swemoney's stats
- Review count210
- Helpfulness votes157
- First reviewMay 14, 2016
- Last reviewJune 19, 2024
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating3.9
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- Answer count12
- Helpfulness votes10
- First answerJune 10, 2016
- Last answerApril 18, 2021
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Arlo Pro 2 keeps an eye on your home while you're away, in brilliant 1080p HD quality. Put the 100% wire-free, weather-resistant camera anywhere, indoors or out. Then, power it with the included rechargeable battery or plugged it in (when indoors) to access activity zones and 24/7 Continuous Video Recording upgrades. Use 2-way audio or remotely sound a 100+ device siren while catching every moment with night vision and advanced motion detection. You'll even get motion and sound-activated alerts and 7 days of free cloud video recordings. Arlo Pro 2 works with Amazon Alexa to make your smart home security even more simple and effective.
Customer Rating
4
Pretty nice quality with a couple of downsides
on November 16, 2017
Posted by: swemoney
from Schaumburg, IL
These cameras were quite easy to setup. The box plugs into your router and you sync the cameras pretty easily and you're done. The app on your phone updates the base station and the cameras for you and then you're ready to go! Took maybe 20 minutes start to finish to have them all set up and receive video on my phone.
The wall mounts included are very nice. They're pretty small and they just magnetically connect to the back of the cameras. The magnets are REALLY strong so once you get them in place, you shouldn't have to worry about them moving at all. You can also use a standard camera mount to screw them into.
Battery life is pretty ok. On the best quality, lowest battery life setting, I got few days of battery. Dropping the quality to the more optimized settings seems to help quite a bit too. I prefer to plug in my cameras so I don't have to worry about them at all. This is where one of the downsides come in. The micro USB plug is buried in a pretty deep hole so you need to get a cable with a very small profile plug or it won't fit. I bought some really long cables and had to send them back because they didn't fit.
Video quality is good indoors. The night vision is pretty nice but the infrared lights are noticeable. It was actually an issue with our cat who wanted to attach the camera because of the lights when it was dark. So mount your camera high instead of putting it on a fireplace mantle! The app gives you options to automatically record when it detects motion or audio and you can either record for the amount of time that is detected or from 10-300 seconds. If you are unable to mount your camera outside, you probably won't have a lot of luck viewing your outdoors. The camera automatically focuses on the screen and motion detection doesn't work at all when it's viewing through the screen. Night vision doesn't work at all when pointing at glass for obvious reasons so if you need to watch your outside, you should just mount the camera outside.
I can't comment too much on the monthly costs as I'm using the free tier plan. I believe I get 2 weeks of recording storage. Not a whole lot more. They have larger tiers that allow for more recording storage. They also have "CVR" plans that do some continuous recording that you can scrub through on your app. That costs at least $100/yr for 2 weeks of CVR recording per camera. I don't think that's crazy so it might be good for you. I wish there was an option like the Logi Circle where you get 1 day of CVR for free.
Overall, a good set of cameras that have a couple of drawbacks that may or may not matter to you.
My Best Buy number: 0039332332
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Tune out the world and lose yourself in music with these Sony 1000X wireless noise-cancelling headphones. Equipped with SENSE ENGINE technology, these earbuds make it easy to adjust sound modes with a single touch, so you control what you hear. Compact and intuitive, these Sony 1000X wireless noise-cancelling headphones stay comfortable for hours.
Customer Rating
4
Pretty nice with a couple of minor annoyances
on October 31, 2017
Posted by: swemoney
from Schaumburg, IL
I've tested a lot of headphones but have never had the privilege of testing out some completely wire-free ear buds. I'm not disappointed with these at all. Aside from a couple of minor annoyances, they're really nice headphones.
The sound is great. I really don't have a lot more to say than that. For completely wireless headphones, they sound really nice. The noise cancelation also works pretty well and the app lets you adjust the "type" of noise cancelation you want. You can go for the "I don't want to hear anything but my music" setting (which is default) or you can go for a more of a "I like my music, but I want to know if someone is talking to me" setting. I've used these in the gym a lot and they do a pretty good job of blocking out the loud music playing at the gym even when I'm just listening to a podcast that's almost all talking.
That said, the one downside I found with the noise cancelation is that is makes the slight slippage that happens very noticeable. As I said, I use these in the gym a lot so it only makes sense that they move around a little bit. And I'm not saying anything bad about the fit. Both the small and large buds fit well (the large seem to fit me a little better, though) and I've never had one fall out of my ear. The issue is just that they do move around a little bit in your ear and, with the noise cancelation doing such a good job, when they move to allow the tiniest bit of air through, it's a lot more pronounced than other headsets that don't have noise cancelation. This is a minor annoyance. I have to occasionally readjust them in a quick second.
Battery life is another minor annoyance. The buds are supposed to last 3 hours or (with the battery pack charging case) 9 hours. This is a far cry from their closest competition. It's a minor annoyance for me because I don't have an issue charging them every couple of days. You might not love that. An additional note on charging, my desktop computer that I'm usually able to charge my phone or portable battery packs while in standby mode, apparently can't charge the case for these things. My initial review was going to be pretty bad because I was having a lot of trouble with them keeping a charge. It wasn't until I searched through the little instruction pamphlet that I saw there was a charging indicator light on the case (you wouldn't notice it there unless you were looking for it) and that's when I discovered that my PC wasn't charging them. They charged when I plugged them into one of my portable battery packs, though. This was another one of the minor annoyances. I felt like the indicators on the headsets and case were pretty cryptic and took some time to just "figure out". After I got things charged, I'm much happier. And one last minor annoyance while talking about charging. The charging case for these is gigantic. Not a fan at all. I have to remove the buds from the case in my car on the way into the gym and just hold them in my hand or put them in early because there's no way I'm lugging around the huge carry case/charger with me.
End of the day, I'd recommend these if you're find with the handful of minor annoyances they bring. They aren't deal breakers for me, but they might not sit as well with you. So just consider them when making a decision. Since most of my devices are Apple, I'd probably recommend the AirPods to myself but that's mainly just because I don't care as much about the noise cancelation.
My Best Buy number: 0039332332
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Make smoothies, sauces or purees with this 1500W Ninja blender. It has 10 preset programs to ensure ingredients are properly blended, and 10 manual mode speeds give you complete control when blending tough ingredients. This Ninja blender holds up to 72 ounces.
Customer Rating
4
Another great blender from Ninja
on October 25, 2017
Posted by: swemoney
from Schaumburg, IL
I've liked Ninja blenders for quite some time because they're pretty heavy duty machines that do a great job but at a consumers price point. This one is another example. If you're looking for a blender to knock out some smoothies or frozen drinks, it'll take care of it. Looking for something to make for dinner? There's a pretty nice recipe book with a lot of suggestions. I, personally, really like it. My favorite thing is definitely the "auto wash" setting. Just needs a little bit of warm water and it cleans itself! My biggest gripe with most blenders is definitely cleaning up when you're done, so this is a super positive for me.
So, bottom line, if you want a GOOD blender and this is in your budget, I'd recommend it. It does a lot of things (possibly replacing your food processor as well) and is a breeze to clean up.
My Best Buy number: 0039332332
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Fuse physical and digital worlds with this Merge cube. It's a toy hologram that you can hold in the palm of your hand, and it works with free apps downloaded onto your iOS or Android smart device at the Merge Miniverse site. This Merge cube lets you play your favorite games with virtual reality goggles.
Customer Rating
4
Neat
on October 5, 2017
Posted by: swemoney
from Schaumburg, IL
AR is the new "thing"! With the new AR frameworks in both Apple and Google operating systems, AR is really picking up steam. This little cube actually does some neat things even if it has some drawbacks.
For starters, the registration code thing is kind of weird and stupid. It's a physical thing but the app requires you to "register" it like you were proving you purchased it. I found this off-putting and would love to be informed on what the point was.
Another drawback is the lack of "free" apps. Testing this thing was tough to do because all of the apps recommended by the starter websites cost money. Some as much as $50. Most around the $2-5 range. I found the "Th!ngs" app which is a demo app with a bunch of little mini "things" to play with. Even if it was a little limited in functionality, it was a pretty good demonstration of what can be done with the cube.
Another small issue makes a lot of sense because you're holding this thing in your hands. The marks all over the cube are for your camera to read to find out how the cubs is sitting and where to draw stuff, so you will occasionally block some of the things the camera needs to see and the fun little thing disappears on you. Not much you can do about this as you naturally want to move the cube in your hand as it appears you're holding something else.
There's 2 ways to use this cube. You can use "VR Mode" with the merge goggles or just regular old AR mode with the included packaging/phone stand. I used the VR mode and would recommend this but AR mode is cool too. Depending on the apps your using, you hold the cube in your hand and your phone, with the camera on, tracks it and renders cool stuff on top of it. So it usually looks like you're holding something else in your hand. In AR mode, when you're looking through the phone on a stand, it has an OK effect. In VR Mode, when your phone is inside a pair of goggles, it does a decent job of making you feel like you're really holding that thing. I didn't try any of the paid apps but I gave all of the demos a shot in Th!ngs and some of these really showcase what can be done.
Bottom line, I think it's a neat little toy. Would work well for kids. If you have a GearVR or Google Cardboard compatible goggles, it's really cool to play with in VR mode.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Be transported into another world with the Merge VR Goggles. Compatible with Android and iOS devices, Merge VR Goggles provide an immersive virtual reality experience powered by your smartphone.Explore virtual worlds with these Merge VR goggles. The input system lets you perform simultaneous action, such as running and jumping, and the soft foam construction keep you comfortable. These Merge VR goggles take you to new worlds via hundreds of apps with VR START, and they’re compatible with newer Android and iPhone devices for versatility.
Customer Rating
3
They're OK if you can't afford "real" VR
on October 5, 2017
Posted by: swemoney
from Schaumburg, IL
I have an Oculus Rift and a PSVR already but I've always been interested in the whole "mobile" VR thing. These googles do an OK job of recreating what "real" VR is like. Not great. Not terrible. Just OK.
For starters, my iPhone 6S Plus was probably too large. It was able to stretch itself into the slot but it felt like it needed to be pressed down a smidge more than it would allow without locking the device (which would require you to completely remove the phone again to unlock the device). It was serviceable but I feel like a smaller phone would probably fit and work a little better. The google cardboard app is used to set things up. There's an included code you need to scan that's at the very back of one of the little pamphlets. I feel like this should have been it's own card and right up front as it's one of the first things you need. If you don't set up your viewer correctly, the buttons on top probably won't work.
The demo app was neat but just a demo. The big issue I had, coming from much higher end VR was the tracking rate. When you moved your head to look around, there was a lot of noticeable stuttering. This could be a result of an older phone, and I'm sure milage will vary by device. The frame rate was not bad at all, though. Again, it will vary by your device but the frame rate on my 2 year old phone was just fine when I wasn't moving my head around. This is the biggest issue that could cause motion sickness so it was nice that the apps were optimized enough.
Heat and battery was a little bit of an issue. You're encasing your phone in a pretty tight space and then running a graphically intensive application. This kills the battery fast and removing my phone from the goggles, you can feel the heat. I wouldn't recommend using this for extended periods of time without testing how hot things get first.
Overall, it's a decent VR device if your phone is good enough to run at a reasonable frame rate. This is novelty VR. You'll want a Rift, Vive or PSVR if you want REAL VR.
My Best Buy number: 0039332332
Mobile Submission: False
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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Keep an eye on your home with this two pack of D-Link Mini HD Wi-Fi cameras. They have sound and motion detection and can send notifications to mobile devices to let you know when they've activated. These D-Link Mini HD Wi-Fi cameras have night vision to record images in dark conditions.
Customer Rating
1
Just plain don't work
on October 5, 2017
Posted by: swemoney
from Schaumburg, IL
I'm a very persistent and technically capable individual. I'm a developer. I write computer code for a living. I have a network router that, when I had a cable technician come in to look at an issue, the first thing he said was "Well, we know it's not an issue with this router!". I say all of this to say that I'm not above troubleshooting and I know my way around networking products.
These cameras don't work. I was unable to get them to connect to my network after countless tries, resets, modifications, etc. After emailing support, I tried a couple of extra things that were suggested. Still nothing. I was told to call support to get further help and was given some other troubleshooting tips (mostly involving changing network settings that I really didn't want to change but did anyways. I have a lot of devices that have no issues connecting to my router) and at the end of it, the last solution she had was that the ! in my network password might be causing the problem. I told her I didn't want to change my password and she said that was all there was left to try. So after hanging up the phone, I changed the password to remove the "special characters" from my password and still no luck.
Both cameras do the same thing, so on the positive side, I'm sure it's some little quirk in my network that's causing this issue, but if they have an issue connecting to a top of the line router while I've never experienced any other issues connecting countless devices before this, I can't give them a pass on that. I'd love to leave feedback on the quality of this camera and other things, but I just can't. I was never able to see an image.
As far as I've READ about these cameras, I don't think I would have much use for them anyways. There is no way to passively record things like a security camera. You have to be logged into the app and hit the record button yourself and it record directly to your phone/tablet. There's no web interface for these cameras either. I would hope that would change in the future but those reasons alone make these cameras pretty useless to me.
Bottom line, you might have more luck connecting these to your network. I wish you the best. I did not have a fun week trying to get these to do anything at all, but even if I did, I don't think they would have been very great for me anyways.
My Best Buy number: 0039332332
Mobile Submission: False
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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Keep your home clean with this Bissell Pet Stain Eraser Bagless Cordless Carpet Cleaner. The cordless unit pulls messes out of carpet and upholstery in minutes, and the rechargeable lithium battery ensures that it stays ready for use. This Pet Stain Eraser Bagless Cordless Carpet Cleaner comes with a premixed cleaning formula to reduce setup time.
Customer Rating
4
Simple and nice for small spots
on September 30, 2017
Posted by: swemoney
from Schaumburg, IL
If you're experienced with (or have ever used) any sort of upright carpet cleaner, the idea is pretty similar with this hand-held, spot cleaner but a little simpler. You just spray the area from the nozzle on the device (comes out of the front), scrub with the front scrubber if you need to, let it sit for 5 minutes, then just reverse over the wet spot to suck up the liquid and you're done. You can repeat if you need to.
Thats about it. Really. The one thing I didn't love about it, is you have to turn the power on the device in order to spray the spot. This turns on the suction vacuum, which is pretty unnecessary during spray time. A minor negative that's obviously just for simplicity. Instead of saying "turn on the sprayer power", they just tell you to turn on the power. I was a little confused the first time I hit the power button and the suction started, though, so that's the only reason it's a negative for me.
All and all, if you have pets that like to make little stains on your carpet, this is a pretty nice thing for taking care of the small spots they leave. Our cats like to occasionally throw up and our dog has a mistake every once and a while and this seems to do a decent job of cleaning them up.
My Best Buy number: 0039332332
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Take control of your oral health with this Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart toothbrush. The microchip-containing brush head sends brushing data directly to your phone to ensure that each tooth in your mouth is getting proper care. This Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart toothbrush even tells you when to change heads to keep your brush performing its best.
Customer Rating
5
Still a wonderful toothbrush
on September 14, 2017
Posted by: swemoney
from Schaumburg, IL
I've been using premium Sonicare toothbrushes for years now. They always work great and do a fantastic job at getting your teeth clean. The different settings give you different feels that you really notice. There really isn't much more too it. If you want the best electric toothbrush out there, this is your best bet.
A couple of downsides, now. Connecting to the app with my new toothbrush (after having my old toothbrush connected before) was not possible. No idea how to resolve this. It's not that big of a deal since I didn't find the app to be all that useful anyways.
The new charging "cup" idea is really cool. You just place the toothbrush into the cup and it lights up and starts charging. The old versions always have a little peg you had to stick the toothbrush in in order for it to stand and charge. This usually wasn't an issue but occasionally, you'd spend a handful of seconds trying to line the two up. Now, it's just as simple as placing the toothbrush into the cup. You're done. This is extremely nice to look at and makes it very easy to charge. The problem I have with it, is, with each generation of toothbrush, they appear to be getting rid of any sort of toothbrush head storage solution. Years ago, they included a UV light case where you put your toothbrushes and shined a light on them for 10 minutes to disinfect them. Who knows if the light did anything, but there was a place to put your toothbrush heads (2 people use the toothbrush and it had 2 spots). The next generation did away with the light box and included a little attachment for the travel charger that would let you put your toothbrush heads somewhere. This was a step down to me so we kept using the light box since the charger was the same. Now, all you got is a cup. I would have really liked some sort of attachment for the charging part of the cup that would let you attach some toothbrush heads. Placing them in the cup with the toothbrush is really clumsy and you basically have to take everything out of the cup in order to place the toothbrush back in. I might just 3D print a new holder of some sort.
That's really the only thing I have an issue with. No real place to put your toothbrush heads anymore. We're using the detachable piece that came in the years old lightbox right now. Other than that, it's a great upgrade to an already great toothbrush.
My Best Buy number: 0039332332
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Hear everything happening in the game with this Logitech gaming headset. Low distortion and an acoustic port behind the driver combine to produce precise, realistic sound, and downloadable software lets you customize audio for each game. Play in comfort with the ultra-soft microfiber ear pads of this Logitech gaming headset.
Customer Rating
4
Pretty nice
on August 10, 2017
Posted by: swemoney
from Schaumburg, IL
If you're looking for some pretty decent headphones with a pretty decent microphone, this is probably where you want to look. They're wired, so obviously you have to be OK with that but the number of attachments and different ways you can use these make them pretty attractive. The mic is also detachable in case you don't need that. You can hook these to your computer with the included USB adapter or you can connect them to any, standard 3.5mm jack. They sound nice and, from what my twitch stream told me, the microphone sounds on par with my G933 headphones. Not a lot of downsides if this is the kind of thing you are in the market for. They were also pretty comfortable for 5 hours while I was streaming with them.
The only downsides I found were, the plug going into the headphones has to be very snuggly inserted. I thought it was good, but it was making a lot of noise if it got touched or moved around. I just twisted it and pushed it in a little bit more and that went away. Also, the microphone is flexible but you'll probably (naturally) bend it towards your face. This makes it a little harder to have a drink while wearing the microphone without hitting it. Solution for this would be to just leave the microphone kind of pointing straight out. I didn't find any issues with sound quality this way.
Bottom line. Good headphones. Good mic. Lots of attachments and configurations. Would recommend if you're looking for wires headphones for your PC, PS4, Xbone or Switch.
My Best Buy number: 0039332332
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Grill and brown food to tasty perfection all-year-round with virtually no smoke thanks to the Philips Smoke-less Indoor BBQ Grill. Advanced infrared technology and special reflectors guide heat to the grid for delicious, evenly grilled food. The drip tray underneath remains cool so there is up to 80% less smoke and minimal splattering when cooking.
Customer Rating
4
Really cool if you can't use a real grill
on July 29, 2017
Posted by: swemoney
We live in a 2nd floor condo and aren't able to have a "real" grill on our balcony. We've wanted something to emulate one for a while. This does a pretty decent job at that.
The cooking surface is kind of small compared to an outdoor grill, but it's a kitchen appliance so I can't imagine it getting any bigger. It was tough enough to find a storage spot for the entire grill as it's pretty large. You can cook 2 steaks on it comfortably.
You don't have a lot of control over temperature and there isn't a meter anywhere to know how hot it really is. Controls are minimal and easy to use. It's a single dial with an "off" position and then a low and high. It's super easy to tell which setting you're on as this thing is BRIGHT! Seriously, don't stare directly into the grill when you turn it on. And make sure the grill is in place. I can't imagine how bright thing thing is without the grill obstructing some of the light. The low setting is bright and then the high setting is BRIGHT. There is no "not bright" setting. So far, I've only really used the high setting to cook a couple of steaks. And then we tried to cook some brats on the low setting but they weren't really cooking at all so we turned it up to high. Both turned out really well. The brats we a lot better than the water bath version we usually do. The steaks were really good and beat out the "Griddler" that we usually use to cook things.
Cleanup is pretty nice and simple. The bottom tray comes out pretty easy to clean up the drips and such and the top grill isn't attached to anything (just lays over the top) so it's super easy to remove and wipe down or wash. You're told not to submerge the actual unit in water (obvious reasons here) but I haven't noticed it getting very dirty and it's just plastic on the outside that's pretty easy to wipe down.
Which, speaking of plastic, I was pretty surprised by how cool the main plastic stayed. The harder plastic that's right next to the grill top gets a little hot but the plastic all around the unit stays really cool for the amount of heat the grill throws out when you have it on. You almost immediately feel the heat when your turn it on.
Overall. Highly recommended if you can't use a real outdoor grill for whatever reason. I'd probably still go with an outdoor grill if I was able to use one, but even if I had an outdoor grill, I think I'd still use this on occasion as it has been really easy to setup and tear down (which, sometimes, can be a hassle with an outdoor grill). So I guess I'd recommend this to anyone!
My Best Buy number: 0039332332
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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With no wires in the way, Bose SoundSport Wireless Sports Earbuds keep you moving with powerful audio. Perfect for exercise and running with a sweat and weather resistant design and StayHear+ tips designed for comfort and stability. The Tile app makes your headphones easy to find if they ever go missing.
Is it possible to remove that clip on the wire?
Clip is formed plastic around the wire, so not unless you break the clip. You can move it up and down the wire. I barely noticed it, myself.
8 years ago
by
swemoney
With no wires in the way, Bose SoundSport Wireless Sports Earbuds keep you moving with powerful audio. Perfect for exercise and running with a sweat and weather resistant design and StayHear+ tips designed for comfort and stability. The Tile app makes your headphones easy to find if they ever go missing.
Is this earphone compatible with Andriod phone?
I didn't test them out on an Android device, but they're bluetooth headphones. So if your Android device supports Bluetooth audio, they should work fine.
8 years ago
by
swemoney