a bag or suitcase), press the button 3 quick times when it's off. This engages or disengages the travel lock option and the LED will cycle to let you know it's locked.
Both of these trimmers allow you to easily change the blades. Everything is understandable in the instructions that come with the kit. It's actually nice to open a box and have well thought out and understandable directions included. These days, most companies rely on you downloading their directions for use. It's nice to see a company that has thought things through before releasing their product. I'm sold on this kit and on the Manscaped company. I think they've done a fantastic job in engineering a set of grooming tools that are easy to use and perform as they advertise.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
Upgrade your current gaming rig with this iBUYPOWER Desktop. It’s 16GB of RAM and Intel i7-12700 processor lets you run multiple programs at once, and its Intel Arc A750 graphics card renders fast-paced action smoothly without screen tearing. This iBUYPOWER desktop also has a 1TB HDD + 500GB solid state drive for a faster start up and data acesss.
Customer Rating
5
Solid performance at a great price
on December 16, 2022
Posted by: enem156
It's easy to put together a great gaming machine if money is no object, but for the majority of us, money is very definitely an object. The Slate Hako 2120i has been a very pleasant surprise all the way around. For starters, it's very affordable. But don't think that means you're not getting a good machine. The 2120i has a lot of bang for the buck and it includes a lot of higher end features for the price.
The case is striking. Honestly, the pictures just don't do it justice. There are glass panels in the front that are set in an interesting way and allow you to see the three LED lit fans inside. The side panel as well, is tempered glass that has a slight tint and slight mirror effect. The case is a solid beast, no flexing that I could notice. Most of the connections are on the back panel but there are convenience connectors on the top that include (2) USB3 connectors, a mic jack and an audio out jack. There's also the power button and a disc access LED. All the panels are easily removable and allow access to the entire machine.
On the rear you'll find (2) more USB jacks at the top with a PS/2-mouse/keyboard jack, below that is an HDMI jack. Below that there are (6) more USB jacks, the RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet jack, another set of audio I/O and the antenna connections for the WiFi (there are two antennas included, both can be rotated and positioned as needed). The video card is below that, so this is where you'll find (2) DP jacks and (2) HDMI jacks. You'll want to plug your monitor(s) into the video card and not the HDMI above. And yes, you can have a dual monitor setup with this card.
I can go on describing the case because it truly is beautiful and has a well laid out interior as well, but once you power it up, this machine takes you to an even higher level. This is when you get to see all the LEDs on the fans light up and this includes the processor fan as well. Now you can take the opportunity to really look inside. Gone are the days of pulling off the lid and seeing stark, bright silver sheet metal. This machine is all black both inside and out (even the ASRock circuit board is black). This helps to highlight the LEDs throughout the machine. Yeah, it looks great.
So, what components does it come with? For starters, it has an Intel core i7 processor. I've used i7 processors for a long time both at work and at home and it's always been a solid performer. I've never had any trouble with one. To up the ante, iBuyPower opted to have this guy liquid cooled! On top of that it gives you 16GB of DDR4 memory. While that might seem on the low end to some, I didn't have any trouble at all with my games. If you want to, you can add more memory. There are a total of (4) memory slots and only (2) of them are filled, you can go all the way up to 128GB on the memory so plenty of room for expansion. The mother board is an ASRock B660M-C. If you're interested in the specs you can find them on the ASRock web page.
Intel, while being a premier CPU maker, is relatively new to the video card industry and they make cards that offer a more middle of the road trade off between sane prices and good performance specs. This is their A750 card and it offers things like Ray Tracing, 8GB of dedicated memory, Variable Rate Shading, HDMI resolution up to 4K and Display Port resolution up to 8K to name a few. Graphics look pretty good with it. I've been able to run all of my games at the highest video settings, some video anomalies were visible until I went into the Intel ARC Control and set the Tearing Mitigation Mode to Vsync On. The colors are rich and deep in Diablo 3. Doom (2010?) and Doom Eternal play smoothly even through the most intense levels. I played at both 1080 and 1440 video settings without issues. I'm using a ViewSonic OMNI 2K gaming monitor with it, with the DP connection. The ARC A750 is a reasonably priced card that offers good specs and an attractive package. This helps keep the features up and the overall price of the machine down. I appreciate the card for what it is, and I know that there is a lot of development work being done on the Intel video drivers. I'm not crazy about being a guinea pig for beta drivers that should already work with the majority of the programs I use and the games I play, but with a card this new, I do expect it. That being said, you may across a program that will have an issue with it. For instance, I use Affinity Designer for graphic editing and design, but the program just crashes seconds after opening with this video card. The Affinity web page already knew about this issue and had a fix for running their programs with this graphics card, so all good. I feel the A750 still has some driver issues and it's going to take time before they get them all straightened out. Using the Intel Driver and Support Assistant got me the most currently sanctioned video driver, but the issues I had were with the newest driver so, still a ways to go. The included Intel ARC Control is a really nice tool to look at the specs of the card and even change settings on the fly. Intel seems serious about getting these cards right and every review I've read about them gives them good ratings for the class of card that they are aiming to be. There are driver updates frequently so if a game has some hiccups now, it probably won't be long before they're fixed. I'm willing to buy in for now and see how far they go. For me, the card performed admirably.
To add to the speed of this machine, it includes a unique combination of drives which also helps to make storage access as fast as possible. There are actually two drives included. One is a 1TB HDD and the other is a 500GB SSD. The operating system resides on the SSD which allows for fast boot up, and the HDD is able to store whatever you want on it. This is a good combination and gives you the high capacity benefit of a standard disc drive with the speed benefits of an SSD. This is a really good price trade off as SSD higher capacity drives are still quite expensive. Including the HDD gives you tons of room at a much cheaper cost.
The machine runs pretty quiet. You can hear the fans ramp up during intensive gaming, but it's still pretty quiet. The six fans seem to keep everything pretty cool. It doesn't seem to have air flow issues to me but some people may question it. It certainly didn't seem to struggle with heat. The machine comes with a mouse and keyboard, both are wired and have LEDs. I chose to use my own wireless keyboard and mouse as I'm very used to them. The included peripherals continue the nice color features of the internal fans.
The machine comes pre-loaded with Windows 11. As with any new computer, you'll need to spend time downloading and installing the usual updates. I think iBuyPower did a really fine job with the design of this machine. A solid, capable processor combined with adequate (and very expandable) RAM, HDD and SSD drives for capacity and speed, more USB ports than you'll probably ever need, a second M.2 slot and room for expansion or upgrade. The video card is set up nicely with 8G of memory, and I think it will work better and better with every driver update. And, everything is nicely housed inside a beautiful case with a good amount of lighting. It's at a good price point for all that you get and it's a solid performer. I appreciate the components they chose, there's a really good balance between performance and sane pricing. This is a really good machine to start with if you want a dedicated gaming system. I think for the majority of people who enjoy PC games, this machine will be more than adequate for a good long time. Nicely done iBuyPower!
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+3points
3of 3voted this as helpful.
Meet Mod – the premium earbud with high-end features and a mid-level price. Mod lets you customize your button setting and EQs, adjust outside noise levels with Stay-Aware Mode and connect to multiple devices at once. Plus, a Clear Voice Smart Mic in each bud reduces background noise for crystal-clear calls.
Customer Rating
3
Average sounding at best
on December 15, 2022
Posted by: enem156
I do appreciate the true wireless ability of these buds, but unfortunately they fall far short of the mark on the sound. True, these are not “expensive” buds, but the two first things on my list (is this not the same for everyone?) are comfortable fit and good sound. These things generally go hand in hand with ear buds because a poor fit will completely ruin the sound. You'll be missing most or all of the low end if they don't go into your ear far enough and also have a good tight fit in your ear canal. For me, any pair of ear buds sounds best when pushed firmly into my ears. I wasn't able to do this with the Mod buds however. The part that protrudes, the part that actually goes into your ear, seems too short. So I could never get any real bass. When I tried to push them in deeper, the sound got much better but the fit was actually painful. So for me, these are just not doing it.
Skullcandy has been around long that I expected a much better fit and fuller sound. At this price point, these are entry level wireless buds, and I do take that into consideration. I can totally live with the thin sound for this level of pricing, but they could sound so much better if the housing design was more comfortable and fit better. And while they are cheaper than most true wireless buds, they're not that much cheaper.
Anyway, as far as the functionality goes, they perform as advertised. I would have liked to have seen touch sensitive controls, but the click type buttons work fine. Pairing was very easy and my phone found them right away. I didn't need to download the app for everything to work, which is a plus. The instruction sheet will tell you everything you need to know about how to navigate your new buds. Clear drawings and readable text. What is missing from the user guide is any drawing on how to wear them. Experimentation and the Skullcandy website helped with that though. The fit was not intuitive. I have lots of ear buds and I'm familiar with all types of shapes, but I had to play around with these for a while to get the best fit. If you want to download the app, it will tell you the battery level of each bud. This is pretty useful. Other than that, there's not much to get excited about. The EQ is minimal at best, and while you get a Custom mode in which you can set the EQ to your liking, it doesn't do much to the sound. This is pretty common for most apps of this type and I tend to download them to see if they offer anything useful, but most of the time, they don't.
The case, well it works pretty good as cases go. The buds fit in nicely and are easy to remove and replace. If you open the lid all the way, you can lean it back on a tabletop and it does present the buds in a convenient way. I do like the nice big charge status LED on the bottom. It's very visible and big enough to see from across the room. By placing it on the bottom, Skullcandy expects you to lay the case on it's back, which is fine for charging. The case lid opens easily and it has a nice ridge for your thumb to push on. This case is a pretty good size for slipping into your pocket or pack, and it does offer good protection for them. It would have helped if the lid was magnetic to aid in keeping it closed. It's not like it's going to fly open in your packet, but in your bag, maybe.
I've had other Skullcandy buds in the past and I was never impressed with the sound of any of them. This could be a problem with the fit and the poor fit does contribute to this, but the speaker quality has never seemed great to me. If you're looking for a pair of inexpensive true wireless buds, you might like these, but don't expect them to sound great. I personally found them to be uncomfortable because I kept trying to get them into a position where they sounded better. And since you'll probably be wearing them for a considerable amount of time, they should at the very least be easy on the ears. At the end of the day, I would say they're fine for when you just want to hear some music. They're easy to put in and stay in place during workouts or runs. Obviously, everyone's ears are wildly different in shape and size, so they may be a hit for you. For me, they were a miss.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Share this review:
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
Our most advanced drone, the SP7100S, includes a 4K camera for capturing clear images from various angles. When you lose signal, the battery runs low, or you press the Return to Home button, this drone will automatically return to its starting points.
Customer Rating
5
A fun drone with a lot of features
on November 22, 2022
Posted by: enem156
This is a nice drone package. Everything you need to get up and running quickly. And everything fits in the included case so that you can keep it all together. The drone is bigger than the case would allow you to believe. The arms unfold from the body so that it becomes a respectable size. The lights on it are really cool. Each arm has an LED strip on the under side, blue in front and green in the rear. This allows you to always know which direction it's pointed in. There are also two headlights. These are white LEDs and pretty bright. Actually they look like eyes and give it an insect-like look.
The drone comes with a specialized cable and connector to charge the removable battery. The battery is fully charged when the LED in the charger turns green. There's also an internal (not removable) battery in the remote control. They give you a cable for this but you'll need to use your own USB charger (PC charging is not recommended). The remote is charged when the battery LED is solid green. The remote itself folds up into a compact size as well. To use it you need to unfold the two antennas, unfold the handles and pull out the phone clamp. The labeling on the remote is tiny and is difficult to read so you'll need to familiarize yourself with it before you take it out for a flight. The joysticks have no labels at all, so I actually made my own in case I needed them for reference. The phone clip you'll either love or hate depending on how your phone sits in it. I have a Samsung S10+ in a Spigen case, and I was able to open the holder enough so that I didn't need to take the case off my phone. It was a tight fit, but I think that helped the phone stay in place.
You need to start by calibrating the drone to make sure it knows where it is. You can do this by reading through the manual and following the steps in there, or you can connect your phones WiFi to the drone and open the app. It will guide you through the calibration process and gets everything ready to go so you don't have to remember the steps. You need to do this process every time you power up the drone but it goes really quickly and it's not a big deal. After that, you're all set to fly. There's a button on the remote that will auto launch or land the drone. All you need to do is press the button and the drone launches about three feet in the air. Alternatively you can use the sticks on the remote. I should say, all the buttons on the remote are mimicked on the app (excluding the sticks), so you can use either one to control the ancillary features. The app has a lot of good information on it besides showing you the view from the camera. It will tell you details like how high the drone is and how far away it is from it's last home position. The drone can climb to an altitude of 120 meters and it can travel up to 500 meters (½ kilometer) away. The app will also show you the rate of ascent and descent, and the speed of the drone. It displays a count of the number of satellites it's found, shows you the WiFi strength, and shows the battery life of both the drone and the remote. I used both the app and the remote buttons, and it really just comes down to personal preference which you use. I will say that on bright sunny days it was nice to be able to use the buttons on the remote because trying to look at your phone in bright sunlight can be challenging at times.
I found the drone to be very responsive. There was never a time that it didn't move when I sent it a command. I had it out several times and even though one of the days was pretty breezy, it kept it's position really well when I let off the sticks and allowed it to hover. I was pleasantly surprised by the low noise level. I've heard a lot of other drones that were really obnoxiously loud and whiny. The SP7100S is not one of those. The drone packs in a lot of features and some of them are only available through the app, like follow me mode and POI mode. I didn't have any luck with the follow me mode even though the drone showed that it found 16 satellites. What worked great was the return to home feature. I tried that a bunch of times and it always worked well. It set down within about a foot of where it took off from every time. Once it went into return to home automatically when the drones battery got low. The POI mode worked well and it was easy to use. Headless mode worked as expected. When in this mode, it doesn't matter what direction the front of it is facing, you control the direction it flies with the right stick only. It's good for getting the drone where you want it and then you can fine tune what it's pointed at.
As far as the camera goes, I got some really clear UHD photos, and the videos I shot were just as clear. This is a really bonus feature. After all, most of the fun of a drone is getting good and imaginative photos and videos, and that seems very possible with the SP7100. At higher altitude, with breezy conditions, the videos were somewhat shaky, and I actually noticed this to a lesser degree no matter what altitude I was. It would really help if it also had image stabilization. The photos I took didn't suffer at all from that. Crystal clear. The camera itself is very competent. You just need to plan your videos a little bit more without the image stabilization. Another good feature is the onboard micro SD card slot. It will take up to a 64Gb memory card. You can view your photos and videos while the drone is flying, to see if you got the shot you were looking for. After the flight you can pop out the card and view it in your machine of choice. The photos are in jpg format, and the file details are 3840 x 2160, 2 MB, 96dpi and 24 bit. The videos are in MP4 format, the details of the files are 3840 x 2160 resolution, 15fps. You can transfer them anywhere you want from there. One thing that was somewhat annoying was the fact that the front propellers are visible in some of the photos. This happens when the camera is pointed forward. If the camera is pointed downward, you won't see the propellers.
As you might expect with something like this, you don't get hours of battery time. I got over 20 minutes each time I took it out though and it was in the 40s outside, so that may reduce the battery life somewhat. The remote keeps almost all of it's charge during the same 20+ minutes of flight time. This is a fun drone to fly and perfect for someone wanting to learn how to fly them. The lower price is very reasonable for all that you get. I would say it's a much better photo drone than a video drone because of the lack of any image stabilization. The drone hovers nicely, however at times I did notice that it would dip on it's own. It wasn't a huge deal but it's something to be aware of. I think for the price and the features, the SP7100 is a good bargain and offers a lot of the options that more expensive drones give you.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+3points
4of 5voted this as helpful.
FREMO X300 is the industry leading flagship portable power station delivering ultimate performance. Equipped with a capacity of 276Wh, the FREMO X300 portable power station can meet most of your charging needs for daily use and outdoor adventures. With 9 output ports and its lightweight design of only 8 lbs, you can keep all your gear powered wherever you go..
Customer Rating
5
Small and competent power station
on November 16, 2022
Posted by: enem156
I see more and more of these portable chargers coming out. Up until now, I've only had the opportunity to use the small cell phone sized battery packs. Having a power station like this really offers a lot of great options, and this one comes with a huge amount of features.
This is a really nice looking portable power station. The case is laid out well. Markings are clear and readable. I like the use of color to help group and identify the ports. It's surprisingly light (about 8lbs.), When I saw pictures of it I expected it would weigh as much as a car battery, but far from it. There's a nice leather handle on the top that allows plenty of room for your hand. It was nice to see a handle like this, I haven't seen anyone put a leather handle on, well... anything, for a lot of years. It adds a touch of class and reminds me of when things were made to last. Hopefully, it will mean the same for this power station. The case has two ports at either end, one is for air intake and the other is an air outlet. There are actually fans inside, so cooling at some point may be needed, but I never noticed the case getting hot or the fans running, but it's nice to know they're there if needed. I suspect these will come into play on hot days when using it outdoors.
Each section of output connections has it's own button to turn the section on. The AC section has two connectors on it, one of which you can plug a grounded plug into, although there's no connection for the ground prong, it's just an empty area that allows the groundpin to slide in so that three prong plugs can be used. Obviously this means that whatever equipment you plug in will work, but won't have ground protection. Above this section is an LED flashlight. It's quite bright and also has a mode that will flash S.O.S.. This would be very useful either in the back yard or camping at night.
Moving to the left, the next bank of connectors is all about USB. There's five in all and they break down like this. 2 x USB-A ports (5V, 2.4A), 2 x USB-A ports QC 3.0 (36W if they stuck to the spec). Good for quick charging phones and tablets. And there's also a USB-C port. This is bonus port because it's a PD port and can charge things at up to 100W, like laptops, or it can be used to charge the power station. To do this you'll need a PD wall charger and fortunately I happen to have one, so I was able to try it out. This is a really nice feature, it lets you fast charge the power station quicker than the included wall charger. I tried both methods and with the wall charger it read about 60 watts, with my PD charger plugged into the USB-C port it read 91. When it arrived, it had 25% charge and it took roughly two hours to charge to full. Not bad at all.
Moving left again we come to the DC out section. There isn't much explanation about this section and what the manual says is somewhat confusing. After doing some internet digging I was able to figure things out. You can run devices that you would normally plug into your car 12V power port (they used to call them cigarette lighters). This is labeled 12V 10A. OK, I get that. There's also a small connector next to it that reads 12V 8A. This is a DC6530 port. The purpose of this port is to power/charge things that use this style of connector, for instance, some laptop brands use this connector as the power input. Although these days, I tend to see more proprietary connectors on laptops. It's also used on other things, but you'll probably need to buy a cable to connect your device to the power station.
There is a specific DC IN (13-30 V 80W MAX) port between the USB section and the DC OUT section. This is where the included AC adapter gets plugged in to charge the power station. If you want to charge the power station in your car, with your cars' 12V power port, you'll need to buy a cigarette to DC 5521 cable. A DC 5521 jack is what's on the power station and it's the jack the included AC adapter plugs into. 5521 translates to the actual size in mm of this connector (5.5 x 2.1). This jack can also be used with a solar charging panel, but again you need to connect it with a DC5521 cable.
Another thing worth mentioning is the fact that you can dual charge this guy. That means you can use both the included AC adapter and the USB-C PD port to charge it from two sources at the same time. Plugging in both sources at once showed a power input of 151 watts. Cutting the charge time down to 1 ½ hours for a 0% to full charge.
So all these labels and numbers are nice as a reference but the power station also has a really nice, easy to read LCD display. The one part of it that probably gets the most attention is the battery charge level. It's large and also shows a percentage readout right next to it. In the lower right hand side, it shows you the power coming in. This is helpful when charging the power station, and it's how I knew that the PD charging port was charging it at a higher power level. In the upper right hand side, it shows the power going out. This is how much power all the devices you've plugged into it are drawing. There's also small indicators that show you which banks of connectors you have turned on. The display is really clear and on top of that, it's back lit, so very easy to see in the dark as well.
So after I fully charged it up I wanted to see how it worked. I hooked up a small (32”) TV to it, and a Blue-Ray player. I put on The Fellowship of the Ring and let it play. Well that only drew about 30 watts, so I also connected my Galaxy Book and two Samsung tablets to the USB section and turned on the flashlight for good measure. Well that only got me up to 76 watts. Safe to say I wasn't stressing it out at all. But for what I will be using it for, that's a fair representation. Mostly I'll use it in the back yard, or during power outages, or I'll put it in the car for road trips. So for me, this is the perfect size power station and it offers a collection of ports that most people would be hard pressed to overload. As another test I plugged in the power supply from one of my laptops and connected it. With the display on it got up to about 130 watts. So still not bad.
This is a cool and compact portable power station that you could easily carry for a good long time and not get tired. It has a huge collection of ports to accommodate a wide range of devices. The display is easy to read and offers a lot of good information. I think if there was a way to make it better, it would be in the documentation. It would be to helpful to have more thorough examples of what you can hook up to what port. Clearly, I had questions about the DC output section and the manual was not much help. I think it would be beneficial to a lot of people if there were diagrams of how to use the ports. With a device like this that's able to supply a lot of power, you don't want to hook it up incorrectly. Granted, most of the connections are obvious, but a lot of people may not fully understand what the ports are actually capable of. This is especially true of the USB ports. Documentation aside, a great device. Well engineered and well laid out.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+29points
32of 35voted this as helpful.
The XV900 3-way sound system is made for parties with long-playing, groundbreaking, omnidirectional audio and ambient lighting, all in one portable, powerful package.
Customer Rating
5
The beast that keeps the party going!
on November 4, 2022
Posted by: enem156
My first impression of this speaker is...WOW! Obviously the first thing you notice about the XV900 is the sheer massiveness of it. This is a party speaker on steroids! This guy is not just big, it's solid. I notice no flexing of the cabinet at all. There's a lot of features that come with a speaker like this so let's start with the physical part.
For anyone not paying attention.... it's large. But the cabinet has really nice look to it. Sleek and modern yet at the same time almost industrial. The overall design of the cabinet is innovative and functional. Everything is contained in a cylindrical package, even the handles. With a 60lb beast like this, you want sturdy handles and this speaker has them. You can grab the front or back handle to position it, use both to lift it, or tilt it back on its wheels to drive it to its intended location. The wheels are a great addition on a speaker this size but I will say, I found them feeling like a bit of an afterthought. They're far too small to be of much use on anything other than a solid smooth surface. They're not great on carpet and I can only imagine they won't be at all useful on a lawn. After all, getting the speaker to the party is the most basic request anyone can have.
For anyone not paying attention.... it's large. But the cabinet has really nice look to it. Sleek and modern yet at the same time almost industrial. The overall design of the cabinet is innovative and functional. Everything is contained in a cylindrical package, even the handles. With a 60lb beast like this, you want sturdy handles and this speaker has them. You can grab the front or back handle to position it, use both to lift it, or tilt it back on its wheels to drive it to its intended location. The wheels are a great addition on a speaker this size but I will say, I found them feeling like a bit of an afterthought. They're far too small to be of much use on anything other than a solid smooth surface. They're not great on carpet and I can only imagine they won't be at all useful on a lawn. After all, getting the speaker to the party is the most basic request anyone can have.
The speaker arrangement is very unique. Not sure why but Sony chose to go with a square woofer in this cabinet. This is my first run in with a square speaker, and I can't find anything to complain about with it. The bass is deep and rich and as present as you want it to be. If you find it's not enough for you, you can always turn on the Mega Bass, and as expected, you get even more bass. The cabinet ports help to deliver clear tight low end, so feel free to crank it up. Time will tell whether the square design holds up as well as a round one would. I count two midrange speakers facing out the front and they are likewise, clean sounding. The four tweeters (two facing forwards and two on the top rear) along with two side facing horns help to deliver a spacious experience around the room. Anyone who has used and enjoyed the sound of a Sony portable speaker will not be disappointed in the sound of this unit. Everything is well balanced and the low end will add some good sound pressure thumps.
If you download the Sony Music Center app, you get even more benefits on sound adjustments and features. For starters, Your presented with selections for your music library, Pandora, Spotify and probably others if you already have accounts. These are the two streaming apps I use so these were my choices. There's also a settings icon that will take you to (you guessed it) a whole host of setting choices. If you tap on the three dots at the top right you can search for your favorite music app. YouTube, iHeartRadio, Google TV and Samsung Music are the other choices you have. There is also a three band equalizer in there as well. I don't think you need the app, but it is a nice one. A lot more than an afterthought, the MyLibrary selection is a great way to get started listening (if you store music on your phone). The layout is pretty good and you have different ways to view the music in your library, by folders, genre, songs, albums, artist and playlist. I normally use HEOS when I can because it just always works and is so intuitive, but I did like the Sony app. I was able to get up and running very quickly and find my way around without any trouble.
If you want to use it from the top mounted control panel, you won't be disappointed. This panel is nice and large and colorful. All the buttons you want are there. The obvious power button with a charge indicator below, volume and transport buttons, Bluetooth indication, Mega Bass, audio source selected and a button to turn on or off the lighting affects. While you're somewhat limited to turning them on or off and selecting a basic color scheme, in the app you can additionally select the type of lighting affect you want. I really liked the lights on this guy. They're bright and very colorful, and add a lot of party ambiance to the room.
There are a lot of features on this speaker, and I doubt everyone who chooses this speaker will use them all, but that speaks to the versatility and forward thinking of including all these bells and whistles. You have the ability to plug in not one, but two microphones or a microphone and an instrument. Both have their own volume controls. You can plug in an optical link or use the 1/8” audio in jack. You can plug in a USB (USB-A connector) drive, or use this port to charge your device. You can even choose the way you use the battery with the push of a button. I think they've pretty much covered all the I/O bases on the back panel. One feature that I found really cool was the ability to connect this speaker with up to 100 other Sony portable speakers. I'm fortunate to also have the Sony SRS-XG500 and SRS-XB41 speakers, and I can tell you it works very well with little setup. You actually have two choices for how you want to use the “Party Connect” mode. You can have each speaker play the same thing (mono setup), or you can choose to have a stereo setup where one speaker is the left channel and the other is the right. Not sure how the stereo mode works with more than two speakers.
I think to make this speaker even better, Sony should really consider larger wheels for the cabinet. With a speaker this heavy, it's not a convenience to be able to move it around easily, it's a necessity, and with bigger wheels that would be more possible. One more thing they could add would be a way for the app to stream music from your network device (NAS or computer). I have an SD card on my phone with most of my music on it but I keep everything on my NAS device. I'm guessing there are other people that do the same.
If you've been disappointed with the anemic sound coming out of your current portable party speaker, you may need something with a lot more beef. May I suggest giving the XV900 a try. First and foremost, great sound. Pair this with all the features Sony gives you with this speaker and I'm pretty sure you won't be unhappy. And as long as you have the prerequisite “three men and a boy” to transport this guy, all will be good!
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+2points
2of 2voted this as helpful.
enem156's Review Comments
Retire your dustpan and broom and transform your everyday floor cleaning! This sleek, versatile stick vacuum is always ready to deliver upright performance with Fade Free Lithium-Ion battery power. The only stick vacuum with Hoover WindTunnel® technology and cyclonic filtration even when moving from hard floors to low pile carpet.
Overall
1 out of 5
1 out of 5Not enough suction
By BHIHIFI
I bought this after reading a positive review in a leading consumer magazine. It comes with an impressive number of accessories but the suction is weak. It would not even vacuum up bits of grass on my doormat. I returned it and bought the portable Dyson instead. Night and day difference.
enem156
Chicago, Il
Wrong vacuum review?
February 25, 2016
I'm not sure that you're reviewing the vacuum you think you are. This vacuum really doesn't have any accessories...
+1point
1of 1voted this comment as helpful.
enem156's Questions
enem156 has not submitted any questions.
enem156's Answers
Nugget Ice. Pellet ice. Drive-in ice. Whatever you call it, you know it's "the good ice." Now that chewable ice is available from the convenience of your countertop with the Opal 2.0 Ice Maker. It is capable of producing up to 38 lbs. of ice in 24 hours and stores up to 3 lbs. of ice at one time. The Opal 2.0 Ice Maker has WiFi connection capability and comes with the side tank attachment for 3x more ice production.
Does it need to be connect to waterline
No, it's a completely stand alone unit. It uses a water container on the side that you can remove and refill, much like a coffee maker.
3 years, 9 months ago
by
enem156
With up to 40 hours of battery life, Beats Solo3 Wireless is your perfect everyday headphone. With Fast Fuel, a 5-minute charge gives you 3 hours of playback. Enjoy award-winning Beats sound with Class 1 Bluetooth® wireless listening freedom. The on-ear, cushioned ear cups are adjustable so you can customize your fit for all-day comfort.
Can you answer phone calls with them
Yes, you can. Provided you're connected with your phone via Bluetooth.
6 years, 1 month ago
by
enem156
HP Slate 21-k100 Smart Display: Recline the beautiful Full HD smart display and share movies, slideshows and the content you love with everyone at home. Plus, enhance your productivity and enjoy easy access to your favorite Android and Google apps.
Is there a spread sheet and word processor installed?
HP Slate 21-k100 Smart Display: Recline the beautiful Full HD smart display and share movies, slideshows and the content you love with everyone at home. Plus, enhance your productivity and enjoy easy access to your favorite Android and Google apps.
Is the stand on the back removable?
I'm curious if the stand can be removed so the monitor could be mounted or lay flat on a table.
Yes, it is removable. It has a standard 100 X 100 VESA mount under the easel stand.
10 years, 1 month ago
by
enem156
Chicago, Il
HP Slate 21-k100 Smart Display: Recline the beautiful Full HD smart display and share movies, slideshows and the content you love with everyone at home. Plus, enhance your productivity and enjoy easy access to your favorite Android and Google apps.
Can you install a full version of microsoft office on the Slate 21?
No. You can only install Android apps. MS Office is available in a mobile edition though, and can be found on the Google Play store. It also comes with Kingsoft office pre-installed which is a nice mobile Office-like app that allows you to do a lot of the things that you would using Office.
10 years, 1 month ago
by
enem156
Chicago, Il
HP Slate 21-k100 Smart Display: Recline the beautiful Full HD smart display and share movies, slideshows and the content you love with everyone at home. Plus, enhance your productivity and enjoy easy access to your favorite Android and Google apps.
Keyboard / mouse required? And multi-tasking
Are the keyboard and mouse required for the Slate 21? Or can we just use it as a tablet device with onscreen keyboard if need be?
Also, can it multi-task, meaning run two apps simultaneously for instance, netflix on one side of the screen and chrome on the other?
Thank you for help!
Uday Khosla
Also, can it multi-task, meaning run two apps simultaneously for instance, netflix on one side of the screen and chrome on the other?
Thank you for help!
Uday Khosla
The keyboard and mouse are not required. We use ours without them.
As far as multitasking several apps at once, no. So far that's a bit of a reach for an Android machine.
As far as multitasking several apps at once, no. So far that's a bit of a reach for an Android machine.
10 years, 1 month ago
by
enem156
Chicago, Il