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    May 14, 2016
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    June 10, 2016
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    April 18, 2021
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swemoney's Reviews
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The Bowers & Wilkins Px8 Wireless Headphones, featuring a completely redesigned and optimized acoustic system, an angled ultra-high-resolution carbon drive unit, deliver detailed, rich audio performance with incredible clarity. With its proprietary active noise cancellation, the headphones are designed to block out unwanted external noise, ensuring clear, crisp playback of your favorite tracks. With the redesigned microphone arrangement with 2 external adjustable mics, the wireless headphones ensure exceptional call quality. Easy set up offered through the iOS/Android compatible Bowers & Wilkins Music App that allows you to control he sound and noise cancellation, enable voice control right from your phone. Offers 30 hours battery life from a 2-hour charge, plus quick charge support delivering 7 hours playback from a 15-minute charge. Comes with all round improvements to headband that ensure comfort across differing head-shapes, coupled with lightweight aluminum and fine leathers for a superior fit and finish.
 
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5 out of 5
5
Light with a nice sound
on December 4, 2023
Posted by: swemoney
I always preface my headphone reviews with a disclaimer that I do not consider myself to be an audiophile. I enjoy music and sound but I am not the one to look to if you're looking for how well a pair of headphones can distinguish between two subtly different frequencies. That said, these are definitely one of the nicer pairs of headphones I've used and will probably just be my new wireless set for listening to music.
Setup is dead simple like it always is. There's an app that walks you through the entire process but it's a bluetooth headphone set so it's the same process as it is everywhere. The app is one of the better accessory/headphone apps I've used. It doesn't feel bloated or slow or anything. It doesn't get in your way. I'll probably leave it installed, which is saying something for the countless headphone apps that didn't survive.
The sound is quite nice. It somehow strikes a really good balance of loudness where it sounds loud without being deafening or anything. Bass sounds really good. All the frequencies, from my non-audiophile ears, sound really good. The bluetooth connection is also good and, even in a home with a lot of 2.4Ghz interference around me, I didn't notice any stutters or anomalies that I notice in some other bluetooth devices or separate 2.4Ghz transfer tech. It just sounds good to me.
The headphones also feel really nice on your head. They're really light weight and the cups fit around my ears nicely. The cups might be a tad smaller than I'd usually like. They do "touch" my ears but not in a distracting way. There's a good amount of pressure into your head keeping the headphones secure and sealed without causing any discomfort that I could notice with prolonged use. The carry case requires the headphones be completely collapsed. This is weird to me because every other pair of headphones I've used I basically leave the strap in the place I like it so it always fits nice. But the strap extends in a very smooth and easy manner so you always don't notice doing it when you put them on again. You could also just leave the headphones laying on a desk or something and not worry about collapsing them, but the case is nice so I enjoy using it.
The controls feature an actual toggle switch for power (I really dislike needing to push and hold an ambiguous button to power on my headphones). I found all of the control buttons were pretty easy to distinguish and press on both cups.
The noise canceling sounds good. There's no trouble getting a good seal around your ears and it does a really good job canceling out noises you don't want to hear.
Overall, these are some of the best bluetooth headphones I've used and I've used a lot of them. They're well built and feel nice to wear. Connection is great and they sound great while keeping out the sounds you don't want. If you have the budget, give these a listen and see how you like them.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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ScanWatch 2 is more than a hybrid smartwatch, it is a health guardian on duty 24/7. This next generation includes new and exclusive sensors, including TempTech 24/7 module which for the first time, delivers day and night body temperature variation tracking, alongside proactive heart health notifications, atrial fibrillation detection via a 1L ECG, and blood oxygen levels. Together these sensors can help anyone maintain a healthy lifestyle, effortlessly. ScanWatch 2 also features its trademark sleep and activity tracking plus an extraordinary battery life of 30 days before needing to be recharged.
 
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4 out of 5
4
Nice middle between smart and traditional watch
on November 18, 2023
Posted by: swemoney
I've been using smart watches for quite a while. Way back when one of the first smart watches came out, The Pebble and then a handful of different series of Apple Watch. This is a really nice middle ground between a full on smart watch and a more traditional watch. If you're looking for something that "looks" more like a traditional watch but has some smart watch/health features as well, this might be the one for you.
Setup was quick and easy. The Withings app on my Apple Watch is actually not a terrible mess like a lot of peripheral apps. It walks you through setup and I didn't find any huge hiccups while getting things going.
The focus on heath metrics is nice. It feels like it's constantly monitoring things like your temperature and heartrate even though it takes them at some sort of interval. Things like O2 and ECG need to take a full 30 seconds but I think that's pretty common. The one fault I could find with using the watch was the awkward hand hold they try and get you to do in order to take your ECG or O2 reading. It's incredibly hard to maneuver your hand in the way they show you to take your ECG so I just did what I could and it seemed to work. Very awkward, though. Especially coming from an Apple watch where I just have to put my finger on the digital crown. This one wants you to kind of make a circle with your thumb and index finger and get that to wrap around the watch face. Most times, I'd basically end up just pinching my thumb and index finger on each side of the watch face instead. It seemed to work, but I could tell it sometimes struggled. Not the best.
Features are pretty basic but they're the normal essentials. Heartrate, temperature, O2 saturation, ECG, workouts, steps/distance walked. They all seem to work pretty well. Depending on your wrist position, some things could take a little longer to get a reading (or give wild readings to start with before it realizes what happened). I've had some ECG readings that came back "inconclusive". But I found that all of the readings worked well enough for my needs. Without setting up anything, I slept with the watch the first night I had it (I usually don't like sleeping with a watch) and it just detected that automatically and gave me a sleep quality and O2 average the next morning.
A couple oddities or things I'd like to see.. A more comfortable/longer band to start with. The included one barely fits my wrist. I'm on the 2nd or 3rd notch from the end. And after sleeping with it, the ridges on the back of the band went etched into my skin and felt very uncomfortable. ECG was a little weird but I should probably blame my state's regulations. It needed to verify and approve me for ECG use so after my first ECG reading, the tutorial things didn't compete and I had to back out. It took a handful of hours for approval before I could get my readings. After this, everything was fine. The charger isn't just a nice magnetic thing which is going to just be a preference things. I'm not a huge fan of needing to place the watch into the little springy contraption. Getting it out felt just as weird. Not a huge deal but it's no Apple Watch.
One thing I would love to see is an API of sort to take advantage of some of the data. For instance, sending my heart rate to another app via web sockets to display for a Twitch stream. Just some sort of API to extend the functionality a bit would be great in general though.
My favorite thing about this watch is just that it doesn't really look like a smart watch. I like that it just looks like a nice watch and the bells and whistles are hidden away for the most part. If you're looking for a nice health tracker that also doesn't really look like one at all, this might be the watch for you. Give it a shot if it's in your budget. I'm a fan.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The PowerShot V10 is a vlog and still camera in a new highly portable form factor with components from the popular G-Series line that lets you create impressive videos on-the-go. With stereo sound capture, a built-in stand, and easy live streaming, this cam is ready to go when you are. Don’t let its size fool you, this is a vlogging studio in a compact package that can be operated with one hand to let you express your story!
 
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4 out of 5
4
Quick and convenient over features and quality
on November 18, 2023
Posted by: swemoney
My review title isn't meant to disparage this camera. It's a tradeoff. It's not the highest quality or most versatile image around, but everything about the camera is designed to be quick and easy to use. It doesn't take long to get used to the interface and the included kickstand along with the single button located on the front just makes everything pretty simple for taking face cam imagines and videos.
Setup is easy enough. The camera doesn't come with a micro SD card so that's up to you to provide if you don't have an extra one laying around. A small 32 GB card would have been nice to included for getting up and running without any hitches. Some of the initial setup just wouldn't complete (like saving wifi information) without an SD card installed so it seems like a pretty big oversight to not included ANY card at all. Even if it was tiny. Otherwise, it's just a matter of following on screen instructions for setting up the camera. Doesn't take long.
Settings are fairly basic and don't really overwhelm you. It's most everything you find on standard digital cameras. Shooting mode are limited enough as well to not overwhelm you and I don't think it needs more. I'm not a professional photographer or anything so I don't need most of the tiny details. The screen is also touch screen so you can adjust some settings without pressing any buttons on the camera. This is important when you have the screen flipped towards the front.
Usage is dead simple. After you have the settings you like, just hit the red button on front. The kickstand is fantastic for setting the phone up on a flat surface without needing to worry about lugging around a tripod. The screen flips up over the top to face forward which I really like. Gives you a really nice preview really close to the lens so you always know if you're shooting the right thing. Battery life could definitely be better even for such a small and light device. And especially for a device that's made for mobile shooting. It feels like the battery should have been more of a concern. Just keep a charging brick available so you can charge it if you're going to be out for more than a couple hours.
One of the reasons I was looking forward to this was the ability to use it as a straight up webcam via USB-C. It "just works" great. Plug it in and it's ready to use in OBS or whatever other software that can take advantage of a webcam. You're also able to connect to the micro HDMI port to show things off to your TV (or connect to an HDMI capture on your computer). The wide angle lens is really nice but I'm a little sad there's no optical zoom available.
Picture quality is pretty good. I wouldn't notice tiny things that might be against the picture quality and I don't notice anything really wrong with the picture at all. Well lit is your friend but if you're a content creator already, you're probably already aware of how much proper lighting helps. No complaints on the picture.
Overall, for a content creation camera, this is a really good product. I'm sad that any sort of digital zoom or stabilization is going to eat into your resolution but it's not something that really affects my content at all. A starter SD card would have been nice but it's not a deal breaker, just a little odd. Picture quality is good and everything is made to be quick and convenient to use just without all the bells and whistles. The USB webcam feature is going to get a ton of use in live streams. I can recommend this camera if you're looking for something for content creation and it's in your price range.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The IdeaPad 1 raises the bar on every affordable laptop with a super-efficient Intel Celeron N4020 processor in a thin and compact 17.9 mm chassis that makes multitasking a breeze while boosting energy efficiency with up-to-11 hours of battery life and rapid charge. Get more value with four-sided narrow bezels for maximum screen, Dolby Audio speakers and Flip to Start for instant boot up. Optimize your video call experience with a 720p camera that comes with a privacy shutter to keep out prying eyes and Smart Noise Cancelling to cut out background noise.
 
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2 out of 5
2
I understand its cheap but performance is bad
on November 13, 2023
Posted by: swemoney
I've set up and reviewed a lot of computers and laptops. Be it my own systems (I've been building computers for at least 3 decades now) or helping friends set up their computers. I understand that this system is meant to be about as entry level as it gets but oh man, my patience was tested. I was hoping to use this for my kids so they have something to watch some videos on and MAYBE play a really simple game. It might still be OK for videos but I'm not even sure yet.
Setup was a nightmare. Even the transitions between screens during the setup questions were laggy and jerky. Running Windows Update after setup was a full night en-devour. I didn't want to judge the overall performance of the PC based on initial setup but I can't think of having a worse experience with performance ever before. Nearly everything feels like a click and wait activity. I don't think CPU usage fell below 100% the entire time (which isn't hard for it to get there so I guess that's not much of a feat).
After setup was done, I didn't find that performance was getting much better. CPU was still pegged at 100% almost all the time. Finally loading up Edge so I could download Firefox took literal minutes. I wish I timed it, but I sat staring at a blank tab with a loading throbber for at least 5 minutes before the website finally loaded. Then downloading Firefox led me to my next snag because I've never heard of or experienced "Windows S Mode" before. So googling that (on another machine because I was not about to open another tab on this one) got me the instructions I needed to turn it off and install Firefox.
With Firefox finally installed and WIndows S Mode deactivated I finally felt like the machine was running at under 100% CPU for the first time. Things were still slow but it almost felt usable. I say this because I don't think I'll be installing anything else. Aside from the small storage space, I can't imagine using this machine for anything other than some really light web browsing and video watching and maybe some word processing.
I loaded up YouTube and Netflix and was able to watch videos alright. The resolution on this machine is just over 720p and playing a YouTube video at 720p works well. If you bump it up to 1080p, I started to see some dropped frames but nothing really noticeable (it just showed in Stats For Nerds). Netflix logged in and played just fine as well. I think this is predominantly what you'll be using this machine for. Watching some videos and checking your email.
Build quality is pretty OK. The keyboard doesn't feel bad. The system is light and plastic but it feels solid enough. I'm not sure how badly my kids will damage it but it feels, at initial usage, that it'll withstand a little bit of abuse at least. The screen quality isn't too great. Things appear a bit washed out and too bright and the resolution is pretty low. Some text is hard to read. Ports aren't too bad. It's got a 2 USB 2.0 ports, a USB-C port and an HDMI port. Also has a flash card reader slot and headphone jack. I'm a little confused and surprised that such a low end machine didn't opt for USB-C power, this thing somehow has a smallish 45W power brick for power.
Bottom line on this system is just not really great. I know it's cheap but I'm not sure the performance you get out of this is even worth how cheap it is or maybe even half of that. If this was packed with ChromeOS or another light weight Linux distro, it might be a bit more functional than the bloated Windows 11. I just don't think the hardware can keep up and this machine won't improve over the years so you're probably better off looking some something else. As much as I wanted to love this as a low cost, single purpose machine, I was just so frustrated with all of the waiting it made me do that I can't really recommend this to anyone.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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ASUS ExpertCenter D5 TEC features powerful, dependable and expandable performance, created especially for the unique needs of small business. Its ultracompact, flexible and sleek small form factor allows business users to enjoy flexible and neat workspace. Also, with help of our simplified small-business support services, you can enjoy reduced downtime and lower total cost of ownership.
 
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4 out of 5
4
Decent for what it it's meant for
on November 4, 2023
Posted by: swemoney
If you're looking for a PC to game on, look elsewhere. If you're looking for something moderately quick at basic tasks like browsing the web and watching some YouTube or Netflix, this could be a pretty good for you.
I've been building computers for probably close to 30 years now, but I'll occasionally work with a prebuilt either out of curiosity or it's someone else's. Overall, I'm not disappointed in this machine as far as parts and build quality goes. It's fairly bare bones in it's feature set but it's not meant to be a hugely expensive gaming rig so I can understand that. The biggest limiter I can see is the 8GB of RAM but that's a fairly easy upgrade if you're finding it to be an issue (and a pretty inexpensive one). But for what this is made to do, I think it's spec'd well enough. You'll be able to browse the web and watch some YouTube or Netflix just fine. Doing school work or office type work should be great as well. And if you really want to game a little bit, you always have cloud gaming options. The integrated Intel graphics should be able to support some older games at lower settings as well.
Setup was pretty simple. Same as usual for Windows 11. Enter some information and it'll do the rest. ASUS jumps in and prompts for some registration information but it's skippable if you'd rather not. The machine is pretty clean of bloat-ware. ASUS includes their basic MyASUS app that does things like tweaking some performance things as well as transferring information from another ASUS machine. Pretty basic stuff. There's also a business manager app included that does things like customize a logo for the machine and turn on some security related encryption things. If you're buying a bunch of these for the office, it'll probably come in handy. There's a bunch of ASUS processes running but they all appear to be fairly light weight. You can probably safely disable most of them too. That's about it for bloatware. Everything else is included with Windows 11 and most of it is still uninstallable pretty easily. I did notice an issue with the HDMI output which may stump some people who only have an HDMI monitor. I couldn't get it to output via HDMI at all. Luckily, my monitor also supports DisplayPort so I just used that but if you don't have that luxury, you may need an adapter to get a display at all.
Performance works good for a lower spec'd machine. I didn't notice much in the way of sluggishness doing things like web browsing, video/movie watching and office/school work stuff. I even tried out a game on xcloud and it worked as well as I'd expect xcloud to work. The CPU in this machine is very capable of video decoding so it didn't have many troubles.
Build quality seems fine. There's no window on this machine so there's no need for the parts inside to be pretty. It's just the basic green stuff. There's not much going on inside so it's fairly clean looking. One weird choice I found was the small strip of plastic protection over a really small line of glossy plastic that was tucked under the one faceplate in front. I had to take the whole front panel off to get that piece of plastic out without tearing it. It's a really small thing and one of those plastics that could probably have stayed on there for years without some people noticing, but I just found it odd that it was pretty much impossible to remove without tearing it or removing the front panel entirely.
I would have loved to see a couple of USB-C inputs on here in this day and age. There's plenty of USB for most things. 2 USB 2.x's and 2 USB 3.x's on the back and then the same up front. Just would have been nice to have some USB-C in the mix. There's even old-school PS2 inputs for a keyboard and mouse if you happen to have one of those dinosaurs lying around somewhere. I assume that's for compatibility with business stuff since this is more focused on business usage. Just doesn't feel super new.
Aside from the low amount of RAM, the questionable plastic cover placement, and my inability to get an image over HDMI even after fiddling with the BIOS, this machine is alright. None of those are dealbreakers for me and everything else works great. If those things sound like dealbreakers for you, you might want to keep browsing otherwise you could do worse than this machine.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Welcome to the beautifully imperfect world of Polaroid photography with the Polaroid Now Generation 2 camera. The classic, iconic analog instant camera comes with autofocus, a self-timer, and double exposure. All in a classic design, and now made with 40% recycled materials. Includes a Polaroid Color i-Type Film Double Pack for 16 color instant photographs with white frames. Compatible with Polaroid i-Type & 600 film in the original Polaroid instant film format.
 
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4 out of 5
4
Nostalgia in a box
on November 1, 2023
Posted by: swemoney
I'm not a huge analog guy. I was born in the early 80's and have always been a bit of a nerd so when camera technology got to the digital age, I was all in. Haven't looked back at a film camera in probably 2 decades. Would I want to use this Polaroid to capture the most important moments while my children grow up? Definitely not. But the casual pictures I did take of them would go great in a scrap book or any other more stylized collection and I can appreciate that.
Setup was easy enough. The instructions are fairly clear about how to install the film so it's hard to screw it up. After that, it's just point (by looking through a view finder!) and shoot. You might need to charge the camera up before using it. Mine had enough battery to use right away, though.
The biggest weirdness for me was actually taking the picture by looking through a physical hole in the camera again and then the shutter button being on the front of the camera. Just felt weird. Took me a minute to feel comfortable with my finger in the right spot to take a picture. Other than that, it was a fun experience for me. It tickles that nostalgia spot in my brain. The picture came out, and after reading through the quick start guide, I opted to listen to their big bold instructions which were "DO NOT SHAKE THE PICTURE!". Placing the film face down on a flat surface was plenty and in 5 minutes or so, I had some really old looking pictures of my kids.
I was most blown away by how little the technology has improved since I remember using these cameras. The pictures are not super great and I can't imagine anyone who didn't grow up with these cameras (or just find the novelty in old tech) really liking the result. To me, it was like seeing my small children but through an 80's lens. I liked the picture, but like I said, I would only use this to take casual images for a more artistic display somewhere. Consideration how old the pictures look, you could probably reproduce the effect with any digital pictures pretty easily by shrinking the resolution and using a bunch of filters. There's still something to having the thick polaroid film though.
Overall, I can recommend this camera to anyone who grew up in a time when this was normal and just wants to take some new pictures that look really old. The image quality isn't great. The flash doesn't go very far. You can't delete the picture and try again if you don't like it. There's something nifty about all of that, but this definitely won't replace your phone or anything for capturing actual important events. Pure nostalgia and not much else here.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Defined in ambition. Built through rigor. M75 AIR was made for a single purpose – to help you win. The symmetrical mouse shape has been expertly crafted to let nothing come between you and top-tier play. The speed and control you gain from M75 AIR is simply unrivaled, and at just 60g, M75 AIR is unbelievably light, enabling you to make the most agile movements, sweeps, and recenters. The 26K DPI CORSAIR MARKSMAN optical sensor detects those moves with pro grade precision, and your shots register instantly on optical switches guaranteed for 100 million clicks. When you grasp M75 AIR, you’re holding a mouse that’s sculpted by victory.
 
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4 out of 5
4
No frills, lightweight, performant mouse
on November 1, 2023
Posted by: swemoney
I've used my fair share of mouses over a span of decades but I've never really tried a one that specifically tries to be light weight. Usually, if the mouse has extra weight to add to it, I add a few grams before taking any out. So I wanted to check out something that's made specifically to be light weight and see how I liked it.
Setup is as easy as any other mouse you've ever used. Plug in the dongle and start using it straight away. You can also connect this one via bluetooth if that's your preferred method or if you have multiple devices and want to use the mouse on both of them. The toggle for the different modes is actually a push button on the bottom of the mouse and it also includes power. I found it difficult to tell which mode was active (or if the mouse was shutting down) since the only indicator light is a single tiny led on the top of the mouse. It's not a deal breaker, but every other mouse I've used with multiple modes has a 3 way switch that makes it very easy to tell what mode is active. I can only assume that the push button is used to save weight.
You don't need to install any software to just use the mouse but if you want to customize things like the DPI steps and update the firmware, you'll need Corsair's iCue software. As far as peripheral software goes, it's one of the better ones that doesn't feel super bloated or slow. There's no RGB lighting to customize on this mouse (again, I assume it saves weight) so your customization is limited but you still get firmware updates and profiles so you can change how the mouse acts depending on what you're doing.
The feel of this mouse is actually pretty nice for the shape. I've usually found this shape of mouse less comfortable to use but it feels like there's a bit more height on the mouse to support my palm which I like. The weight doesn't feel as bad as I was expecting. I'm not sure I see it as a huge benefit for me specifically, but I'm not playing hardcore FPS games competitively or anything which I have to assume is the target audience. It doesn't feel bad to use, but it also doesn't feel better than any heavier mouse I've used.. to me.
Build quality feels really good. There's not a ton going on with this mouse but it feels well built. There's just 2 side button, 2 top buttons and a scroll wheel (that also clicks, of course). It all feels well put together. There's no extras like a dpi button under the scroll wheel. There's no way to turn the stepped scroll wheel into a free spinning scroll wheel. I, again, assume all of these extras are left off to save as much weight as possible so if you're looking for a light weight mouse, you're probably used to these kind of concessions already.
All in all, this is a nice mouse for a niche audience. If you're looking for something really light weight but built nicely with very little in the way of extras, this one could be for you. If you're not concerned about weight, you'll probably want to look at other options that offer more bang for your buck.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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There’s nothing more frustrating than slow internet. Whether you’re trying to get work done or browsing the web, your internet connection should always be seamless. The Insignia NS-PA3CELB23 USB-C to Ethernet Adapter provides high-speed internet access to USB-C devices such as computers, smartphones, tablets and more. It supports up to 1 Gbps, granting high-speed data transfer and fast connectivity, which improves your gaming or web browsing experience. Plug-and-play technology ensures a simple connection and LED indicators tell you the adapter is connected and ready to go. It’s also easy to take on-the-go, with a compact design that easily fits in your pocket or purse. Secure a fast connection and forget about slow internet with this Insignia adapter.
 
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4 out of 5
4
It's an ethernet adapter. It does that.
on October 25, 2023
Posted by: swemoney
What's there really to say about a USB-C to Ethernet adapter aside from, it works? This one does indeed work.
Setup was a breeze on my old 2016 model MacBook Pro. Plug it into an available USB-C port and plug your ethernet cable into the adapter and you're off to the races. Just to make sure there was no shady business, I disabled wifi while testing so I knew I was always using the wired connection. The Mac immediately detected the adapter and the new network and configured it. I didn't have to do anything else. I would assume the interaction is similar in Windows now a days since few devices really need drivers and extra steps for configuring.
Speeds were what I would expect from a wired internet connection. I usually have this MacBook Pro on WiFi so I was happy to have a little bump in performance in that regard. Not much else to say here.
If you have a laptop that has a faulty ethernet port or more likely no ethernet port at all and you'd like to use it on a more stable wired connection, this is a dead simple gadget you probably can't go wrong with.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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For those who crave greater customization and immersion, satisfy your enthusiast needs with the Razer BlackWidow V4 75%—a compact, hot-swappable mechanical keyboard powered by Razer Chroma RGB. From installing new switches to creating unique lighting effects, shape it to way you love to play.
 
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4 out of 5
4
Really nice build and feel quality
on October 19, 2023
Posted by: swemoney
I've been trying out some new styles of keyboard lately and the only downside I can find to this one is the lack of a numpad but if you're going for a small form factor that's well made and feels good to type on, this one does a lot of things right.
Setup is a breeze as it usually is with keyboards. Plug it in and it's ready to go. If you install the Razer Synapse software, you can tweak things like key binds and lighting. Razer Synapse is not my favorite peripheral software out there but it works well enough. The lighting is easy enough to figure out so you can customize each key exactly the way you like it. The coolest lighting feature is the ambient spread lighting that can spread the light and colors from your monitor across multiple devices. I also have a Razer mouse so I was able to specify a zone where my mouse sits under my monitor and then specify another zone where my keyboard was sitting and the colors from my monitor could spread onto my mouse and keyboard. Very cool and doesn't appear to exist on Corsair's software.
The construction of this keyboard is really nice. It's got a nice heavy feel. The detachable cable is really nice and doesn't appear to be included in many other keyboards. The magnetic wrist rest is also built well and feels nice to type with. Just overall, the keyboard is built really well.
The switches are going to be subjective, of course. I'm coming from using a lot of linear switches (my main keyboard has been linear "speed" silver switches that have almost no travel before activation). I did not hate the tactile orange switches. I thought it would take some getting used to but not at all. They felt very natural and sounded good. No notes.
The only downside here, for me, is that this is a 75% keyboard. It's not hiding that fact so I obviously won't hold it against it. It's a really nice keyboard and will be in use for a future PC build for my wife or daughters (it does have the "cute" factor, being white and small). For the time being, I'm using it as my old MacBook Pro's dedicated keyboard when it's docked to my desk. I just can't use a keyboard without a numpad as my daily driver right now otherwise this keyboard would be it.
Bottom line, this is a really nice keyboard. I'm a pretty strong Corsair loyalist but I can recognize when something is built nice and works well. If you're looking for a small, attractive keyboard and like the feel of orange switches, this could be the one for you.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The CORSAIR K70 CORE gaming keyboard empowers your best play and makes gaming and typing amazing. With silky smooth CORSAIR Red linear mechanical switches and two layers of sound dampening foam for a superior typing sound and feel, this is premier CORSAIR performance at its core. Take control effortlessly with a multi-function rotary dial and programmable media button, configurable in iCUE. Use iCUE to also customize the K70 CORE’s dazzling per-key RGB lighting and make your desktop your own dynamic work of art, and then save your RGB settings and macros on up to five onboard profiles to always have at the ready. Your ambition starts with the K70 CORE.
 
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Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Solid and sleek
on October 14, 2023
Posted by: swemoney
I've used another Corsair keyboard for a long time now (K95) and have thoroughly enjoyed it. I wanted to check out some other switches, though, so I thought sticking with a linear switch (the K95 has silver speed switches) would be a good first step. I think I was right. I didn't have much trouble adjusting to these switches at all since the only huge difference is the activation point so they're quite a bit less sensitive that the silver speed switches.
Setup is as easy as it can be with a keyboard. Plug it in and it's mostly ready to go. You can install Corsair's iCUE software (which is recommended to at least update the firmware on your keyboard) and then you have a lot of options you can set up like lighting effects and what the dial does.
I still think Corsair's lighting creator in iCUE is one of the best. There are a lot of presets to start from and you can stack layers and specify the exact keys each layer affects so you can pretty much make any kind of effect you want. The only thing I found missing was a CPU monitor. There was a temperature sensor monitor so you can change some keys different colors based on CPU and GPU temperature, but I couldn't find a CPU/GPU load monitor to do the same thing. Not a huge thing. There's a lot you can do with lighting.
The control dial is the new fancy feature on this keyboard so I'll talk about that next. The setup for it in iCUE was a little confusing at first. You're able to assign multiple functions to the dial but I couldn't figure out right away how to know what function was going to be controlled at any time. After a bit of time, I discovered the F12 key had a tiny control dial icon on it so I was able to figure out that if you press Fn+F12, you'll change the mode. You can specify what color each mode is so you know which mode is active and whenever you turn or click the dial, the F12 key lights up with that color so you know which one is currently active. It's not the most intuitive setup if you want the dial to control a bunch of things but if you only want to use it for volume or only for controlling the lighting brightness or only for scrolling, it's pretty painless to do. Just need to train yourself to know which function is active if you want to use it for multiple functions.
The build of the keyboard is solid. It's pretty small. There's really no "extra" space around it. This was probably the most jarring part of coming from my old K95. The only extra keys the K95 had was a column of G-Keys on the left but, especially with the wrist rest (which, the K70 does NOT have), the keyboard just feels massive in comparison. You get full sized keys and a full size keyboard here but there's really no extra space added around the keys so it makes for a very compact design. I think I like it but I'm not sure if my wrists do yet. Definitely nice for aesthetics but I might need another wrist rest to make typing for prolonged periods more comfortable. Your mileage may obviously vary here. But the overall construction of the keyboard feels very sturdy and nice.
Overall, I'm happy with this keyboard. I've found that Corsair does a good job at keyboards in the past and that still seems to be the case. the iCUE software is some of the best software for customizing as well. If you're looking for a nice looking, small as can be, full size keyboard with plenty of lighting options and you're a fan of linear red switches, this could be the keyboard for you!
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.
9 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.
9 years ago
by
swemoney