FlyingC's stats
- Review count204
- Helpfulness votes297
- First reviewNovember 28, 2015
- Last reviewMay 4, 2024
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.6
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- Answer count15
- Helpfulness votes50
- First answerSeptember 20, 2016
- Last answerNovember 10, 2021
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Keep your SoundLink Revolve or Revolve+ Bluetooth speaker charged and ready to go, with the SoundLink Revolve charging dock. It’s a convenient home base for your speaker, and you can play your music while it charges. Just plug the wall charger included with your speaker into the cradle. Available in Black.
Customer Rating
5
This cradle won't fall
on April 6, 2017
Posted by: FlyingC
from Stillwater, OK
This is a great add-on to the new Bose speaker. You can plug the charger (that comes with the speaker) into this and then forget about it. The speaker has charging contacts on the bottom that link up when the speaker magnetically snaps into place. You only have to make sure you have the speaker facing in the right general direction which is pretty obvious.
The speaker plays some tones each time you set it in place or remove it from the charger. The battery indicator on top of the speaker also lets you know at a glance if you're charging or fully charged. Even though I don't plan to move the speaker around a lot and run on battery, it's still nice having the charging cradle for those occasional times I want to move it.
Also, I've noticed that the speaker stays on and connected to my phone's bluetooth indefinitely while it's on the charging cradle. My older portable Bose speaker would go to sleep eventually even when it was on a/c power, and I always found that to be a little annoying. If I do want to have it go to sleep eventually (like listening to music before going to sleep), then I just take it off the cradle so it's on battery. Then, in the morning I can set it back on the cradle to charge up.
While not absolutely necessary to have one of these for your Revolve, I don't think you would regret the purchase.
My Best Buy number: 2793338391
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Deep. Loud. And immersive, too. SoundLink Revolve+, the best-performing portable Bluetooth speaker from Bose, delivers true 360° sound for consistent, uniform coverage. Place it in the center of the room to give everyone the same experience. Or set it near a wall so sound radiates and reflects. This wireless speaker is durable, water-resistant and easy to grab and go - with a rechargeable battery that plays up to 16 hours.
Customer Rating
5
Revolve+
on April 6, 2017
Posted by: FlyingC
from Stillwater, OK
I've had an older Bose speaker, the Soundlink mobile II, for quite a few years and always really liked it. I was curious to see if this latest model was a big improvement. It most definitely is an improvement and has quickly become a fixture in our home. The biggest endorsement came from my wife when I played the first song through it and she said "We need this!"
Since the sound quality always seems to be great with Bose products, the biggest improvement with this speaker over my old one is the omni-directional sound. It literally sounds the same no matter what direction away you are. This capability is comparable to what you get with speakers like the Amazon Echo and Google Home. However, I have a Google Home to compare it with and the Bose sounds way better (I don't have an Echo to compare).
I also like the design and shape of the Revolve+. The slightly larger base makes it very stable and not as likely to get tipped over by something like, say, a cat. The buttons on top are intuitive to use and the carrying strap works well. I found it super easy to sync up to my phone. The directions, if you even need to look at them, are very simple and to-the-point in typical Bose fashion.
I really haven't found anything about this speaker yet that I don't like, or even any missing feature I wish it had. It's a great, portable speaker and I highly recommend it.
My Best Buy number: 2793338391
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Clean carpets, couches and stairs easily with this adaptable Dyson Ball Animal vacuum. Various attachments, including a tangle-free turbine tool, a multi-angle brush and a stair tool make pet hair removal quick and simple. The Dyson Ball Animal vacuum comes with a generous 35-foot cord, making it ideal for larger homes.
Customer Rating
5
It's an animal!
on March 19, 2017
Posted by: FlyingC
from Stillwater, OK
When I'm trying to decide whether to buy a new tool of some kind, I'm most interested in answering three questions: 1) Does it do a good job? 2) Is it easy to use and maintain? 3) Will it hold up to use? After using this Dyson for a few days, I'd say the answer is "yes" to the first two. The last question is always harder to answer, but at least with this model it comes with a 5-year full parts and labor warranty. That tells me Dyson is pretty confident it will be durable.
Compared to other vacuums I've used, this one definitely seems to have the strongest suction. The roller brush also seems to very thoroughly clean carpet and rug surfaces. Best of all, the head automatically adjusts to different surfaces just like they advertise. We have a mix of carpet, ceramic tile, and hard wood floors with throw rugs scattered around. It really is a breeze to vacuum over the solid surfaces and rugs without having to do anything other than tap the roller brush switch on and off.
The long hose, wand, and turbine attachment allowed me to do our entire carpeted staircase with the vacuum sitting at the bottom--something I've not been able to do with any other vacuum. The turbine brush appears to clean the stair carpet very well, too. I also like the fact you can change between the floor head and the wand without having to manually switch the air flow. When you lock it in the upright position, it automatically switches suction to the hose.
I found the vacuum to be easy to maneuver around things and even into corners. I couldn't go straight under the cabinet toe kicks in the kitchen because of the way the roller head sticks up in the middle, but I could easily turn parallel and run either edge of it under the cabinets. The ball design with its low center of gravity makes it easy to twist the handle and change directions without too much effort.
Maintenance seems like it'll be easy. It was definitely convenient to empty the canister into the trash using the push button on the handle. After giving it a couple of taps on the inside of the trash can, everything was cleared out. We have multiple cats and a black lab so there was a significant amount of hair to empty, but I never had to reach up inside the canister to clear it.
The manual says the two filters should be rinsed at least every two months. I was pretty skeptical when I first read that since one of the filters is inside the cyclone canister. On other vacuums, this filter always got dirty fast. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see no dirt on the filter after I vacuumed the entire house. It really might go a couple months between cleanings.
The other filter is on the motor inside the ball. I had trouble removing it according to the directions and ended up calling support to make sure I was doing it correctly. I was, but I just needed to really put some torque into it to break the filter out of the housing. When it finally did come loose, my hand hit the roller head causing a pretty nasty slice on one of my knuckles. However, it's now easy to attach and remove, so just be careful that first time you remove it.
There are only a couple of minor things I don't like about the vacuum, and they may or may not be an issue for you. One is you need to unwind the entire cord in order to use the hose and wand because the top cord hook is on the wand. Another issue is the push button on/off switch. You can't really tell by looking at it if it's on or off, and it's apparently easy to get pushed when moving the vacuum around after use. Several times now I've plugged the cord into the wall and had the vacuum unexpectedly leap to life.
Last, there was no place to store the turbine tool. The support person said they sell a small bag to hold all the attachments, but the other two tools already have a nice little storage attachment on the vacuum. Eventually, I figured out you can snap the tool into the wand on the top of the vacuum before you put it away. Then, when you need to use it next, just unwind the cord, pull the wand out, pop the tool off, and then carry it with you while you vacuum.
Overall, I like the vacuum. It does the job very well, it's easy to maintain, and time will tell if it's durable. At least I know I'll have a good, solid vacuum for the next 5 years while it's under warranty.
My Best Buy number: 2793338391
I would recommend this to a friend!
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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.
Customer Rating
2
Maybe not quite ready?
on January 11, 2017
Posted by: FlyingC
from Stillwater, OK
The new whole home WiFi system concept is a great idea, but I'm afraid the Velop implementation doesn't quite work for me. I had problems setting it up initially and continue to have glitches while it's working. I've tried two different Internet connections, one at home and one I have at the office, but the Velop had problems in both locations. The issues are probably all things that can be fixed in software, but for the price of this system I would expect it to be much easier to get working and also be more stable right out of the box.
I currently use another tri-band whole home WiFi system that has been perfectly solid and took less than 15 minutes to install both the base and an extender. That's the experience I expected with the Velop in the same environment, but for some reason it had lots of trouble.
During the initial setup I was always able to connect to the node via the app, but it would never discover my router/modem connection to the Internet. Eventually it took me into the "manual" setup where I entered the SSID and password from the base of the node to get connected to it and finish the setup. However, the Internet connection did not work even though it showed it had the correct IP address. I tried the other two nodes to see if it was just a hardware issue, but they all had similar problems. Eventually, I manually renewed the DHCP address via the app just to see if it would work (it did) and then I suddenly had Internet access from my device via the WiFi. However, even now in the Linksys app dashboard it says the node is "Offline" and the Internet icon has an 'x' on it, yet I'm able to connect to things on the Internet just fine. I can even do a speed test from within the app and it works perfectly. I know these are issues I can probably spend time on the phone with support to resolve, but it's disappointing that this is necessary.
Beyond these problems, there are several missing features compared to other WiFi systems that make it a product I wouldn't recommend to my friends. First, it doesn't appear that you can configure a DHCP address reservation on the LAN which is something I've done on all my routers for a particular media server and occasionally things like a Raspberry PI that I need to connect to.
Next, the Velop nodes do not have USB ports so they have no capability for adding a flash/external disk drive for network storage. This is a feature I've come to use over the years and definitely miss that capability. Finally, the nodes only have two wired Ethernet ports, so where I've always had at least 3 ports available on my router for a DVR, UPS, etc. now there is only one available. Yes, I could buy a switch for those connections but that's another miss in my book. I'd rather sacrifice the nice monolith form factor and have a few more network ports available.
If you've got some areas of your house where the WiFi signal from your single router is weak or non-existent, a whole home WiFi system is a great solution. Unfortunately, I just think there are better solutions available today than this one.
My Best Buy number: 2793338391
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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Arlo Pro takes the worrying out of life with the 100% Wire-Free indoor/outdoor home monitoring system. Arlo Pro includes rechargeable batteries, motion and sound-activated alerts, 2-way audio, a 100+ decibel siren, and 7 days of free cloud HD video recordings. Arlo covers every angle to help keep you safe and protected.
Customer Rating
5
A great wireless camera system
on January 8, 2017
Posted by: FlyingC
from Stillwater, OK
I’ve used a wired camera DVR system (first SVAT then Swann) around my house for the last 15 years. I’ve also used a wireless Foscam PTZ indoors that I can move around to more closely watch pets as needed. These all worked pretty well, but I always thought it would be nice to have cameras covering our horse barn that’s over 300’ from the house. I looked at the Arlo cameras when they first came out, but didn’t like the idea of the non-rechargeable batteries, plus I doubted the wireless would reach that far. When the Pro version came out with rechargeable batteries, I decided to give them a try.
The specs on the box say the range is “up to 300 feet line of sight.” Google maps showed the distance from my base unit to the location in my barn where I wanted to place the camera to be 382 feet, and not exactly a clear line of sight either (there are a couple of trees in the way). I tried it anyway, and it worked! I have two cameras in the barn and they both work perfectly. The signal strength in the app shows 1 to 2 bars (out of 3) which amazes me. The cameras are also listed as operating from -4 to 113 F, and yesterday it got down to 1 F and they had no problems at all.
I’m definitely happy with these cameras and would recommend them to anyone needing wireless outdoor cameras. I’ll go into more details and some pros and cons below.
Pros:
Rechargeable batteries
Excellent wifi range
Easy set up
Magnetic mounts quick to install and easy to adjust
Useful motion sensing and alert programming
Night infrared illumination is excellent
Picture quality is excellent
Free cloud storage of video
Rechargeable batteries
Excellent wifi range
Easy set up
Magnetic mounts quick to install and easy to adjust
Useful motion sensing and alert programming
Night infrared illumination is excellent
Picture quality is excellent
Free cloud storage of video
Possible cons, depending on your situation:
Adds a wifi SSID, NTGR_VMB_xxxxx
Magnetic mounts = easy theft
Cloud storage of video, if your Internet isn’t reliable; also 1Mbps upload speed minimum
Can’t customize the push alert sound
Adds a wifi SSID, NTGR_VMB_xxxxx
Magnetic mounts = easy theft
Cloud storage of video, if your Internet isn’t reliable; also 1Mbps upload speed minimum
Can’t customize the push alert sound
Setup and installation was super easy. I just followed the quick start guide and got the two cameras synced and immediately started getting motion alerts since “armed” mode was on by default. The default modes are Armed, Disarmed, Scheduled, and Geofencing, the last letting it arm/disarm based on your phone leaving or returning home. Also, to be clear, “armed” just means the mode when it detects motion or sounds and then does actions like record video, send an email, generate a push notification in the app, or, heaven forbid, turn on the audible alarm. The audible alarm is similar to a smoke detector alarm that issues only from the base unit, not the cameras themselves.
The motion sensing appears to be infrared with these cameras which is different than the other camera systems I’ve used. The other systems use changes in the image (x percentage of pixels changing) to detect “motion” and in my opinion it was never useful because of so many false alarms. On windy, partly cloudy days the changing shadows would continuously generate events. That isn’t a problem with these cameras and I think I’ll make much more use of their motion sensing. One thing to keep in mind, though, is the sensor doesn’t work through glass. To test, I put one in our kitchen window looking at the front porch. When I walked right in front of the window it didn’t detect motion. I didn’t test at night, but I would expect the glass to reflect the infrared illumination, too. So, the cameras are best mounted in the open.
The magnetic “ball” mount is pretty ingenious. Having dealt with the standard mounts all these years, I was very impressed with how easy the magnetic mounts were to use and, especially, adjust. The cameras do still have the threaded mounting holes if you want to use the standard mounting hardware (not included) or a tripod. You would probably want to use that method where there’s a danger of someone stealing your camera. The threaded mount would at least slow them down a little. With the magnetic mount, it would only take a split second for someone to run off with your $200 camera. You could also mount it out of reach, but that would also make it a little harder to charge the batteries.
I’m including a couple of pictures with this review showing the camera quality. I was impressed with how the camera captured the sky colors but also still clearly showed the land features. It’s much more comparable to my phone camera than any of my other security cameras. The infrared photo at night in the barn shows how well it illuminates at night. Other cameras I’ve used tend to have a very pronounced spot of light in the middle with very little around the edges. These cameras seem to be better at illuminating more of the frame. The back wall in the photo is about 25 feet from the camera.
The camera system does create a new 2.4GHz SSID that’s broadcast around your home, which most people probably won’t care about. It does advertise the fact you have Netgear cameras, though, which could be 1) a deterrent like the Arlo window sticker or 2) an advertisement for a bad person to come find your cameras and steal them. It doesn’t appear that there’s anything to prevent someone from syncing your (former) camera with their base unit.
The last con I listed was the fact you can’t customize the push notification sound. For Android, at least, this is a feature that apps can make use of but it appears the Arlo app doesn’t. I customize most of my alert sounds so that without even looking at my phone I know if it’s a text, Gmail, work mail, Outlook mail, Hangout, etc. It would be nice to have a unique sound for Arlo motion alerts so a person could tell right away if it was important or not. It seems like this is something that could be updated in the app without too much effort.
My Best Buy number: 2793338391
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The Shark Genius Steam Pocket Mop System is our most advanced floor cleaning system ever. Featuring both a Steam Mop and a Spray Pocket mop, the Genius system is the right solution for all your cleaning needs. Harness the power of steam to sanitize 99.9% of household bacteria*. (Sanitization studies were conducted under controlled test conditions. Household conditions and results may vary.)
Customer Rating
4
Steam mop does the job
on December 31, 2016
Posted by: FlyingC
from Stillwater, OK
The Pocket Mop System is essentially two different handles for one mop head--one is the steam mop and the other is just a plain handle with an attached spray bottle for quick clean ups. Overall, I liked the steam mop, but I'm not sure I'll use the other handle much. For quick clean ups, I'll probably just keep using a spray bottle and paper towel.
There are a few minor things that I don't like about the mop. First, the power cord is unruly and prone to getting kinks in it. For some reason they used a flat cord instead of the round cord like you might find on a vacuum and I find the flat cord a little more trouble to use. Second, the mop doesn't stand up by itself so you either have to lay it down or find a corner to lean it if you need to let go temporarily. I can't really complain about that too much, though, because it IS a mop after all.
The last thing I don't like is the handle which is a large ring that makes it handy to hang on a hook for storage. But, to me, it's not a very comfortable handle for pushing the mop around the floor. There is a somewhat grippy surface on the outside of the ring, but the inside is slick plastic. After mopping my kitchen and utility room, I realized I had a blister on my hand where it wrapped around the inside on that slick surface. I also found I had to use a lot of force while gripping the handle when moving the mop, so I'm sure that contributed to the blister. I think a regular vacuum-type handle would have been more comfortable.
Pretty much everything else about the steam mop I liked. Removing and attaching the mop pad is super easy, as advertised. About half way through my job, I removed the pad and flipped it to use the clean side which took about 15 seconds. When finished, you can then just throw the pad in the washer.
I was curious how well the steam mop would work, so I first vacuumed our tile floor kitchen and utility room then also went over it with our Hoover power scrubber. I figured it would be pretty clean at that point, but I know from experience there's usually still a little of our persistent red dirt around. Sure enough, the steam pad collected quite a bit of dirt (picture attached).
So, based on that, I'm pretty happy with the mop. When we want to make sure the floors are extra clean, the steam mop will be our last step. I may just throw a pair of gloves on, though, to avoid another blister.
My Best Buy number: 2793338391
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Energize your workout routine with these Sony wireless sports headphones. Their built-in LDAC enhanced codec support and Bluetooth connectivity let you stream high-quality audio content for an enhanced listening experience while you’re on the move. The included cable adjuster and clip help ensure these Sony wireless sports headphones stay in place.
Customer Rating
5
Water resistant earbuds
on November 26, 2016
Posted by: FlyingC
from Stillwater, OK
These earbuds are a great design if you're looking for ones to wear while exercising. If you're just going to wear them in the office or on the commute, there might be better options out there. But for a sweaty or wet environment, the water resistance (and ability to rinse them off) makes these a winner. The sound quality, including the bass, is excellent.
They were a little tricky to put on the first couple of times, but after learning the best way it was easy after that. I thought they were very comfortable, and my wife said she was surprised how comfortable they were. She typically doesn't like earbuds because she finds them uncomfortable, but she really liked these. Also, I wore them for several hours listening to a football game and my ears were quite happy afterwards.
The on/off/pause/play and volume buttons were easy to find while listening. You have to press them fairly hard to activate, so at first I had to hold my ear from the inside to mash down on the buttons. But later, I figured out you can prop up the earpiece from the bottom using your thumb for leverage, then easily push the buttons without pinching your ear at all.
I like these earbuds, think they're a decent value, and would recommend them.
My Best Buy number: 2793338391
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Keep unwanted hair to a minimum with this Philips grooming tool. The waterproof design lets you use it in the shower, and eight attachments make this trimmer perfect for grooming different sections of the face. This Philips grooming tool has a turbo setting to increase cutting speed, and it charges in just one hour to reduce wait time.
Customer Rating
5
Nice Manscaper
on November 16, 2016
Posted by: FlyingC
from Stillwater, OK
I’ve owned several less expensive trimmers over the years that have performed okay. This trimmer is the most expensive I’ve used, but it also seems you get what you pay for in this case. This trimmer definitely does the job.
First, the fact that it’s waterproof is a nice advantage. Even though I doubt I’ll use it in the shower, being able to run the blades and attachments under the faucet to clean them is very handy. It’s also one less worry if you happen to drop it in the sink (or your cat “helps” it into the sink).
Next, it’s very easy to change out the various trimmer heads which is something I’ll probably be doing quite a bit. The various comb guides also have very precise length adjustments. Even though I’m not sure I’ll really need to adjust the stubble comb between 1 and 12mm, I guess it’s nice to have that option. I was very impressed with the nose/ear hair trimmer attachment. That was always a weak area with my other trimmers, but this one works extremely well and didn’t accidentally pull any hairs.
Finally, the 2-year warranty is a nice touch and gives me confidence that it’s probably well-built. If you register the trimmer, Norelco gives you an extra 6 months for a 2.5 year warranty.
I only found a couple of minor downsides. The instruction booklet was not the best. The pictures were almost too small to be helpful, and when a large sheet is map folded like this it becomes irritating to unfold/refold. A color quick reference card might have been nice. But, really, once you’ve used it a couple of times you don’t need the instructions any more anyway.
The other minor issue was discovering in the instructions that they recommend replacing the body shaver head yearly. I’m not sure how much expense that will add, but I was a little surprised that’s needed. On the other hand, it says to only use that “below the neckline” so I’m not sure how much I’ll be using it anyway.
Just based on how well the main trimmer, detail trimmer, and the nose/ear hair trimmer all work I’d highly recommend this if you’re looking for a new manscaping tool.
My Best Buy number: 2793338391
Mobile Submission: True
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Enhance footage and create professional-looking video montages with Adobe Premiere Elements 15. Access the software’s de-haze feature on your traditional computer or touchscreen device to reduce mist and fog for a bright, clear result. Features like enhanced search, which help you sort and label videos appropriately, make Adobe Premiere Elements 15 an essential for any budding videographer.
Customer Rating
4
Good mid-range video editing software
on November 14, 2016
Posted by: FlyingC
from Stillwater, OK
Currently, I use the free Windows Movie Maker utility which is actually very easy to use and has most features I need. However, I’ve used Adobe Premiere in the past and occasionally miss some of the more advanced features it had. Premiere Elements seems to be a good compromise in both features and price.
The software comes on a DVD, but is also available for download if your machine doesn’t have a DVD drive attached. I installed from DVD and had a minor problem with the installation: the two installers that run seemed to conflict, so I had to manually close the first one before the Premiere installer would complete. Once I figured that out, it installed just fine.
Once running, there are a number of helpful tutorials and step-by-step guidance available to get you through a video editing project. There are also three editing modes available: Quick, Guided and Expert. Having had some experience with Premiere before, I soon switched to Expert mode and it had a lot of familiar editing features.
I’ve not contacted tech support yet, but I was puzzled by one issue I ran into. I had recorded some audio on my phone in Samsung Voice Recorder and attempted to use it with a video. The .m4a file format was available when selecting media to import, however when I selected my file I always got an error saying "the importer reported a generic error.” I was able to play the audio file in Windows just fine, so I’m not sure what the problem is.
There are quite a few canned sound effect and ambient music scores available to choose from, but I feel like I’ll quickly tire of using those. One feature this software touted was the ability to auto-mix a music file to make the length match your video clip. In other projects I’ve worked on, this was always the most time-consuming part of the project--making the music come out just right. In practice, this feature didn’t really work very well. It did adjust the audio, but with glitches at the beginning and end that were not acceptable. I may attempt to use it in future projects, but I have a feeling it may not work quite good enough.
Other than that, the software has worked fine to produce a couple of short video clips for me. I’m glad I have it in my software toolbox now, and I’d recommend it as a cost-effective option for people looking for something a little more sophisticated for video editing.
My Best Buy number: 2793338391
Mobile Submission: True
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Simplify your everyday life with the Google Home, a voice-activated speaker powered by the Google Assistant. Use voice commands to enjoy music, get answers from Google and manage everyday tasks. Google Home is compatible with Android and iOS operating systems, and can control compatible smart devices such as Chromecast or Nest."
Customer Rating
4
Has potential, but pretty limited so far
on November 7, 2016
Posted by: FlyingC
from Stillwater, OK
“Ok, Google, which is better, you or Alexa?”
“I like Alexa’s blue light, and her voice is nice, too.”
That was the first conversation I had with the very polite Google Home. I bought a couple of the Amazon Dots when they came out last month, but was still curious to see if Google Home was better. The bottom line is I’d recommend it to certain users, but I think many people would be happier with the cheaper Dot--at least until Google Home gets updated with more features.
“I like Alexa’s blue light, and her voice is nice, too.”
That was the first conversation I had with the very polite Google Home. I bought a couple of the Amazon Dots when they came out last month, but was still curious to see if Google Home was better. The bottom line is I’d recommend it to certain users, but I think many people would be happier with the cheaper Dot--at least until Google Home gets updated with more features.
Yes, Google can answer more complicated questions, and also does very well on follow up questions. But in the last month that I’ve been using a voice assistant (Alexa), I mostly use it for my morning weather and news, controlling lights via my Wink hub, playing music, and listening to college football via TuneIn. Unfortunately, Google doesn’t yet work with Wink, can’t access my Amazon Prime streaming music, and can’t seem to find the TuneIn stations I request. The news briefing is pretty much the same between them, and Google seems to handle weather better, but I couldn’t find a way to tell Google my favorite sports teams to get a brief update on all of them. So, overall, Alexa provides more functionality to me at the moment.
Things I liked: The speaker is great for it’s size. The touch surface works well to play/pause and also adjust the volume quickly. Google is much better at finding local businesses, their hours, and phone numbers. It really shines with follow-up questions by understanding that you’re asking about the same subject (even though you do have to keep waking it up with “Ok, Google” each time). This is something Alexa doesn’t do at all. I was concerned that saying “Ok, Google” would wake up my phone and it would answer at the same time as Home, but this wasn’t the case. My phone did wake up and listen to the question, but then it displayed “answering on another device” and remained quiet, so that worked well.
Areas where I was disappointed: Many features are apparently still in the works. For example, you can’t set a simple reminder using Home. This is a frequent feature I use voice for on my phone, and I was really surprised this wasn’t baked in yet. Also, with Google Now on my phone I can configure what sports teams I’m interested in. I wasn’t able to configure that on Home and get a sports update specific to my teams. That’s something you can easily do on Alexa. Finally, there wasn’t a quick/easy way to see recent requests or things like what song or program is playing in the companion app on the phone. I found this to be a very handy feature with Alexa. I could also ask Alexa what song was playing and she’d usually be able to tell me. Google Home doesn’t seem to have that capability yet.
One final concern I have with Google Home is having my account “contaminated.” Right now, you can only have one account configured. If my wife or visitors to the house ask a lot of questions, then my search history will get filled with whatever they ask. And, presumably, Google will start feeding me advertisements and possibly Google Now cards on those subjects since I’m “interested.” Hopefully, someday there might be some sort of voice identification to avoid problems like this.
Google Home has a lot of potential, and I’m excited to see what developments they come out with, but if you’re looking for a fully functional smart home assistant right now I think Alexa has the advantage. Plus, Alexa just seems to have a little more personality. I decided to ask Alexa the same question I started with on the Google Home: “Alexa, which is better, you or Google?”
“Google’s a great search engine, but I’m different.”
For now, that pretty well sums it up.
“Google’s a great search engine, but I’m different.”
For now, that pretty well sums it up.
My Best Buy number: 2793338391
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The V150 is a 100% wireless and portable security camera equipped with Vosker built-in solar panel technology and a long lasting 10 000 mAh rechargeable lithium battery. This LTE-based cellular security device is ideal for remote area photo surveillance where access to electricity and Wi-Fi network is impossible. Receive mobile alerts right to your phone and never miss anything again. Set it up easily and let it get to work, anywhere you need it.
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The V150 is a 100% wireless and portable security camera equipped with Vosker built-in solar panel technology and a long lasting 10 000 mAh rechargeable lithium battery. This LTE-based cellular security device is ideal for remote area photo surveillance where access to electricity and Wi-Fi network is impossible. Receive mobile alerts right to your phone and never miss anything again. Set it up easily and let it get to work, anywhere you need it.
How much range of motion detection does this camera have?
The specs list it at 90'. That may be under ideal conditions, though. In my situation, I think it was more like 75-80'.
2 years, 6 months ago
by
FlyingC
BISSELL CleanView Allergen Pet Lift-Off is designed to give pet parents a quick, lightweight and convenient way to keep up with pet hair on multiple surfaces in their home. The innovative Lift-Off Technology boasts a removable canister that lets you easily clean pet hair anywhere. It's also packed with pet cleanup features, like a HEPA Sealed Allergen System, Tangle-Free Brush Roll, One Touch Easy Empty, and pet tools that store right on the vacuum. And this machine doesn't just clean up after pets, it helps save them, too! BISSELL proudly supports BISSELL Pet Foundation and its mission to help save homeless pets. When you buy a BISSELL product, you help save pets, too. We’re proud to design products that help make pet messes, odors and pet homelessness disappear.
Can it be used in regular floors?
Not sure what regular floors are, but maybe hardwood flooring? This works well on that--it has good suction and the wheels are large enough and slightly cushioned so they roll smoothly and quietly on the hardwood. Also works great on carpets and throw rugs. On some of the smaller rugs I reduce the suction a little (thicker carpet setting) to keep from pulling them up.
3 years, 4 months ago
by
FlyingC
BISSELL CleanView Allergen Pet Lift-Off is designed to give pet parents a quick, lightweight and convenient way to keep up with pet hair on multiple surfaces in their home. The innovative Lift-Off Technology boasts a removable canister that lets you easily clean pet hair anywhere. It's also packed with pet cleanup features, like a HEPA Sealed Allergen System, Tangle-Free Brush Roll, One Touch Easy Empty, and pet tools that store right on the vacuum. And this machine doesn't just clean up after pets, it helps save them, too! BISSELL proudly supports BISSELL Pet Foundation and its mission to help save homeless pets. When you buy a BISSELL product, you help save pets, too. We’re proud to design products that help make pet messes, odors and pet homelessness disappear.
Fragrances including Fabreez are filled with chemical compounds that are highly allergenic. Is it possible to get Bissell off the shelf without fragrances allergens in the filters? Defeats the purpose of buying this for allergy sufferers!
While other models came with the optional extra Febreze filter, this one just came out of the box with a regular filter with no scent.
3 years, 4 months ago
by
FlyingC
Meet the Logitech Pebble i345. It takes your iPad to higher places with a level of precision and control you can’t get with a tablet alone. Use it to click, scroll, and control your workflow like never before. It’s small, portable, and comfortable—so you can keep exploring, wherever you go.
What difference is there between the Pebble M350, M355, and the most recent i345. As I understand the M350 is the first version, the M355 is the second version, both are compatible with various operating systems including IPadOS, and the i345 only iPadOS
Actually, the i345 is compatible with any device that has BLE (bluetooth low energy) and not just IOS things. I've used the i345 with a PC and also a Chromebook. As far as I can tell, the only difference between the i345 and the M350/M355 is that the i345 doesn't have the USB dongle to use on devices that don't have bluetooth.
4 years ago
by
FlyingC
GE Appliances is dedicated to providing the right solutions for rooms of any size. Our window air conditioners are designed to offer exceptional comfort while the features make products versatile and easy to use.This 6,000 BTU window air conditioner cools small rooms up to 250 square feet. Energy efficient cooling with 3 cooling and 3 fan speeds provide flexible and optimal home comfort. Electronic controls with included remote make it easy to adjust and manage your settings from anywhere in your room. This AC installs easily in a double hung window with included EZ Mount window kit and fixed chassis. Additional features like eco mode, power interruption restart, 24-hour on/off timer, and removable filter offer ease of use and maintenance.
I was wondering about the cord length. The description states that it is "6 inches". Is this accurate? Thank you in advance. Angela
Clean hard-to-reach areas with this cord-free BISSELL Adapt Ion vacuum. The removable hand vacuum lets you access above-ground spaces, and the two-way folding handle enables easy storage and allows you to clean under furniture. This BISSELL Adapt Ion vacuum features a LiIon battery that provides up to 20 minutes of use, while swivel steering ensures versatile movement.
Can the power brush be turned on and off?
Yes, one of the buttons on the handle turns the roller brush on/off. The other buttons are power and suction level/speed (high or low).
4 years, 5 months ago
by
FlyingC
Only at Best BuyMonitor the exterior of your home with this Lorex active deterrence DVR security system. An eight-channel 4K Ultra HD DVR records and plays back crisp, high-quality video, while the remote-triggered siren and bright LED light work to scare off intruders. With color night vision, the cameras included with this Lorex active deterrence DVR security system provide a clear look at your property even in low lighting conditions.
hmm.. NO PoE ? .. does this run on regular old school BnC connections ??? if soooooo..... i have old lorex 720p cameras on BnC right now ... wonder if i can just order cameras and swap out ??? thanks for the help for whoever answers these questions
Yes, it uses BNC connectors so your old cameras should work. However, if you try to use the older cable with the new 4K cameras you'll likely have a very degraded picture if it works at all. I tried it with mine and I could see part of the image, but the bottom half was messed up. When I ran the new cable that came with the 4K camera system, the picture worked perfectly.
5 years, 9 months ago
by
FlyingC
Only at Best BuyMonitor the exterior of your home with this Lorex active deterrence DVR security system. An eight-channel 4K Ultra HD DVR records and plays back crisp, high-quality video, while the remote-triggered siren and bright LED light work to scare off intruders. With color night vision, the cameras included with this Lorex active deterrence DVR security system provide a clear look at your property even in low lighting conditions.
Will Best Buy install the system and will it work with existing cameras?
Not sure if Best Buy will install, but you could certainly give them a call. As far as working with existing cameras, I was able to swap out my Swann DVR with this one and still use the old Swann cameras with it. As long as your cameras have a BNC-type connector, you should be okay.
5 years, 9 months ago
by
FlyingC
Only at Best BuyMonitor the exterior of your home with this Lorex active deterrence DVR security system. An eight-channel 4K Ultra HD DVR records and plays back crisp, high-quality video, while the remote-triggered siren and bright LED light work to scare off intruders. With color night vision, the cameras included with this Lorex active deterrence DVR security system provide a clear look at your property even in low lighting conditions.
Does this camera have tots of false positive motion alarms? Does it have thermal sensing for motion ?
I haven't noticed any false positives, though it IS very sensitive. So bugs flying near it (day or night) definitely trigger it to record. I think you can adjust the sensitivity, though I haven't played with it. You can also "blank" out areas of the camera view to ignore motion. For example, trees in view of one of my cameras move back and forth when it's windy and constantly trigger the motion. I was able to select the trees in the view and ignore motion there to solve that. I do not believe it uses thermal sensing for motion, but rather changes in the image it sees.
5 years, 9 months ago
by
FlyingC