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- Review count59
- Helpfulness votes289
- First reviewOctober 24, 2013
- Last reviewApril 24, 2024
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating3.9
- Review comment count1
- Helpfulness votes0
- First review commentMarch 29, 2017
- Last review commentMarch 29, 2017
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- First answerOctober 3, 2020
- Last answerOctober 3, 2020
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Manage your time more effectively with this Samsung Galaxy Watch. The Samsung Health app helps keep you on track with fitness goals, and it pairs with both Android and iPhone devices. This Samsung Galaxy Watch comes with small and large straps to ensure a good fit, and the battery lasts up to six days after a wireless charge.
Customer Rating
4
Great battery life & design, mediocre app support
on October 11, 2018
Posted by: KusMoG
from Brooklyn, NY
What has always detracted me from even considering a smart watch was that battery life wouldn't last a full day, but thankfully this is no longer the case with the Galaxy Watch, even with its smaller 42mm version.
I used a full color watch face that used my own custom photos and would change between 2 different photos each time the watch was woken.
At best, I could get to a 3rd day of use without charging. This was without using the Exercise app, although the auto-detect exercise feature would still kick in and track my walking.
At worst, it would last a little over a day. I used the Exercise app's Elliptical tracker for about 3 hours, which gets the heart rate monitor to track your heart rate constantly in real time for the duration of the exercise (unless you pause it).
At no point did I ever worry about the battery dying any time during the day when I wore it in the beginning of my day with a full charge.
At best, I could get to a 3rd day of use without charging. This was without using the Exercise app, although the auto-detect exercise feature would still kick in and track my walking.
At worst, it would last a little over a day. I used the Exercise app's Elliptical tracker for about 3 hours, which gets the heart rate monitor to track your heart rate constantly in real time for the duration of the exercise (unless you pause it).
At no point did I ever worry about the battery dying any time during the day when I wore it in the beginning of my day with a full charge.
The rotating bezel is one of the best design ideas on a smart watch. It's incredibly intuitive, precise, and reduces your need to touch the screen.
The watch itself looks great, and while it is thick, the 42mm version appears to be about as thick as those old school Casio G-Shock watches. Buttons are easy to find and press, and they do not feel cheap. The watch band is silicone and feels soft and comfortable on skin. Given how thick the watch is, I've occasionally inadvertently had it bump against my desk and walls but to my surprise, it didn't cause any scratches on the watch. The paint job on the bezel (the main point of most contact when it bumps into anything) appears to be durable and high quality. The bezel also acts as a buffer to prevent any bumps against the actually screen itself, unlike the Apple Watch, which has its screen entirely exposed.
The watch is waterproof so cleaning it under running tapping water is simple and safe to do.
Samsung Pay works well with the Galaxy Watch although they removed MST payment which means you won't be able to use it to simulate a credit card swipe like you usually could with Samsung Pay. You can only use the Samsung Pay with the Galaxy Watch on registers that take NFC payments (tap-to-pay or as many merchants sadly and ignorantly refer to it as simply "Apple Pay"). Another gripe I had about the Galaxy Watch's implementation of Samsung Pay is that it doesn't completely sync with your existing Samsung Pay on your Galaxy phone if you're using it with one. You have to reregister all of your cards on your watch for them to be available to use on your watch. Points however are synced, which is good.
Unlike the Apple Watch, even with its most latest version, the Galaxy Watch has sleep tracking, which with its great battery life, is something that's actually feasible to do. But it brings me to some of the issues I had with the Galaxy Watch.
The sensors appear to be inaccurate and glitchy at times. Like the sleep detection. I work in front of a desk all day, so I'm sedentary. I've had the watch accidentally log sleep when all I was just doing was sitting down in front of my desk. The floor climbing sensor glitches up sometimes too. It would be in the morning before I even got a chance to do anything, and all of a sudden I would get an alert that I've achieved my floor goal for the day (10 floors) when in fact, I've barely even moved around. By the end of the day it has me recorded as going up 49 floors of stairs, which is inaccurate. Restarting the watch fixed the issue. These inaccuracies didn't happen very often but I'm just pointing out that they *did* happen. Only time will tell how much of a problem this will be later on. For the most part, it makes a very good fitness tracker, and does motivate you. I find myself taking the stairs and avoiding the elevator in my apartment ever since I started wearing the watch just to reach the "floors" goal.
Perhaps the biggest issue I have with the watch is the apps. If you thought Bixby was bad on your Samsung phone, it's worse on the Galaxy Watch. It can't answer a lot of the real world commands and questions you throw at it. I wanted to know what the Yankees game score was and it couldn't answer. It only supports Samsung SamrtThings for home control. It can't give you NYC subway directions. It is by far the dumbest, most pathetic excuse for a virtual assistant.
The third party app support is also incredibly pathetic. The watch app store is dominantly watch faces that are mostly similar looking and bland, many just trying to display as much information as it can on the screen or imitate the look of a real watch. The apps selection in the Galaxy Watch store is just littered with amateur-level apps with bad reviews from users. It's embarrassing. The Galaxy Watch uses Tizen as its operating system and major developers aren't supporting it. So you're left with these amateur-hour, programmed in their parents garage-type apps that aren't worth my time or anyone else's.
The most useful feature is the notifications. Obviously this helps the need of pulling out your phone to view content. When you get a call, the watch vibrates and you can answer or decline the call simply by swiping. You can answer texts straight from your watch using the on screen keyboard, or draw the letters out one by one with your finger (which surprisingly works fast and pretty accurate from my experience with it).
Interestingly, even though the Galaxy Watch doesn't have a Google Hangouts app (which I use to send and receive my SMS since I have a Google Voice account), if I receive an incoming text notification from Hangouts, I can reply back to that SMS from my watch. It's very convenient, and a nifty workaround for not having the app available on the watch. That's basically what I would have used the app for anyway. I just can't send any new texts myself from the watch without a proper app.
All in all, thanks to the great battery life that actually lasts longer than a day, I can finally feel comfortable using a smart watch as an actual watch. Being able to receive notifications on your wrist makes you more attentive to them than if they were only showing up on your phone because you can view them quickly and easily with the raise of your wrist. $300 is a lot of money to spend for something your phone can already do so it's up to you to decide if the convenience is worth it. Everyone's lifestyle if different. For me it was worth. If you've considered on getting a smart watch, I definitely suggest strongly considering the Galaxy Watch for its battery life alone.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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40of 44voted this as helpful.
Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 3 is a supremely powerful, portable wireless speaker. It blasts loud, clear, and powerful 360° sound with deep thundering bass. And it is insanely waterproof, dustproof, and drop proof too. Combined with one-touch music controls, and stunning, two-tone, high-performance fabric, the ultimate party starter has been redefined.
Posted by: KusMoG
from Brooklyn, NY
Lighter than I thought it would be for its size, the Megaboom 3 fills up a room easily and is very durable. It's waterproof and floats in water, so it's excellent for the pool.
A welcome feature with the speaker is the magic button on the top center of the speaker. This button allows you to pause/play and skip tracks and appears to work with many of the popular apps. Of the ones I tried were Samsung's native music player for Android, and YouTube; both worked.
Although the app that's designed for it is kind of buggy and poorly designed, it's the way to get them most out of this speaker.
Believe it or not, you can actually turn on your speaker from its off state using the app. This actually works with the older Boom models via firmware update.
Believe it or not, you can actually turn on your speaker from its off state using the app. This actually works with the older Boom models via firmware update.
You can also use the magic button for playlists but currently it's limited, only working with Apple Music and Deezer.
Speaking of other Boom models, the Megaboom 3 can pair up with older the UE Boom for the Party Up feature, where you can output sound to multiple speakers. Again you would need to use the app to be able to do this.
The battery lives up to the claim of over 20+ hours. Depending on how often you use it, you can go on without charging for months at a time. After charging it to full charge, I still have yet to charge it again since I got it. Worth noting though, it still uses micro-USB for charging.
The speaker also has the ability to charge wirelessly but it's only via a stand that's sold separately. You'll only be able to charge using the micro-USB cable that's included.
The wired input port on the older Boom is no longer on the Megaboom 3 so you won't be able to use it with non-bluetooth audio devices.
Pros: Excellent sound, excellent battery life, durable construction, waterproof, floats in water, able to pause and skip tracks from speaker, able to turn on speaker remotely via app, pairs with other Boom models for multi-speaker sound.
Cons: There is no input audio port.
Netural: Wireless charging exists but its proprietary charging stand is sold separately. Bass isn't as booming as I'd like and may disappoint some.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Enjoy the ultimate viewing experience with this 65-inch VIZIO P-Series 4K smart TV. The 4K Ultra HD resolution produces lifelike images, and the Ultra Color Spectrum technology adds rich, vibrant colors. Google Chromecast expands viewing options, while the SmartCast OS provides a smooth, reliable viewing experience. This 65-inch VIZIO smart TV is voice enabled for ease of use.
Posted by: KusMoG
from Brooklyn, NY
Vizio has a reputation of being a 'cheap' TV brand but fortunately with the P65-F1, it doesn't look cheap at all. The back is made of hard plastic but out of sight, out of mind. The front display looks beautiful and unassuming. The bezels are thin and the Vizio logo on the bottom right is very discrete... almost hidden as it's silver on silver.
The display itself looks good, and it's Dolby Vision and HDR capable. Unfortunately I found the brightness on my display uneven in that all 4 corners are dimmer than the rest of the display. It's like the opposite of light bleed. So while the Dolby Vision content looks great on it, the dark corners were still there. With my untrained eye, I found it difficult to tell the difference between HDR10 content and Dolby Vision, but that could also be the fault of the way the content was produced. The Dolby Vision content I was watching may not be using it to its full potential. But on paper, Dolby Vision is supposed to be a better version of HDR, so in that regard it's got some "future-proof" to it.
The speakers on the set are average. Not spectacular, but not bad either.
Where the TV really falters is in its smart features. Smartcast is largely a rebranded Chromecast that just peddles bloatware. First off, loading the Smartcast screen is slow. Then it places the apps on the bottom-most row, right below the main featured content and a "Discover" row. I read a review for this TV stating it doesn't have ads and while that's true, it's only true on a clever technicality. Those 2 rows above the "Apps" row are probably worse than ads because they occupy so much space and the cursor selection defaults to them when you first open Smartcast, instead of defaulting to the Apps row.
About the Smartcast apps- What you see is what you get built-in. There's no store to download more. There's no option to remove what you won't use. There's no option to rearrange the order the apps are presented in. This could change with firmware releases, but don't hold your breath. Fortunately Vizio had the good sense to make Netflix the first app in the Apps row. Could you imagine if it were the last? You'd have to scroll over to it EACH time you wanted to use it. In fact, that's what you need to do if you want to view USB content, since the USB app is second to last on the row. The last spot in the Apps row directs you to a page that tells you to download more apps on your phone to cast them to your TV for more content. That's their answer to other TV's app store. And that's so lame and lazy since again Smartcast is like a rebranded Chromecast. You can buy Chromecast separately for a cheaper TV and achieve nearly the same results. The main feature you'll lose is the built-in Google Assistant-compatibility feature, which itself is kind of flaky. First off, to be able to even take advantage of this, it's an additional cost of purchasing a Google Home device.
Power on and off voice commands work fine. The volume up and down commands, however, are horrendous. It's way too slow and the change in volume is way too minuscule. You'll find yourself either repeating the command over and over or waiting a LONG time for it to change the volume.
Consider this: Your volume is set to 60%. You tell Google to set your living room TV volume to 25%. The TV doesn't immediately change the volume to 25%. Instead the volume incrementally goes down in slow fashion. I don't even use that command because it's just way too slow, and erratic. Sometimes the volume decrease or increase goes past the level you asked for. I just stick with the remote.
Consider this: Your volume is set to 60%. You tell Google to set your living room TV volume to 25%. The TV doesn't immediately change the volume to 25%. Instead the volume incrementally goes down in slow fashion. I don't even use that command because it's just way too slow, and erratic. Sometimes the volume decrease or increase goes past the level you asked for. I just stick with the remote.
The remote itself is also the typical Vizio cheapness. It's not backlit, nor does it have those buttons that absorb light and glow in the dark. It has dedicated buttons for Vudu, Netflix, Amazon, Xumo, Crackle, and iHeart Radio. If any of these companies ever stop supporting these apps on Vizio TVs (look at Skype with Samsung TVs) you'll have a button that won't do anything. Those aren't even all the built-in apps that the TV actually offers. Surely Plex is more popular than frickin Xumo.
If you can get it on sale and don't care about smart features, this would be a TV to consider if you're looking for a Dolby Vision capable TV. I would not buy this TV for anything over $1000.
Otherwise, look elsewhere or wait for OLED to become cheaper.
Mobile Submission: False
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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14of 27voted this as helpful.
Set up a Dolby Vision home cinema with this LG Ultra HD Blu-ray player. It supports 4K and HDR content, and its Wi-Fi connectivity lets you enjoy premium on-demand programs from your favorite streaming providers. Play media files from a portable device via the USB port of this LG Ultra HD Blu-ray player.
Customer Rating
4
A reliable 4K Blu-ray player with Dolby Vision
on June 18, 2018
Posted by: KusMoG
from Brooklyn, NY
A solid 4K Blu-ray player that hasn't skipped or glitched out from my experience. The picture quality is excellent as is the audio. It comes with Dolby Vision out of the box without the need for any firmware updates to get it but keep this in mind- *** You have to have a TV that supports Dolby Vision *AND* being playing Dolby Vision content to experience Dolby Vision. Right now the options for both are limited.
For TVs without Dolby Vision, it will still play HDR content.
For TVs without Dolby Vision, it will still play HDR content.
The great thing about this player is that it comes with a Netflix app that supports Dolby Vision content. So if you have a Netflix account, you can view some videos that are available in Dolby Vision such as Stranger Things.
Supports 4K blu-ray, regular blu-ray, DVDs, and audio CDs.
It does NOT support VCDs. I checked just out of curiosity and it won't work.
It does NOT support VCDs. I checked just out of curiosity and it won't work.
Pros: Excellent picture and audio quality.
Supports Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos.
Reliable playback.
Quick, clean interface.
Netflix app that comes with it supports Dolby Vision content.
Able to play video and audio files from its front panel USB port.
Supports Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos.
Reliable playback.
Quick, clean interface.
Netflix app that comes with it supports Dolby Vision content.
Able to play video and audio files from its front panel USB port.
Cons: Remote has a limited angle for line of sight. If you don't have the remote pointed right at it, it won't respond.
Limited streaming options- Only has Netflix and YouTube as of 6/18/2018.
Front panel USB port doesn't support .MOV files.
Limited streaming options- Only has Netflix and YouTube as of 6/18/2018.
Front panel USB port doesn't support .MOV files.
If you're looking for a no-hassle 4K UHD Blu-ray player this is a great one to get, especially if your TV supports Dolby Vision.
Just do NOT get the blu-ray for the retail $299. Then I don't think it's worth it. Get it at $249 or cheaper.
Just do NOT get the blu-ray for the retail $299. Then I don't think it's worth it. Get it at $249 or cheaper.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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1of 2voted this as helpful.
LG - 5.1.2-Channel Hi-Res Audio Sound Bar with Wireless Subwoofer and Dolby Atmos Technology - Black
Connect this 5.1.2-channel LG sound bar to any television for premium audio. Its Dolby Atmos support delivers room-filling sound to heighten your movie-watching experience, and it comes with a 200W subwoofer that delivers thumping bass for feeling every rumble in your seat. Pair this LG sound bar with any Bluetooth-compatible device for effortless music streaming.
Customer Rating
3
Okay, but didn't sound immersive enough to me.
on April 30, 2018
Posted by: KusMoG
from Brooklyn, NY
It's an okay soundbar but it didn't sound immersive without atmos. The 5.1.2 speakers have side speakers but you don't hear the immersive sound from your sides with 5.1 content. They're very front-face sounding speakers. Of course, you can get real surround sound by getting the option surround speakers, but that's an extra $200 to spend.
Chromecast and Google Assistant features are nothing new and becoming the norm at this price range. You'll find them on competitor's sound bars as well.
It only has one HDMI input. They're totally relying on you to use your TV to accommodate your device inputs.
For that amount of money, if you have the room for it, I recommend investing it on a good receiver and speakers for better sound.
If you don't have space, go to a Best Buy and try them out before you buy. It didn't impress me, but not everyone's sound preference is the same.
My Best Buy number: 0555225606
Mobile Submission: False
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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4of 6voted this as helpful.
Brush your teeth with precision by using this Philips Sonicare DiamondClean toothbrush. It has smart sensor technology and connects to a smartphone app that coaches you about coverage, ideal pressure and scrubbing. This Philips Sonicare DiamondClean toothbrush comes with several brush heads that include microchips, which optimize performance for cleaner teeth.
Customer Rating
5
An excellent toothbrush but with a flaw
on April 16, 2018
Posted by: KusMoG
from Brooklyn, NY
I am longtime user of the DiamondClean toothbrush, but the DiamondClean Smart 9700 was a worthy upgrade. One of the major annoyances for me with the original DiamondClean toothbrush was that the power button and mode button were assigned to the same one button. This made it a hassle to switch modes because the brush would need to be powered on and vibrating before you can switch modes. On the 9700, the power button and mode buttons are two separate buttons.
Another thing that eventually came to be an annoyance was the USB port of the travel charging case of the original DiamondClean. It uses a mini-USB cable to charge. When it came out this was fine, but in this day and age, the mini-USB cable is obsolete. The travel charging case that comes with the 9700 comes with the cable connected to the case and hidden in a bottom compartment of the case. This way you don't have to worry about forgetting to bring a USB cable you'll never use unless you're bringing along a very old digital camera. You can still charge the 9700 from a computer's USB through the travel case. The only issue I have with the 9700's case is that it uses a leathery material which feels prone to scratching unlike the original's travel case which felt more rugged and durable.
The battery lasts for well over a week in my tests, and I used the White+ mode, which runs for 2 minutes and 40 seconds each brushing session. You can *confidently* go without the hassle of charging if you're leaving somewhere for a weekend. I would even go as far as saying that it will go for a week uncharged just as easy as long as it's only for one user.
The main selling point of this toothbrush though is that it's a "smart" toothbrush. It connects to your phone via Bluetooth and in conjunction with its own Sonicare app tracks the movement of brushhead to help log a diary of your brushing. It also shows you the battery life of the brush handle on the app and allows you to update the handle's firmware.
The brush logging on the app can be used as a great motivational tool to promote good brushing habits. If only the brush head tracking worked well. For some reason the bluetooth connection with the handle is very finicky and often won't recognize your handle making the use of the app and logging a very frustrating experience. I've found that, the app won't recognize the brush well unless you hold your phone up with your other hand. If I set it down on my sink or prop it up on my bathroom mirror my phone can't recognize the handle. I've installed a handle firmware update since I got the brush and it still hasn't helped any bit with the connection issues. When it does work, it does a good job it getting you into the habit of good brushing. After the brush session ends it will give you reminders about using mouthwash, floss, and tongue scraper.
The bottom of the brush handle lights up if and when you apply too much pressure with the brush head to your teeth.
Another con about this brush is obviously its high price. However, given the number of brush heads included with it, I feel the price feels justified. The brush looks great, and though it looks slippery it actually feels grippy on hand.
If you're willing to look past its crappy connection issues, this is a superb electric toothbrush, better than the original DiamondClean.
If you're buying this to rely on the smart features and help motivate you to brush properly and consistently more than anything else I would probably wait on this either until they come up with a fix to make it more reliable or wait until it goes on sale because it really is a great toothbrush that's worth the investment. If you're coming from a manual toothbrush, you will never want to go back to a manual toothbrush ever again.
My Best Buy number: 0555225606
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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1of 1voted this as helpful.
Big machine suction power*. But with cord-free versatility. The Dyson Cyclone V10 Absolute cord-free vacuum has a 40% bigger bin than the previous V8 Absolute and up to 40 minutes of fade-free power with the Soft roller cleaner head (in Suction mode I). The new torque drive cleaner head removes more dust from carpets. The soft roller cleaner head removes fine dust and large debris from hard floors. The Dyson Cyclone V10 Absolute cord-free vacuum quickly transforms to a handheld for quick cleanups, spot cleaning and cleaning difficult places.*Suction tested to ASTM F558 at the flexible inlet.BR>
Customer Rating
4
Amazing power for a stick vacuum
on March 8, 2018
Posted by: KusMoG
from Brooklyn, NY
The suction of the vacuum is as good as a corded vacuum and the battery lasts up to an hour, which is fantastic battery life. The way the dust bin opens makes emptying it and clean up a breeze. No cords to worry about getting in your way, and best of all, no stupid canister behind you to worry about accidentally knocking stuff over while you're cleaning.
The only cons I had about it is that it can get pretty top heavy, and the price is a lot to spend for a vacuum cleaner. But for me personally, I look at the $800 I spend on this as the vacuum I'll actually enjoy using for the decade or more to come. It's powerful, it gives me freedom and ease to pick up, move around and clean, and it's versatile with the included attachments.
My Best Buy number: 0555225606
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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0of 0voted this as helpful.
Enjoy superior sound and voice quality with these Jabra Elite wireless headphones. Integrated controls let you answer calls, adjust the volume or pause music with the touch of a button, while the included carrying case doubles as a charging station. External ambient noise keeps you aware of your surroundings, while a background noise filter delivers crisp, clear voice calls. With Bluetooth connectivity, these Jabra Elite wireless headphones are easy to pair to a mobile device.
Customer Rating
4
Earbuds with great battery life and features
on February 19, 2018
Posted by: KusMoG
from Brooklyn, NY
The Jabra Elite 65t advertises battery life at 5 hours and everywhere I’m reading seems to agree with that assessment. To my surprise, with my usage, I’ve always gotten over 5 hours with constant play. I realistically got about 6 hours of constant play at 60% volume (the max volume on the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 before it warns you about high volume with headphones on), so 5 hours is certainly a safe number. It doesn’t feel like one of those cheating advertised numbers where under certain circumstances you’ll get 5 hours.
The case is nearly half the size in height compare to the Jaybird Run’s case so it’s less of a nuisance to pocket. It’s still fatter than the Apple Airpod’s case though. I also found the case initially hard to open. There’s a slit in the front that makes you think you need to open the case with your nail but you don’t open it that way. Rather a good pull of the top of the case away from the bottom using my thumb easily opens the case. With no button on the outside of the case, it is unlikely to accidentally open while stashed away. Once the earbuds have already been paired with a device, a connection is immediately established after you take the earbuds out of the case.
The buttons on the Jabra Elite 65t giving you full access to media functions, which is way more than I can say for other truly wireless earbuds. The buttons are also physical and not touch-based so you won’t get finicky controls.
On the left ear bud you have volume up and volume down. Hold volume up for 1 second to skip a track. Hold volume down for 1 second to go to the previous track.
On the right earbud you have a single physical button. Press it to pause music. Hold it for 1 second to activate your phone’s default voice assistant (Google Assistant, Siri). Using the Jabra Sound+ app you have the option to choose Amazon Alexa as your voice assistant. Keep in mind, none of these options are assistants available locally and independently on the Jabra Elite 65t. They are all tethered from your phone, including Amazon Alexa.
Double-pressing the right earbud turns on/off something called HearThrough. Turning it on allows you to hear outside sound through your earbuds better. How much sound you allow it hear is adjustable on the Jabra Sound+ app.
On the left ear bud you have volume up and volume down. Hold volume up for 1 second to skip a track. Hold volume down for 1 second to go to the previous track.
On the right earbud you have a single physical button. Press it to pause music. Hold it for 1 second to activate your phone’s default voice assistant (Google Assistant, Siri). Using the Jabra Sound+ app you have the option to choose Amazon Alexa as your voice assistant. Keep in mind, none of these options are assistants available locally and independently on the Jabra Elite 65t. They are all tethered from your phone, including Amazon Alexa.
Double-pressing the right earbud turns on/off something called HearThrough. Turning it on allows you to hear outside sound through your earbuds better. How much sound you allow it hear is adjustable on the Jabra Sound+ app.
For media playing, the Jabra Elite 65t has a cool auto-pause feature. Remove any earbud from your ear and it will immediately pause whatever you’re playing, video included. I can confirm this also works with Netflix, and Samsung’s native video player. While this feature is on by default, using the Jabra Sound+ app, you can turn this feature off.
I haven’t had any issues with calls or the microphone like some others have claimed. I picked up an important call from my dentist’s office to reschedule an appointment in short notice and the conversation went smoothly despite me being underground on the NYC subway with a train passing by me. The sound didn’t degrade to a low-quality mono like it does with the Jaybird Bluebuds X and the X2 during a call or when the microphone is in use.
One thing worth mentioning that I may have taken for granted is sound playing from both earbuds when the microphone is in use. For the Jaybird Run, when the microphone is in use, sound is only played through the right earbud. With the Jabra Elite 65t sound is played through both earbuds. So when you use your voice assistant, you can hear the response through both earbuds. Even more importantly, your phone calls are heard through both earbuds. You can still use just one earbud for calls, but it must be the right earbud.
It also does a cool trick with calls- when you get an incoming call it can tell you who’s calling by reading you your Caller ID through the headset, whether it be the person’s actual name or their phone number. This feature can be turned off using the Jabra Sound+ app.
One thing worth mentioning that I may have taken for granted is sound playing from both earbuds when the microphone is in use. For the Jaybird Run, when the microphone is in use, sound is only played through the right earbud. With the Jabra Elite 65t sound is played through both earbuds. So when you use your voice assistant, you can hear the response through both earbuds. Even more importantly, your phone calls are heard through both earbuds. You can still use just one earbud for calls, but it must be the right earbud.
It also does a cool trick with calls- when you get an incoming call it can tell you who’s calling by reading you your Caller ID through the headset, whether it be the person’s actual name or their phone number. This feature can be turned off using the Jabra Sound+ app.
As for sound quality, I feel that the Jaybird Run is slightly better but if I never had the Jaybird Run to use as a reference I wouldn’t even have noticed since the difference is very slight. The bass isn’t as heavy as the Jaybird Run out of the box, but you can adjust the sound to your liking using the Jabra Sound+ app’s Equalizer.
The fit feels secure and comfortable, until I’m eating something with them on. Your experience may differ but my jaw movements when eating (but not regular talking) messes with the seal the earbuds have on my ears. Sometimes I worry that an earbud may fall off. It never has and probably never will, but that feeling is there for me because of how the earbud alternates from a good seal to a bad seal while I’m chewing. I never had this experience with the Jaybird Run, which always maintained a good seal.
The Bluetooth connection I had with the Jabra Elite 65t was solid. I never had any dropouts from the left and right earbuds working with each other like I did with the Jaybird Run. I did get occasional audio dropouts in congested areas in NYC like when I was walking down 6th Ave and 42nd St around Bryant Park. I think this is something I’ve experienced with all the Bluetooth headsets I own though. I never had an issue while I was riding the subway.
All in all, I was very satisfied with these earbuds. I definitely had a better experience with them than with the Jaybird Run. Just be aware that they aren’t sweatproof like the Jaybird Run are. If you’re looking for Jabra’s equivalent you’ll need to look at the Jabra Elite Active 65t, which costs a bit more and would warrant a separate review.
My Best Buy number: 0555225606
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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2of 2voted this as helpful.
Prepare delicious recipes with this Blendtec Designer 650s Blender. The Blendtec Designer Series uses all the power and performance that made Blendtec the choice of blending professionals, and combined it with a modern design with functionality taking Blendtec to a new level in performance blending. The Blendtec Designer Series is the all-in-one appliance that replaces many standard kitchen appliances with one fast easy-to-use machine. It will make smoothies, fresh whole juice, ice cream, margaritas, soups, sauces, bread dough, dressings, salsas, flours and more! Blending professionals have relied on Blendtec machines in the best coffee shops, juice bars, gyms, and restaurants around the world for producing the best, most consistent results in taste and texture. You can now enjoy the same results in your home.
Customer Rating
5
Excellent blender!
on November 29, 2017
Posted by: KusMoG
from Brooklyn, NY
I had my reservations about this blender when I was reading online about how some Blendtec blenders' pitchers would shred its rubber gasket over time but this model doesn't have the rubber. It's all metal (from what I can tell). The pitcher is light while feeling solid.
The base of the blender itself (where the motor is) feels very solid and heavy enough to minimize vibration. Grooves underneath its left and right sides make it easy to lift and move around the table. I do have a concern about the touch controls possibly failing at some point since there's no physical buttons. Otherwise, the touch controls are great and responsive. The buttons are backlit with a high contrast bright white over the black panel and very easy to see.
Operation is a breeze with the preset buttons, although I wish they had the buttons labeled with text as well instead of just simple black&white pictures. It may take a while for some to get used to what button does what using just the pictures (e.g. cocktail glass=crushed ice).
You can blend unattended since you can set the timer to whatever you like. There is also the standard pulse button as well. There is also a manual speed control slider.
This thing is powerful! Blends everything I throw at it with ease. The smoothies I made had a nice thick texture to it.
It's easily to clean since the pitcher is really wide and square. The blades are thick but also dull, making it safe to clean any tough residue that the standard cleaning won't get rid of.
I think the thing I was most surprised about though was the sound. I was bracing myself for a really loud blender, but when I actually used it, I found it quieter than my 900 Watts Nutri Ninja Pro.
Maybe I haven't used it long enough, but I found no evidence of overheating when I used it.
Overall, I'm pleasantly impressed and love this blender.
My Best Buy number: 0555225606
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Listen to your playlist in peace with these Sony headphones. They have a 40mm dome driver to deliver the full depth of audio, and the noise cancelling feature minimizes outside disturbances for a better listening experience. These Sony headphones have a battery life of up to 30 hours for extended jam sessions.
Customer Rating
4
Geat sound, Useful tech, Incredible battery life
on October 30, 2017
Posted by: KusMoG
from Brooklyn, NY
**The Good**
Sound: Instruments and vocals sound crisp and clear, but you also get a good bass response from it out of the box unlike the Bose QC35 II. The sound can be modified using the EQ from the Sony Headphones Connect app that's available for Android and iOS.
Noise-cancelling: Great noise-cancelling that's able to mute out most sounds while on the NYC subway while playing music, while bringing the outside noise it can't block out to a more gentle tone. It also has a useful feature where it allows you to listen to your surroundings using the outside microphone on the ear cups when you cup the right ear cup with your hand.
Battery life: Claims a 30 hour battery life. For some reason, when I played a FLAC album on repeat I was able to get 35 hours battery life before it died. The headphones can run as a wired headphone too that works even with the battery dead, albeit without noise cancellation. Unfortunately touch controls do not work in wired mode, so it's like your wearing an old fashioned set of headphones like a Sennheiser HD 280 pro (no inline controls, no nothing). Wired mode will work with the NextRadio app for those that use that.
Bluetooth codec support: Supports the latest and greatest codecs such as aptX HD and LDAC for the phones that support it. LDAC support should see more support as phones upgrade to Oreo, provided the OEM allows it in their build of Oreo.
NFC: Allows you to pair and connect a phone with the headphones by just tapping the phone on the left ear cup. No need to go through the menus for bluetooth and scan, or select device. Just tap and it will connect. Your phone does need to be unlocked though but that's it. The rest is just a simple tap. This helps cope with the headphones inability to be paired with more than one device at a time.
The case: The case feels like quality as does the zipper on it. Feels satisfyingly durable and glides open and close with easy. The inside of the case has dividers so the cups don't end up scuffing each other.
**The OK**
Comfort: The headphones don't clamp on you too tight so you won't get ear or crown fatigue from it. However, the space instead the cup isn't as spacious as the Bose QC35 II so it will get warm after a while. The bigger problem I had was with the amount of cushioning on the padding. The ear pads are ok, but again, not as plush as the OC35 II but it's the top band's padding that I have a problem with. It's too thin and sometimes makes the top of my head feel uncomfortable. The earpads are replaceable.
Comfort: The headphones don't clamp on you too tight so you won't get ear or crown fatigue from it. However, the space instead the cup isn't as spacious as the Bose QC35 II so it will get warm after a while. The bigger problem I had was with the amount of cushioning on the padding. The ear pads are ok, but again, not as plush as the OC35 II but it's the top band's padding that I have a problem with. It's too thin and sometimes makes the top of my head feel uncomfortable. The earpads are replaceable.
Touch controls: The touch control are intuitive and make it a lot easier to work with than the physical touch controls on most headphones, however because they're touch, it also leaves it susceptible for accidental touches when handling it (e.g.: accidentally forwarding to the next song headphones are off your head resting flat on your neck because your cheek accidentally grazed it). Again, touch controls do not work when in wired mode.
Tap and holding the ear cup brings up your phone's assistant: Google Assistant or Siri. There isn't support for Samsung's Bixby since it basically mimics holding the home button on your phone.
Tap and holding the ear cup brings up your phone's assistant: Google Assistant or Siri. There isn't support for Samsung's Bixby since it basically mimics holding the home button on your phone.
Wired passive mode: You can use the headphones without power as regular headphones. It just stinks that while you can still get noise cancelling in wired mode if you power the headphones on, the touch controls do not work unless they're connected by bluetooth.
Sony Headphones Connect app: The app unlocks access to even more features of your headphones such as the EQ. It shows you which codec is being used, and also shows you the headphone's battery life. Unfortunately showing the battery life on the status bar is an iOS only feature and I don't get why. Jaybird's Android app allows the battery life indicator to be shown on your phone's status bar. Do better Sony.
The app also allows you to manual set the ambient sound level to your liking and set the sound to virtual surround sound presets.
The app also allows you to manual set the ambient sound level to your liking and set the sound to virtual surround sound presets.
**The Bad**
micro-USB charging: The headphones still insist on using micro-USB to charge the headphones. With 2017 phones shifting to USB-C it makes it more annoying to future-proof. You'll have to keep a microUSB cable around for the life of the headphones instead of being able to use your phone's USB-C cable.
micro-USB charging: The headphones still insist on using micro-USB to charge the headphones. With 2017 phones shifting to USB-C it makes it more annoying to future-proof. You'll have to keep a microUSB cable around for the life of the headphones instead of being able to use your phone's USB-C cable.
**The Unknown**
Durability: The plastic doesn't feel anywhere as durable as Bose's QC35 II. The seem well constructed to hold up solid for as long as I've had them, but will they stand the test of time? That remains to be seen. Its previous generation is notoriously known for the headband cracking and I'm not sure it won't happen again. I've had it for over a week and I haven't seen any sign of cracks. You can hear very slight creaks when you press on the headband's plastic
Durability: The plastic doesn't feel anywhere as durable as Bose's QC35 II. The seem well constructed to hold up solid for as long as I've had them, but will they stand the test of time? That remains to be seen. Its previous generation is notoriously known for the headband cracking and I'm not sure it won't happen again. I've had it for over a week and I haven't seen any sign of cracks. You can hear very slight creaks when you press on the headband's plastic
If I were grading it personally for me I would give it a 4.5. But for this review I had to decide between a 4 and a 5 so I went with 4. It would have got a 5 if the padding was as generous and the ear cup as spacious as the QC35 II. But I would DEFINITELY recommend it for users looking to be noise cancelling headphones in this price range. It's in direct competition between the Beats Studio3 and the Bose QC35 II. If you ask me, it's a toss-up between the QC35 II and the WH-1000XM2 depending on what your preference is. The QC35 II are far and away the most comfortable as well as the most durable, but its bass is lacking. The WH-1000XM2 has that bass that will satisfy listeners of the hip hop genre (use the EQ for more emphatic bass and make those earpads bump).
My Best Buy number: 0555225606
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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KusMoG's Review Comments
Make your home an internet haven with this versatile Linksys Velop wireless Wi-Fi system. Three identical tri-band dual-stream AC2200 routers, each equipped with a quad-core ARM Cortex-A7 processor, deliver lightning-fast internet. Equipped with Bluetooth 4.0/LE, this Linksys Velop wireless Wi-Fi system is simple to set up and pairs easily with computers, tablets and smart devices.
Overall3 out of 5
3 out of 5Optimized for distance, not speed. Limited admin
By KusMoG
First off, let me preface by saying that I'm coming off using an EA9500, a traditional router that costs $100 less than a Velop 3 pack. I also live in an apartment building with a highly congested 2.4GHz space; so bad it affects speeds dramatically and makes the connection highly inconsistent.
With that said, I wasn't really impressed with the Velop at all, for the amount of money it will cost you. It runs on 2.4 and 5.0GHz bands but which your device is connected to is entirely managed by the Velop mesh router themselves. You can't select it yourself. So for some *stupid* reason, even though my Galaxy Note 5 is capable of connecting to the 5.0GHz band, it connects me to 2.4. Because of this I get a slower and inconsistent connection due to the 2.4GHz congestion in my building.
There's also no web administration page, so you can't configure your Velop Wi-Fi from a computer. You need to do it through their app. That means your doing all the heavy lifting of port forwarding and such, from your phone. I'm not sure if they have an app for tablets.
As far as range goes, it will do the job. You will get a strong signal as long as you are near one of the nodes. But the catch is it only extends the wireless signal for as well as it currently performs in your environment at 100% signal and you have no control over which wi-fi band it connects to, like you do with a traditional router. So if your 2.4GHz band wi-fi is terrible to begin with at 100% signal, I suggest you stay very far away from this unless you want buyer's remorse.
I can only recommend the Velop wi-fi 3-pack to users, most especially with wi-fi dead spots in their home, that have great consistent connection in terms or speed and reliability on both 2.4 and 5.0GHz band with a traditional router at 100% signal. This mesh router will be music to your ears since it will be capable of extending your wi-fi range through your house with minimal signal loss.
I can't stress this enough but this router isn't 5.0GHz friendly. I suspect it recognizes when a device is a phone and connects it to the 2.4 GHz band to prioritize distance. It just doesn't offer the flexibility and power administrators want to manually control these connections. I'll be putting all my wireless devices back on my EA9500 because it clearly outclasses the more expensive, less admin-friendly Velop.
KusMoG
Attention Kristine the Linksys Support rep
March 29, 2017
Hi Kristine,
So I called the number you gave me and spoke with a Linksys representative named Kim (Badge ID# 21791) and she agreed with my review. She said it was a product limitation and that users are not able to select the wi-fi band since it's designed to run on a singular network. She also said there is a web UI but it's virtually the same as the app and offers no additional settings or features. So I stand by my review.
It's an awful lot of spend to spend to have so little control. 2 5.0 GHz bands exists on the node but it's USELESS if and when the Velop decides on its own not to connect using that band, instead choosing the inferior 2.4GHz band. This router is a huge step back for IT professional users.
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KusMoG's Questions
KusMoG has not submitted any questions.
KusMoG's Answers
Bring your A-game anytime, anywhere. Introducing a universal mobile gaming controller that fits most smartphone devices, designed to bring console-level control to your on-the-go gaming. With this controller by your side, wherever you go, victory will follow.
Will it fit the Galaxy Note 20 ultra
Yes it will. The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, while not officially listed as supported, probably because it wasn't available for Razer to test at the time, is the Kishi's limit.
3 years, 7 months ago
by
KusMoG