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    February 7, 2014
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    February 7, 2014
  • Last answer
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Enjoy interactive streaming with this Google Nest Hub. With the built-in Google Assistant, you can view your calendar, receive alerts and reminders, and control devices from the single dashboard, and voice control lets you access other smart features. This Google Nest Hub lets you listen to music from Spotify and Pandora and view YouTube content. "
 
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Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
Best Hub For Smart Homes
on October 31, 2018
Posted by: Telstar
from Columbia, MO
Google - Home Hub with Google Assistant - Charcoal
To me, the Google Home Hub is just that - the center of a Google-centric smart home or smart office. It offers a touch interface/visual interface/voice interface to access Google Assistant as you do on Android smartphones for tons of functionality without going to your computer. In addition, the Google Home Hub, as the center of your smart home/smart office, can link to Nest products along with about 1000+ other brands and some 10,000+ smart devices as well. You can use products with the Google Home Hub that are labeled that they're 'made for Google' or that they 'work with Google assistant.' To me, after researching this topic, the Google Home Hub exceeds the scope and capabilities of other smart hubs on the market.
So, you can link your Home Hub to all sorts of things in your home/office (you'll have to add, in some cases, connective items like smart plugs, smart lights, Chromecast to non-smart TV's, smart locks, smart speakers, smart thermostats, etc as you would with any smart home setup) and control them/access them through Home View, a swipe-down menu on your Google Home Hub to see your smart home devices room-by-room. You can set up new smart devices, which are then linked through your home/office Wi-Fi. Of course, you will also need to download Google Home app (iOS or Android) to your smartphone to complete setup of the Hub and to access your home/office smart devices when away from your Google Home Hub. Settings, then, are accessible through the Hub or Google Home on your phone for linked devices. The settings available will depend upon the linked device itself. On the Google Home Hub, you can group rooms or individual devices to control more than one item at the same time (certain room(s) lights in a group as an example). Initial setup is done using your Google account and the Google Assistant learns your voice during this phase. Others can use the Google Home Hub through their Google account as additional users. That way calendar entries, reminders, commute information etc will belong to the person using the Google Home Hub. During setup, or later, you can easily add parental controls to customize allowed information for your kids, or you can also set specific times where they cannot access Google Assistant.
There is no camera on the Google Home Hub. Many prefer this arrangement for privacy. If you feel a smart camera is needed, it can be added to your linked devices as with nearly anything else in your home/office - this includes smart cams and smart security cameras.
The Google Home Hub is small enough to fit almost anywhere. It is well-made and sturdy with a stable base. Clear and loud speakers are built-in along with a mute button and volume rocker, all on the back. It uses two far-field microphones so you can talk to it from across a large room in a normal voice. You can set it on your nightstand to use as an alarm clock too. Its ambient light sensor allows it to quickly adapt to a bright or dark room so that it's not too dim in ordinary light or too bright in dark rooms. If you have smart speakers in other locations of your home or office, you can use the Google Home Hub as an intercom system to save you steps to more remote portions of your home/office/shop or simply to check security camera feeds.
The Google Home Hub will access your Google Photos, if you like, to run a smart digital picture frame while it's idle. It will bring up YouTube videos for you as well as allow you to see your calendar, schedule appointments, reminders, watch the news and so much more. You can make phone calls from it as well.
Among its many other abilities is to stream free music from Spotify and Pandora along with some others. You'll need an account with the music providers, of course.
All in all, the Google Home Hub is well-made, sturdy and allows you to control your smart home/office/shop easily while giving you access to Google Assistant for nearly any sort of information you can think of tailored, of course, to your needs. Setup is straightforward and the Home View menu allows you to have at-a-glance notice of all your connected devices. In my opinion, it's a learn-as-you-go project since typical smart homes/offices/shops aren't built in a day, but that also gives you time to customize your smart network just how your preferences and budget allow. I recommend the Google Home Hub.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
+4points
4of 4voted this as helpful.
 
The reliable Brother HL-L3270CDW compact digital color printer is a great choice for the busy home or small office looking for laser printer performance. Quick print speeds of up to 25 pages per minute² plus manual feed slot accommodate varied printing needs and can handle a variety of paper types and sizes, including card stock, envelopes and more. Connect with versatile options, including built-in wireless, Ethernet or USB interfaces, and print wirelessly from mobile devices³. The 250-sheet capacity adjustable paper tray helps improve efficiency with fewer refills and handles letter- or legal-size paper. Automatic two-sided printing helps save on paper costs. Save time by creating custom shortcuts on the 2.7" color touch screen, which also enables you to print directly from popular cloud apps, including Dropbox, Google Drive, Evernote, OneNote and more⁴. Brother Genuine high-yield replacement toner cartridges help lower printing costs. Comes with a 1-year limited warranty and free online, call or live chat support for the life of your product.
 
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Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
Very nice color laser printer!
on October 30, 2018
Posted by: Telstar
from Columbia, MO
Brother - HL-L3270CDW Wireless Color Printer - White
The L3270 is printer-only, so no faxing or copying as you might using an all-in-one printer. For my use, I prefer a printer-only machine. I've had several other Brother printers over the years, all laser rather than inkjet printers. They were monotone/grayscale only (no color), which worked for me since much of my office printing could get by without color.
By the way, I hate inkjet printers. I've had many of those, too, before the laser printers. The ink cartridges were expensive and, the most irritating problem for me was the print head would somehow dry causing illegible or marginal quality when trying to print something. This meant that I had to clean the print heads, try it again, and if it didn't take care of the problem, clean the print heads again, and so forth. I don't want to ever go back to inkjets.
So, I got my first couple of Brother laser printers and loved them - one cartridge (dry) to deal with and none of the problems I faced with inkjets. Got an upgraded one later and loved it. I decided that the costs for a color laser printer weren't much more so that's when I got the L3270.
The L3270 is a good choice for your home or smaller office. The footprint of the L3270 is only slightly larger than my previous ones, so it sets in the same spot. The L3270 color laser printer requires 4 cartridges rather than 1. There are 3 different color cartridges with the 4th one being black. These take up more room than just a black cartridge for a monotone laser printer. If most of your printing is black & white, as is the case for me, you won't have to replace the color cartridges but once in a great while. It operates more quietly than my previous Brother laser printers, as well.
Here are some of the specs:
⦁ Up to 25 pages per minute
⦁ Has a manual feed slot, to override the paper tray if needed and 2-sided printing (Duplex) if desired (saves paper)
⦁ Handles letter size or legal size paper (up to 250 sheet paper tray)
⦁ Handles card stock, envelopes, plain or bond paper, labels, glossy paper etc
⦁ Connect by Wi-Fi, Ethernet or USB to your computer and print from your smartphones, tablets etc. Can even print through your phone's NFC if you want or Wi-Fi without using the network your printer in connected to.
⦁ Use the onboard 2.7" display to print directly from various cloud services or even social media sites. The display shows your toner levels in each cartridge and is easy to read and use for the printer settings.
I have to say that the quality of the L3270's printing output is very good. Whether you're talking about correspondence, graphics or photos, it does very well. You could use its output in-office or direct to clients because the product quality is excellent. Traditionally, laser printers have been behind photo-focused inkjet printers when it comes to quality photo printing. The L3270 does a good job with photos coming very close to inkjet quality and certainly exceeds requirements for business and marketing photos.
Few things to keep in mind:
1. Envelopes won't auto-feed so you have to run them through the manual feed slot
2. This thing is built to last, so no setting it on a cardboard box somewhere. It weighs about 39 lbs, but that won't be an issue with ordinary furniture.
3. Use the CD that comes with it to load the software onto your computer (of course, if you don't have a CD/DVD player then you'll need to download the software from Brother's website). I downloaded the necessary software from Brother, and everything went smoothly except when all was done and I tried to test print some things. It just said my printer was offline. The printer was hooked up by Wi-Fi and was on. Having been here before, I thought that, somehow, the drivers for the printer hadn't installed. Sure enough, they hadn't (that's why my computer said the printer was offline). Back to Brother's website & downloaded the drivers for the L3270 and everything was golden after that. I had assumed the drivers were part of the software package but not so in this case. Anyway, not the printer's fault. If you install the software from the CD, it will install everything needed. Afterward, it will update the software. Using the CD is more pedestrian, but for those not familiar with the setup it will just save you additional steps or a call to tech support.
Overall I am very well pleased with the L3270. It's quiet, sets where my old printer sat, is easier to use from the onboard display than my previous laser printers, and my costs will hardly be more than before. Of course, most of my printing is black & white, but now I have the advantage of printing in color when needed.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
+27points
27of 27voted this as helpful.
 
Relax and enjoy hands-free carpet and hard-floor cleaning with this ECOVACS robotic vacuum cleaner. Multiple cleaning modes and a Smart Motion system adapt to your floors, and you can control it with the ECOVACS app, Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. This ECOVACS robotic vacuum cleaner runs up to 120 minutes for complete floor coverage.
 
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Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Good Robot Vacuum all around
on October 26, 2018
Posted by: Telstar
from Columbia, MO
ECOVACS Robotics - DEEBOT N79SE App-Controlled Self-Charging Robot Vacuum - Espresso
We have another Deebot, model M81Pro, that we've had for a year. It's running strong and does a good job. The Deebot N79SE is very similar, perhaps a little smaller in overall size. However, it has a larger dust bucket with the same size vacuum roller brush and vacuum opening as the M81Pro and uses a Lithium-Ion battery whereas the M81Pro uses a Ni-Mh battery. I only mention these facts since the N79SE is, in most cases, an upgrade from the M81Pro, in my opinion.
The N79SE seems a little quicker in its overall operating speed and movements. I checked its running time and it ran about 1.5 hours with ratio of about 25% carpet and 75% hardwood/tile surfaces that it covered before needing recharging. Runtime will vary depending on floor surfaces, number of obstacles it must navigate etc.
As is typical with robot vacuums in this price range, the Deebot N79SE does not offer virtual boundries nor does it do a virtual scan map in its little head (sometimes called Smart NAVI) of the area where you turn it on to work. The N79SE simply takes off for a distance then turns to one side or another and continues repeating this process many times enabling it to cover the floor surface a number of times. It continues this noodling process and usually gets into most every space it can fit into.
It has the usual sensors so it won't run off steps and so it can navigate around furniture or other obstructions. Once it's reached its battery limit, it will head back to its charging station to power up. As is typical with other robot vacuums I'm familiar with, it may take it some time to find its charging station.
Overall, the N79SE does a good job vacuuming. It manages to collect a lot of dust, debris, hair etc so that you'll need to empty its bucket when it recharges. Occasionally you'll need to check its main brush for things that might get wrapped around it. It comes with a tool to remove this stuff. The filters on the dust bucket can be rinsed/washed easily, but you do need to check them probably every 2nd or 3rd use, which is easy since they're attached to the dust bucket.
It has a remote control so that you can control various actions: specifically direct it back to its charging dock before it's used up its battery power, to only run along baseboards for cleaning, to only clean one room (requires you to be able to shut off that room), to only spot-clean a particular area, to set timers so it will run whether you're home or not and other controls as well including an auto control so it will start and run itself.
It has an iOS or Android app for your smartphone that will do these things plus more while showing additional information the remote can't; however, the app/Deebot needs 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi to utilize the app. Older Wi-Fi routers provide the 2.4 GHz band with more modern routers providing 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands both. Mine has both bands, but for whatever reason, I wasn't able to set up the app on the 2.4 GHz band. I'm sure it's merely a setting buried somewhere in my router's firmware/software, or some step I'm missing involving my phone, but there you go - tech woes that seem to have nothing to do with the Deebot itself. While having the app connected to the Deebot through your Wi-Fi is useful, particularly if you want to control it while you're away from home, it isn't essential to the overall operation of the robot. You can use the remote for almost everything the app will do or you can just push the auto button on the top of the N79SE, and watch it take off. Of course, if Alexa's your thing, or Google Home, you'll want it connected to your Wi-Fi so you can use voice control.
The N79SE is a keeper. It's quick and keeps your floors looking good. Like any robot vacuum, clear your floors of problem items before using as you would if you were using the old Hoover upright - any small toys, clothing and cords/cables will get in the way no matter what you use.
For the money, this is a really good robot vacuum. If you need more in a robot vacuum, there are plenty of others, but they will cost you more too.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
+6points
6of 6voted this as helpful.
 
Track time and activities with this women's Michael Kors smart watch. The rose gold finish on the sturdy stainless steel bracelet adds a dressy touch to outfits, and the programmable options like tracking goals and taking selfies work with Android and iPhone devices. This Michael Kors smart watch records the number of calories burned exercising.
 
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5 out of 5
5
Beautiful, functional smart watch with style
on October 23, 2018
Posted by: Telstar
from Columbia, MO
Michael Kors - Access Smartwatch 41mm Stainless Steel - Rose Gold with Rose Gold Stainless Steel Band
This watch is very attractive to wear whether casually or dressed up. It comes in different finishes, but mine is Rose Gold, and with the 1.19" round amoled display, rose gold is an attractive contrast with the at-rest deep black face of the screen. While the body is 41 mm, it is not too large in appearance or use. With the stainless steel body and band, it will look good for a long time. There are other bands available should you need those. The watch face is customizable so that in style or color you can give your watch a new look or simply go with whatever color outfit you're wearing.
Here are some of the specific specifications:
• Powered by Wear OS by Google™ (includes start/stop music & listen even without phone, check weather, calendar events, reminders and more)
• Compatible with iPhone® and Android™ phones (download appropriate smartphone app, some features only available with Android phone)
• AMOLED Display: Active-Matrix Organic Light-Emitting Diode
• Social Media Updates
• Text/Email/Phone Call/Calendar Alerts
• App Notifications
• Smart Help From Google
• Built-In Fitness Tracking (steps, distance, heart rate, calories etc)
• Voice-Activated Google Assistant
• Heart Rate Tracking
• Swim-proof Technology (water resistant up to 30 M)
• Payment Technology (NFC) with Google Pay
• GPS Distance Tracking (locate places, turn-by-turn directions etc)
• Display Animation
• Clasp Fastening
• Extra Buckle Included To Use With Interchangeable Straps
• 2-Year Warranty
The Michael Kors Access Smartwatch will give you about 24 hours of use before recharging is needed (depending on the type and amount of use aside from just normal watch functions). It has a magnetic charger that attaches to the back of the watch so you don't have to fiddle getting the connection just right. It completely charges is about 1 hour.
It has three buttons on the right side as it faces you on your left wrist. The larger center pusher button powers on the watch and also accesses the watch menu for settings, apps etc. The smaller pusher buttons, one above and one below the larger center pusher, are programmable so that you can access preferred functions with just the push of a button.
Connectivity is through BT to your phone, but you can also connect through Wi-Fi as well. If you're connected to your home or office Wi-Fi you can do various things without going through your phone. There are other functions, such as GPS location, that does not require your phone.
Setup is a breeze. Follow the simple instructions in the box for setup access and then customize things to your heart's content. For instance, you can set it so that just a quick motion of your wrist will activate the display, or you can set it where you have to touch the screen for it to activate the display. There are many, many ways to customize nearly everything this watch can do.
The above is not an exhaustive list of characteristics or functions - there are others, for sure. I think you can see that this Michael Kors Access Runway Watch is very attractive, well made, durable and with much functionality whether in the fitness area or in smartphone-like uses while at home, at work or just out and about.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
-3points
0of 3voted this as helpful.
 
Sustain productivity almost anywhere with this 13.9-inch Lenovo Yoga convertible laptop. Its 12GB of RAM and Intel Core i7 processor handle bandwidth-intensive tasks, and it has a built-in pen garage to discreetly secure and charge a compatible stylus. Store and run programs efficiently on the 256GB solid-state drive of this Lenovo Yoga convertible laptop.Learn more.
 
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Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
Best laptop/2-in-1 I've ever used!
on October 11, 2018
Posted by: Telstar
from Columbia, MO
I’ve owned quite a few laptops over the last several years, including some really good ones, in particular an HP X360 beauty. In addition, I’ve had all sorts of tablets, desktops, you name it, nearly. Without any hesitation, the Yoga C930 is the BEST laptop/2-in-1 I’ve ever owned or used.
I have an HP All-in-1 desktop with an additional monitor at my desk, but I really needed a “complete” laptop/2-in-1 to supplement it for use away from my desk. I have a Samsung Chromebook Pro that is a delight to travel with – but, Chrome OS is limited compared to a Windows machine so mostly it’s used to surf the Web, check email, take notes, that sort of stuff, and it’s an excellent device for those things.
The Yoga C930 is a dream come true. It’s a beauty in appearance (there’s options available in that area too) with its all metal case and double-polished finish, and its manufacture is high-end without doubt. This device shouts quality in every way.
The Lenovo keyboard is superb for typing, keeping in the ThinkPad tradition; it’s backlit as well. The touchpad is at least as good as any I’ve used including Apple’s – smooth, precise with no hesitations. The fingerprint reader located to the lower right of the keyboard is faster than anything I’ve used before. It’s faster than a face scan with Windows Hello. I’ve never been able to sign in to a device as quickly and consistently. Of course, it boots up within a couple of seconds before using the fingerprint scanner, so it takes no time from hitting the power button and arriving at your desktop within just a few seconds afterward. I’m completely impressed with the speed and consistent performance of this. You can also use the fingerprint scanner for various online transactions where your identity must be verified.
My C930 has the FHD screen (1920 x 1080) touchscreen LED-LCD, which is fine by me. With Dolby Vision HDR the screen is sharp, and colors are beautiful. You can get a 4k screen, but for most users you’d be doing yourselves a disservice since it will take more battery reserve to run it, and unless you must do a lot of video/photo work, you truly will never miss the 4k screen. Of course, the 13.9” screen has narrow bezels so you’re looking at mostly image when viewing the screen. By the way, that helps keep the width of the device narrower than in days of yore, so the footprint is smaller with more actual screen available.

For me, the 14” category 2-in-1 is ideal – spacious screen, keyboard and touchpad while offering a device that’s very compact and portable. It only weighs 3 lbs. and is quite thin so carrying it around is not burdensome, particularly if you need all that the C930 offers.
If you want to use the C930 as your primary device, it has 2 USB-C 3.1 full-function ports (PD & DP) that are both Thunderbolt 3 ports as well. This means you can connect to a DisplayPort (DP) monitor, or HDMI and others with a dongle. Of course, with pass-through charging you can hook up a powered Thunderbolt or USB-C dock to your C930 and it will charge during use all with one cable connecting your device to your dock without the C930 being plugged into a wall outlet. With the Thunderbolt capability, you can run various high-speed peripherals, or ordinary USB-C peripherals. You also have a powered USB-A 3.1 port for docks or other accessories having USB-A connectors. Being powered means you can charge other devices from the USB-A port or power unpowered devices (unpowered docks or any other accessory that needs power to operate). An ordinary USB port provides limited power for items plugged into it, but some accessories require more power to operate properly so a powered USB port is better.
It comes with a 65w fast charger, so it doesn’t take very long at all to charge your C930. It uses one of the two USB-C ports for charging.
When setting up the Yoga it wasn’t plugged in and yet about 6 hours later I had about 50% battery charge left (I say about, but it was somewhere between 50% & 60%). I was downloading updates to Windows and installing software, so I know during regular office use this thing, on battery only, will go at least 10 hours. Lenovo says 14 hours, which may be a typical manufacturer claim, but, frankly, they’re not far off (they claim 9 hours for the 4k version C930). In short, you don’t have to look for an external power source with the Yoga C930 unless you start early and work all day long into the evening.
Usually, when setting up a device such as the C930, you're downloading updates, installing software and it is indexing all the new stuff for search purposes later. All this is one of the more intensive times of ownership when the device's CPU is running steadily and building up heat. This means the computer's fans are running steadily to keep it cool. I have to say that I did not notice the fans running at all during that time or since. I'm sure they run some (I've not even noticed the bottom of the C930 getting very warm while using it), but I say for the record that this is the quietest laptop/2-in-1 I've ever used as well. For those of you that have ever been distracted by the loud fan noise many laptops can make, you will appreciate the cooling efficiency of the Yoga C930 for it is quiet, very quiet!
The C930 has a Wacom screen (digitizer with an active stylus/pen for navigating in Windows or writing on documents, doing artwork etc.), which in my opinion is the best tech available for pen and screen. The beauty of the Yoga C930 is that the stylus is carried in its own silo or “garage” in the laptop itself. It’s located on the extreme right rear of the base and you just push in on its flush-mounted end so that it pops out slightly, so you can pull it out. The size of the active stylus is somewhere between the size of a Galaxy Note 8 or Note 9 phone’s S-pen and the typical larger stylus/pen you see with Surface Pros and other computers/tablets using pens. It charges while in its silo so there’s nothing to keep up with like batteries for the stylus, and it will operate many hours without a charge. And, typical of Wacom, it is a smooth experience using the stylus on the screen and it has 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity. Hand rejection is excellent. Yesterday I had a Word document open reading it and needed to make some changes/comments, so I just flipped the screen all the way back into tablet mode, pulled the stylus from its silo and started writing on the document – easy, simple and no extra thought involved. The stylus has two buttons with one being used to erase any errant marks or mistakes and the other can be used for different purposes.
The sound from the C930 is the best I’ve ever heard from a laptop/2-in-1. Lenovo has built into the hinge a revolving sound “bar” so that the twin speakers inside the bar are pointed at you no matter what configuration you use the C930. In addition, there are two down-firing speakers located very near the front edge of the base. However, the speakers in the sound bar alone are very loud and clear. Frankly, this speaker setup is the very best I’ve ever experienced in a laptop/2-in-1 device for clarity and volume. It is clearer and louder than the Bang & Olufsen speaker arrangements in my HP All-in-1 desktop – no kidding. Did I say that the sound bar is a Dolby Atmos speaker system? Well, that certainly adds to the phenomenal sound you get with the Yoga C930!
The other internal hardware is excellent. The Intel Core i7 is the 8th generation quad-core processor, 12 GB DDR4 RAM, and a 256 GB PCIe SSD – this thing is fast all the way around (it’s available with more RAM and larger SSD’s also). If your Wi-Fi is fast, downloading updates takes very little time compared to most other devices I’ve had (Wi-Fi is AC and it has Bluetooth 4.1 also).
GPU is the integrated Intel HD 620, which is powerful enough to handle regular office or home use. If you need more graphics processing power, get an eGPU unit (external GPU to increase graphics handling power) to plug into one of the Thunderbolt ports and to your external monitor. If you really need bigtime graphics ability (big, modern gaming, serious/professional video/photo work, serious/professional CAD work and the like), then the eGPU unit running through one of the Thunderbolt ports will serve you well. But don't worry about the HD 620 for it will easily handle all the regular stuff you want to do such as viewing videos, lighter gaming. typical office work, etc.
It also has a built-in HD webcam with stereo microphones (these are specifically long-range microphones, so it will pick up your conversation from across the room, or, if you’re talking very softly nearby, it will hear you with no problem). The webcam provides a Privacy Shutter you slide open to use or slide shut to guarantee privacy when not using the webcam.
As I said earlier, this is an excellent laptop/2-in-1 or even desktop replacement for office or home. It’s the best I’ve used in every category but one – the screen is 16:9, which is typical of most and preferred if you watch a lot of videos, but I’ve come to appreciate the 4:3 aspect screens (a little taller and more narrow), which is actually a little better suited for document work but just not as nice for video viewing. This isn’t a make or break thing but more a matter of viewing preference.
If you want a superb 2-in-1 for nearly every possible use situation (did I say the best I've ever used?), this is the one! You won’t be disappointed.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
+10points
15of 20voted this as helpful.
 
Take in the scenery with this Parrot ANAFI drone. The robust, compact design lets you carry it wherever the trail takes you, and the drone unfolds easily when it's time for flight. The camera captures beautiful 4K images and video, and this Parrot ANAFI drone keeps your footage smooth with its three-axis image stabilization.Fly Responsibly:Before takeoff, update all software and firmware, and read the instructions thoroughly.See the FAA website for registration requirements and information about flying a drone safely: https://www.faa.gov/uas/getting_started/. Additional state or local requirements may apply. Check your local jurisdiction. The following websites may help you make informed decisions about flying your drone: www.knowbeforeyoufly.org and www.modelaircraft.org.
 
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Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
Very Nice Drone/Excellent Camera
on September 2, 2018
Posted by: Telstar
from Columbia, MO
Understand that I've never owned a drone or flew one before the Parrot ANAFI, nor have I ever flown RC planes.
The ANAFI is well-built, more toward lightness and flexibility than heaviness and rigidness. So far, I've not found it to be fragile or delicate in any way, but from watching many videos of drone flights, any drone flown into a solid object may result in damage -- it just goes with flying objects impacting with solid objects. I mention this to first-time buyers to make you aware that this is a flying device moving in 3 dimensions so ease into it and take your time. The twin joysticks on the controller take practice and time so that you don't have to think about the controls and those movements become muscle-memory, automatic. Once that's accomplished, you can begin speeding things up a step at a time as you acclimate to properly control a flying drone. The result of the slow and steady approach is an undamaged drone, which means more enjoyment of your purchase. By the way, if you panic for some reason just let the joysticks spring back to their neutral positions and the drone will stop and simply hover in place until you figure out what you want it to do.
My flying time with one battery is about 25 minutes as advertised depending on wind conditions. The ANAFI can handle winds very well, but it takes more energy to fight winds whether moving or simply hovering. For its size and weight, I believe it has very good performance in this area, but calmer days simply mean more actual time in the air. The ANAFI's battery and the controller's battery are both recharchable by USB-C. I use my Samsung Note8's fast charger to charge both. From mostly depleted to full strength they take about 1.5 hours to recharge completely. The controller battery's charge lasts longer, but that's probably because its battery is larger. You can even use battery packs to charge if you're away from a plug, or you can purchase extra ANAFI batteries to extend your time in the field.
The camera is capable of shooting 4K video (with HDR or not) or 21 mpx still shots or at lesser resolutions if you prefer. The gimble (thing that allows the camera to swivel and move independently of the drone) will allow it to go from straight up to straight down and anywhere in between. It has a button close to your finger to quickly center the camera to straight ahead. It has both lossless zoom and standard zoom.
You need a smartphone to use with the controller as the screen. You install the FreeFlight app on it, and it provides a wealth of information to tell you all about your drone while in flight as well as providing programmed flight programs so that it will fly automatically for various video shots. The controller will accept even larger phones if, as in my case with the Note8, you take the phone case off first. Smaller phones can be left in their case, but the Note8, iPhone 8+ and some others will require you to remove the phone case before using it with the controller. There are some aftermarket holders available that will allow you to use even tablets with the controller if you prefer a larger screen. Of course, the screen provides a way to change settings in the app as well as to watch the streaming video or stills while the drone is in flight. The ANAFI has a removable microSD card to record your video/stills. You can use larger microSD cards than the 16 GB card it comes with.
The ANAFI does not have object avoidance sensors as some other drones have. This means you pilot the drone with no help other than watching what the camera is showing you while flying straight ahead. Drones that have avoidance sensors will help the drone automatically avoid objects -- say you're flying backward recording a drop away view behind your direction of travel and it's coming upon an object (tree, flagpole etc) that you don't know is there. If it has rear sensors, it will help the drone move to avoid the object without your input. Some drones only have sensors on the front, or front and back, while some have additional sensors on the sides too. Normally, drones with avoidance sensors can be expected to cost more, but sensors, while undoubtedly helpful, are not perfect and do sometimes miss smaller objects (some tree branches etc). All of this depends on the object and the quality and quantity of the drone's sensors. Many pilots fly drones without avoidance sensors so it's really up to you and what you want to pay.
Frankly, there are many other things to talk about that the ANAFI offers through its software app and additional aspects of the drone itself -- too much to cover it all here. Suffice to say that the arms of the drone (at the ends of which are the motors/propellers) fold against the body so that it can be put in its little travel case to pack in a suitcase or attach to a backpack. In other words, it's very portable, unlike some larger and heavier drones.
As a first-time pilot I believe if you take your time actually learning to fly the ANAFI, you'll be very pleased with it for the money. While this is my first drone, I've read many articles about them and watched many hours of videos about the ANAFI and other brand drones. For a better-equipped drone expect to ordinarily pay more money, but know that the ANAFI isn't a toy but rather a quality drone as well as a very capable platform for professional grade video and stills.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
 
Watch classic and modern flicks on this Samsung Blu-ray player. It supports 4K televisions and monitors for enjoying exceptional picture quality, and its HDR technology delivers deeper contrast and improved details. The built-in Bluetooth on this Samsung Blu-ray player lets you watch content on your mobile device while it's playing on another display.
 
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Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Excellent Streaming 4K Blu-Ray Player
on August 2, 2018
Posted by: Telstar
from Columbia, MO
This machine has it all - 4K, streaming, Blu-Ray, CD,s, DVD's, advanced audio (Dolby 7.1), HDR supported, BT, Wi-Fi, displays 360 degree photos & video, will scale lower resolution video upward, good color and picture for sure, surround sound capable, with, of course, apps to use Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Video, Internet, various music services and many more.
In short, the M9700 Samsung 4K Blu-Ray player is a Samsung concentric hub for your home theater. In most cases, this device can be your only "box" in the media mix - unless you're a gamer then just add your game console of choice.
My only con is with the remote - it's small and simple to use, but mine seems to work sometimes rather than all the time. Don't know if that's just an intermittent connection in the battery case or something else. Also (I don't think this has anything to do with the 9700) my sound isn't synced with the movie (Blu-Ray or 4K) - you must have High Speed HDMI cables to your TV and sound system and I suspect my so-called High Speed HDMI cable is flaky. I didn't see any other reviewers comment on this so I'm convinced it's not the 9700. My suggestion is to be sure you have a bonafide High Speed/HD+ HDMI cable(s) on hand.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
+3points
3of 3voted this as helpful.
 
Get a better view of the enemy in dark spaces with this 27-inch Acer Predator XB2 gaming monitor. Full HD and NVIDIA G-SYNC and ULMB technology decrease blur and ghosting to make images clearer. The lightning-fast 240Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time of this Acer Predator XB2 gaming monitor mean your shot reaches the target faster.
 
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Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
Fast & Powerful Gaming Monitor!
on June 22, 2018
Posted by: Telstar
from Columbia, MO
The Acer - XB272 27" LED FHD GSync Monitor is a perfect match for a high-end gaming setup.
Just looking at it, it’s a nice-looking piece of equipment. The stand is heavy and stable. You can adjust the monitor to just about any position you can think of – high, low, tilt up or down, pivot right or left, twist from landscape to portrait, or anywhere in between. This thing has tiny bezels so that almost everything you’re looking at is screen!
It comes with a quality USB3 cable with a USB-B connector on one end and a USB-A connector on the other. You plug the B end into the monitor and the A end into a USB3 A port in your computer. This activates four (4) USB3 A ports on the back of the monitor to hook up your peripheral devices (one of those four A ports is a fast-charge port too). It also comes with a HDMI cable and a DisplayPort (DP) cable to connect with your computer. While it has 2 small speakers built-in, it has an audio out port for headphones or better speakers. It also offers a full compliment of adjustment controls beside the on switch on the bottom right, so they’re easily accessible without leaving your chair – you can customize your view to your heart’s content. It has another on/off switch beside the power port on the back where you plug in your electric cord. It also comes with a 3-year warranty and Predator Premium Service if you need tech support.
With the 240 Hz and G-Sync (syncs the refresh rate between the monitor and your GPU), your days of graphics blurring/stuttering and/or tearing are over. Your GPU can actually work to its potential rather than being limited by lower Hz monitors without G-Sync. If your machine can push high frame rates, this is the monitor for you because you’ll see smoother gameplay than you’ve ever seen. Response time of 1ms means instant reaction on the screen too, so if you miss a shot, it’s all on you! Of course, to take full advantage of the 240 Hz refresh rate, your computer will need a DP port for this monitor and a very powerful GPU. HDMI can’t carry that kind of load. You can also expect good color quality and a very good contrast ratio (1000:1).
**One item I couldn’t check out was the 3D Vision it offers – that requires 3D compatible software, a NVidia 3D Vision glasses kit and compatible Nvidia 3D graphics card.
**This is truly a gaming monitor – if you do not have a high-powered computer designed for gaming, don’t bother with this monitor. Aside from a quality-built monitor with an easily adjustable screen, you won’t be able to take advantage of the high refresh rate (fps), G-Sync or 3D**
This monitor is beautiful and powerful. If you want to game, and get the most out of your gaming rig, this is the one to get!!!
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
+5points
5of 5voted this as helpful.
 
Replenish the battery life of an Apple or Android device with this 10W Belkin wireless charger. It provides fast charging speeds to save time in your busy day, and it minimizes electromagnetic noise to ensure full device functionality. This white Belkin wireless charger is compatible with phones that have plastic cases up to 3mm thick.
 
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Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
Dynamite Wireless Charger!
on June 21, 2018
Posted by: Telstar
from Columbia, MO
The Belkin - BOOST↑UP 10W Qi Certified Wireless Charging Pad for iPhone/Android is an excellent wireless charger. It has a 5' cord and its own power brick you must plug into an outlet. The charging pad is solidly built with a "grippy" base so that it will remain where you place it. It has a softer, "grippy" ring on the pad surface so your phone doesn't slide around at all. It sports a light on the front of the pad that stays lit while charging. I have a Galaxy Note 8 with a slip-on case and my wife has a Sony Xperia XZ2 with a similar slip-on case. Both in their cases charge on the charging pad with no issues. I also have a Samsung Wireless Fast Charge pad on my desk that I've had for a few months. I compared charging my Note 8 on the Samsung to the Belkin, and the Belkin consistently charges faster for the same battery percent gained! Now, the Belkin doesn't convert into an upright holder while charging as the Samsung does, but the Belkin does charge faster!
If your phone supports NFC/Qi fast charging, I think you'll like this wireless charger - solid craftsmanship and fast charging. What's not to like?
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
 
Clean your home with voice command or app-based programs by using this Samsung robot vacuum. Its digital camera and nine sensors let it find its way around, avoiding obstacles and mapping the most efficient path through your home. Wi-Fi connects this powerful Samsung robot vacuum to your smart home systems.
 
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Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Very nice PowerBot robot vacuum!
on May 31, 2018
Posted by: Telstar
from Columbia, MO
The Samsung - POWERbot™ R7065 App-Controlled Self-Charging Robot Vacuum is an improvement over the slightly earlier model we have and still use because we’re well pleased with it.
For those not acquainted with the Samsung Powerbot, it is a powerhouse robotic vacuum. You set it on its charging stand in the room you need vacuumed, and when it’s fully charged, simply hit the Auto Clean button on the top of the Powerbot or a similar button on the included remote, and the Powerbot scans the room area above it using the onboard camera as it lays out a grid for the room. It then takes off along the lines of the grid it has established until its charge is down to about 15%. It will then head to its charging stand where it will charge back up and then finish its job, if the room is large enough to require additional vacuuming.
Of course, the R7065 may be controlled in several ways: the buttons on the top of the Powerbot, the buttons on the included remote, the “buttons” in the Powerbot app for your Android or Apple phone, or you can even use some voice commands. You will need to use the app on your phone if you want the Powerbot tied into your smart home Wi-Fi network and to use voice commands. The Powerbot offers Auto Clean, Spot Clean, Manual Clean and Repeat Clean modes. You will find that Auto Clean is probably the most useful setting overall since you can get it started and then leave it alone until checking on it later. Most of the other modes, while useful at times, require more manual attention and control.
It offers 3 suction settings. If set on one of the lower two settings, it will automatically move to the higher setting if it encounters rugs/carpet. You may set it on the most powerful suction setting to begin with if you prefer, and it will stay there until you change it. The lower settings will allow the battery charge to last longer, but you will have reduced suction power; however, the lower settings may be all you need depending on the condition of the surface in question, and it will clean hard or carpeted surfaces alone or in combination.
The Powerbot does an excellent job of cleaning. The brush has been improved to include brush bristles coupled with rubber “paddles” (these remind you of the paddles on a river steamboat). With the power available and the improved brush, it does a really good job of vacuuming. The dust bin is easily removable for cleaning and is large enough to not require emptying for each little room. You will be amazed at how much stuff it picks up! The filters are washable with two provided. In addition to normal floor cleaning, it will clean along the baseboards as well as in corners assuming it can reach them.
The Powerbot can be scheduled to clean as well. You set the time of day, whether it’s just once and done, or if it should clean at the same time each day.
While it can get hung up on something, it’s powerful with large drive wheels so it can negotiate most areas. Its sensors keep it from running off elevated floors or steps as well. Word to the wise – look over the area you mean for it to clean and remove anything that will get in its way (power cords, small toys etc.) as you would do if you were using a manual vacuum cleaner in the same room. Also, the first time or so you use it, check on it fairly often. You may find it needs some larger objects moved slightly so it can get behind them or even to block an area that’s like a small box canyon where it may have a tough time navigating back out of. Once you’ve learned any issues in that area, you’ll feel better leaving it to itself without worrying too much about it getting caught in a bind.
A word about the charging station: plug it in in the room you want the Powerbot to work. The charging station emits a signal to the Powerbot, so it can find its way back to it when the battery runs low. If the station is a couple rooms away, it may not have a strong enough signal to navigate back to it. Also, place the charging station with its back against the wall with some space on either side. That way your Powerbot has room to maneuver itself onto the charging contacts. It must approach it head-on to make proper contact for recharging.
I’ve found that the most efficient way to let the Powerbot run automatically is to set it near the middle of the room facing it to run with the length of the room at a 90-degree angle from the side walls. You want it to run so that its path is equidistant from the side walls along its path where possible. In other words, letting it run instead at some other angle in a rectangular or square room will use the charge more quickly since it will have to stop and turn more to get lined up to go back the opposite direction – remember, it works on a grid it’s mapped in its little brain.
The Powerbot has more sensors than previous ones so that it does a better job of not running into furniture; however, it “seems” hesitant in constricted areas because it’s navigating to better avoid table legs and such. This is a good thing – more sensors on a robotic vacuum better enable it to do its job.
There’s a couple of things I would like to see improved: 1) Its ability to return more directly and quickly to the charging station. When it senses the need to recharge, the suction will quit, and it will maneuver toward the charging station. If there are a number of objects in a direct line between it and the charging station, it will end up turning and backing many times to where it can sometimes get going down a route that actually takes it further from the charging station. If it could sense the charging station while “seeing” what lies between and take a clearer route, even if it’s a little longer, it would arrive at the station in less time than it sometimes does. 2) It would helpful if when scheduling the Powerbot to vacuum you had the option of selecting a few days for it to run instead of once and done or everyday at the set time. That way you could have it work two or three days a week instead of just once or every day as your choices.
The Powerbot is a great vacuum and will do a really good job. My final word for your peace of mind is to not watch it too closely. At first it’s fascinating to watch it maneuver and do its job, but if you can get past that and just let it work while you go do something else, it won’t drive you crazy while it’s finding a path around things – and it will – but we humans see the layout clearly in the room and we end up unconsciously urging it to go this way or that way as the best path when we watch it. Robotic vacuums have their own way to find where they need to go, but it will be more complicated and perhaps slower than our way – let it alone and go wash the dog or something. You’ll be more relaxed if you do!
My Best Buy number: 3306084002
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
 
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With the 10th Gen Intel® Core™ i7 processors enabling up to 8-cores and 16-threads of multi-threaded performance, the latest generation of Alienware m17 goes beyond its predecessor. Featuring the new NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 with Ultimate performance for gamers and creators. Realistic ray-traced graphics and AI-accelerated DLSS. Our latest thermal technology, Advanced Alienware Cryo-Tech, is an engineering approach where an Alienware system’s gaming performance is never compromised by means of electrical and mechanical methods while maintaining system stability during the highest performance states.
 

Can you put more nvme ssd disks?, it should have capacity for 2 extras

Yes, 2 slots are for 2280's up to 2 TB each and one slot for a 2230 up to 512GB. On the 2280 slots it will allow you to set up a RAID 0 or 1 arrangement.
3 years ago
by
Telstar
 
Work or play on the go with this Dell G5 15 notebook. The 15.6-inch FHD display delivers a clear crisp picture, while the NVIDIA GTX 1660 Ti graphics card supports most modern games. This Dell G5 15 notebook has a 256GB SSD and 1TB hard drive for ample storage and quick file access, and the Intel Core i7 processor and 16GB of RAM offer quick multitasking.
 

Is the keyboard 4 zone RGB Backlit?

4 zone is an option on this model, but this one has blue back-lighting
4 years, 9 months ago
by
Telstar
 
Work or play on the go with this Dell G5 15 notebook. The 15.6-inch FHD display delivers a clear crisp picture, while the NVIDIA GTX 1660 Ti graphics card supports most modern games. This Dell G5 15 notebook has a 256GB SSD and 1TB hard drive for ample storage and quick file access, and the Intel Core i7 processor and 16GB of RAM offer quick multitasking.
 

Does this have a thunderbolt 3 port ?

Yes, it has a USB-C DP/ISB-C Thunderbolt port among other types of ports
4 years, 9 months ago
by
Telstar
 
Work or play on the go with this Dell G5 15 notebook. The 15.6-inch FHD display delivers a clear crisp picture, while the NVIDIA GTX 1660 Ti graphics card supports most modern games. This Dell G5 15 notebook has a 256GB SSD and 1TB hard drive for ample storage and quick file access, and the Intel Core i7 processor and 16GB of RAM offer quick multitasking.
 

I tried to spec this same setup on Dell and it's impossible to combine a 9750 processor and a 60Hz monitor. Only 9750 options they have are standard with a 144Hz monitor so does this come with a 60hz or 144 hz monitor? Someone please confirm?

I'm running a 532D850 32" Samsung monitor through the Dell's miniDP port at 60Hz while running a HP 25" gaming monitor through the HDMI port of the Dell at 144Mz. The laptop screen is running from the Intel UHD 630 chip at 60Mz
4 years, 9 months ago
by
Telstar
 
Work or play on the go with this Dell G5 15 notebook. The 15.6-inch FHD display delivers a clear crisp picture, while the NVIDIA GTX 1660 Ti graphics card supports most modern games. This Dell G5 15 notebook has a 256GB SSD and 1TB hard drive for ample storage and quick file access, and the Intel Core i7 processor and 16GB of RAM offer quick multitasking.
 

Hi, Is this laptop capable to operate in Europe? Specifically France? As far I know, USA and Europe have different Power type.

You will need a power adapter specific to the country where you'll be using it.
4 years, 9 months ago
by
Telstar
 
Protect yourself in the event of an accident with this ESCORT dash cam. The built-in collision detection system stores important footage in the event of a crash, and Wi-Fi connectivity lets you instantly share data with your insurance company. This ESCORT dash cam uses super-capacitor technology to keep recording, even in extreme temperatures.
 

the BestBuy site recommeds buying 128gb card, however the Escort website says: Q: What is the largest size microSD card I can use with the Escort M1? A: The Escort M1 supports up to 32GB microSD cards. WICH SIZE IS THE CAM MEM. LIMITED TO?

There are people using 128GB cards with the M1 with no problems. I don't know if you can use larger cards or not, but up to 128GB cards are being used with no issues
4 years, 11 months ago
by
Telstar
 
Experience the ultimate in FHD gaming graphics with this 24.5-inch HP 25X display. A smoother gaming experience with sharper, cleaner details is provided by a display that refreshes 144 times per second, while the micro-edge design provides ultra-wide, seamless viewing. The stand on this HP 25X display has a 100mm range of motion, making it easy to position for your comfort level.
 

How can I connect my mouse and keyboard because I’m new to this?

Your mouse and keyboard will connect to your computer. The monitor also connects to your computer so no direct connection between your monitor, mouse and keyboard.
5 years, 4 months ago
by
Telstar
 
Enjoy totally immersive gameplay with this bold and powerful HP Pavilion gaming desktop. Lag is nonexistent thanks to AMD Radeon RX 580 graphics, while high-speed performance is provided by an AMD Ryzen processor and 8GB of DDR4 RAM. Interior expansion slots allow for upgrades that ensure your HP Pavilion gaming desktop remains up to date.
 

How many RAM slots does this have, and how many are used when you buy it?

It has 2 RAM slots with an 8GB stick in one slot when you buy it. It can handle up to 32GB of RAM
5 years, 4 months ago
by
Telstar
 
Enjoy totally immersive gameplay with this bold and powerful HP Pavilion gaming desktop. Lag is nonexistent thanks to AMD Radeon RX 580 graphics, while high-speed performance is provided by an AMD Ryzen processor and 8GB of DDR4 RAM. Interior expansion slots allow for upgrades that ensure your HP Pavilion gaming desktop remains up to date.
 

Here on the Best Buy description says 3 display ports, but on the Hp site doesn’t show any. So is it true this product has 3 display ports or at least 1???

Out of the RX 580 it has 3 DP ports and 1 HDMI port
5 years, 4 months ago
by
Telstar
 
Enjoy totally immersive gameplay with this bold and powerful HP Pavilion gaming desktop. Lag is nonexistent thanks to AMD Radeon RX 580 graphics, while high-speed performance is provided by an AMD Ryzen processor and 8GB of DDR4 RAM. Interior expansion slots allow for upgrades that ensure your HP Pavilion gaming desktop remains up to date.
 

Can this computer run UHD 4K movies? I asked a bestbuy employee and he told me this would not. That it would suffer. That I should go instead with another HP. That the chip is old. Is this right?? I want for Black Friday.

DisplayPort resolution: 5120 x 2880 @ 60Hz
HDMI resolution: 4096 x 2160 @ 60Hz ( HDMI 2.0)
5 years, 4 months ago
by
Telstar