Technopackrat's stats
- Review count169
- Helpfulness votes168
- First reviewJune 15, 2013
- Last reviewApril 29, 2024
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.5
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- Answer count22
- Helpfulness votes12
- First answerJanuary 26, 2017
- Last answerDecember 28, 2021
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Whip up more smoothies and more with this Nutri Ninja blender. Its powerful 1200W motor base blends frozen fruits and desserts in seconds, and the Pro Extractor Blades extract nutrients from fruits and vegetables. With a 4-cup bowl, this Nutri Ninja blender lets you create enough nutritious treats for your entire family.
Customer Rating
5
Smoothie Ninja
on December 22, 2016
Posted by: Technopackrat
I was in the market to replace my old Black and Decker blender. It was at last 6 years old and having difficulty making a decent smoothie. When I saw the Ninja blender with Auto-iq I knew it would be a great replacement. My primary use is for smoothies and it does a great job of breaking down the ice into a perfect consistency. I especially like the Auto-iq where you select what type of blend you want and then press Auto-iq and the blender will pulse and pause automatically so that the contents can settle before automatically restarting. The count down digital display will tell you at a glance how much time is left for your blend.
The Ninja comes with the standard pitcher like a normal blender but it also has 3 smoothie cups (1 medium sized and 2 large) and 3 screw on caps with flip open drinking spouts. I especially like the smoothie glasses so I'm not having to clean the big pitcher every time. And they are perfect size for on the go.
The only small knock I can give it is that it is tall and doesn't fit under my cupboard with the pitcher attached. It just means I'll have to find another permenant spot for it or move it out from under the cupboard whenever I want to use it. This is only a very slight inconvenience.
I can't wait to explore the other features of the Ninja but for what I use blenders for it's perfect.
My Best Buy number: 0035035732
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Revive your Apple Watch conveniently with this Belkin Valet Charger power pack. A single charge of its 6700 mAh battery refuels a watch up to eight times, and an embedded smart chip detects connected devices for automatic wireless charging. This Belkin Valet Charger power pack includes a USB port for simultaneously charging additional devices.
Customer Rating
5
About Time - no pun intended
on December 22, 2016
Posted by: Technopackrat
Belkin Valet Charger Power Pack
When I travel I usually leave the Apple Watch at home because I already carry enough junk in my bag, a portable hard drive with cable, portable power pack and cable, iPhone sync/charge cable and cube. So adding the watch charging base just wasn't desirable.
I thought "why doesn't someone come out with a portable power pack with a built in Apple Watch base? Well surprise, surprise, Belkin did just that with their Valet Charger Power Pack.
It's a slick 6700 mAh pack with a built in Apple Watch magnetic charging puck and the usual USB port to charge your iPhone. Output is only 1 amp to the USB and 1 amp to the Apple Watch so forget about charging any kind of tablet.
There should be enough power to charge your iPhone 3 times and watch 8 times from a full charge but I haven't had the unit long enough to test number of charges and charging times. I expect at 1 amp the recharge wouldn't be that quick. Size is not bad coming in just under 1" thick, 1 3/4" wide and 4 3/4" long.
There should be enough power to charge your iPhone 3 times and watch 8 times from a full charge but I haven't had the unit long enough to test number of charges and charging times. I expect at 1 amp the recharge wouldn't be that quick. Size is not bad coming in just under 1" thick, 1 3/4" wide and 4 3/4" long.
Finally I can leave my older and larger portable power pack at home and pack the smaller Belkin Valet and wear my Apple Watch on my trips.
My Best Buy number: 0035035732
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Save time when you batch-edit photographs with Adobe Photoshop Elements 15. Sort photos automatically with the software’s enhanced smart tagging feature and find pictures via geotags or visual similarity. Specialized tools within the program let you fix frowns, remove camera shake and remove red-eye, making Adobe Photoshop Elements 15 an invaluable addition to your photography needs.
Customer Rating
4
Quick and easy photo organizer and editor
on November 16, 2016
Posted by: Technopackrat
My picture editing needs are simple. I have been using Picasa for a few years and it did a good enough job but at times I wanted to do more with my pictures. I don't want the learning curve of more professional programs like Photoshop. For people like me Photoshop Elements does the trick for quick and easy edits.
The biggest plus with Elements is the guided edits with step by step instructions on how to achieve the results you desire. The basics are there: Color correction, tilt correction, cropping, and resizing along with some fun editing tools like picture stacking, speed effect, reflections and even panoramic photo stitching. And of course there are tools to change your photos into ones that look decades old.
The biggest plus with Elements is the guided edits with step by step instructions on how to achieve the results you desire. The basics are there: Color correction, tilt correction, cropping, and resizing along with some fun editing tools like picture stacking, speed effect, reflections and even panoramic photo stitching. And of course there are tools to change your photos into ones that look decades old.
Elements also comes with an photo organizer to keep track of all of your photos. You can create albums or just keep the photos in folders. When you need to edit a photo you can select it from your library and chose to edit it in Elements. Quick and simple! Tags and metadata can be edited in the organizer.
I installed Elements on my Windows 10 desktop. When installing the applications you have the option of purchasing Premier Elements which includes a video editor or can simply install the trial version to see if if fits your needs.
I found Elements very easy to use and it's now my go to program for quick and easy photo editing.
My Best Buy number: 0035035732
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
5
Google rethinks your home
on November 7, 2016
Posted by: Technopackrat
Google tossed their hat into the home assistant market by harnessing Google Now in a home hub device. Google Home is aiming at Amazon's Echo but they have a long way to go to catch up but if you already have an Android phone or tablet then the Google Home would be a natural fit as a home hub.
You can control a Chromecast if you use one to stream programming to a TV where the Echo can control a Fire TV. It also has the ability to control Philips' hue lighting. If you have a Youtube, Pandora, Spotify or Google Play account it can stream music from your playlists. Knowing Google the Home will be adding more connectivity as time goes on.
Out of the box I intially had issues getting Google Home to set-up correctly. I installed the iOS App on my iPhone 7. The connection between the phone and the Home is pretty slow. In addition the Home couldn't recognize my Nest thermostat (shocker since it's another Google device). I eventually had to do a reset of the Home and start setup again until if finally connected and found the Nest.
I've had an Amazon Echo since they first came out (Amazon offered significant discounts to Prime members before it's release). Basic commands have similar results. I do get a lot less false commands with the Google Home. It uses "Okay Google" where the Echo uses "Alexa". You'd be surprised how many false commands I get from the Echo hearing the TV with some dialog close enough to "Alexa". So "Okay Google" is a lot more deliberate to wake up the device with less false commands.
The Google Home is feature packed and as the device matures I look forward seeing what it can do. So if you are looking for a home hub device it's a toss up between the Echo and the Home. If you use an Android phone or tablet I'd definitely pick the Home over the Echo.
My Best Buy number: 0035035732
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Connect your external wireless devices to the internet with this Linksys dual-band router. Two 5Ghz bands support both high-end gaming and low-end applications without compromising speed, and remote management lets you make adjustments from any location. This Linksys dual-band router has a sleek design that integrates easily into most workspaces.
Customer Rating
5
Great performance upgrade
on October 23, 2016
Posted by: Technopackrat
I replaced a Netgear Nighthawk Wi-Fi router with the new Linksys WRT AC3200 MU-MIMO arouter hoping to pick up some additional speed in data transfer.
Installation was quick and easy, especially since I already had a router. Just unplug the old and plug in the new. Setup of the router was easy. I opened my favorite browser, typed in the generic 192.168.1.1 to access the control panel. It had a step by step setup wizard that allowed me to get up and running quickly. I especially like the editable network map. The map allows you to quickly see what devices you have connected to your network all on one page and it has filters to allow you to see just LAN, 2.4gHz and/or 5gHz connections. When you right mouse click on a connected device and click on "Device Info" it displays the name, IP address and MAC address. You can edit the name of the device on this screen as well, naming it something that makes since to you... like "nVidia Shield" instead of "Android-034145354234".
You can also connect external storage directly to the router for a home network NAS (untested since I don't have a NAS device to connect).
I'm connected to Comcast high speed internet. Before switching I ran speedtest.net and download speed was about 120-130Mbps and after switching I'm getting over 150-180Mbps depending on time of day and pinged server and that's with 19 devices connected to the router.
I can definitely recommend this router especially if you've got an older Wi-Fi router and do online gaming. You should see significant speed increases especially if you connect to the 5gHz channel.
My Best Buy number: 0035035732
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Listen like never before with QuietControl 30 wireless headphones. Breakthrough technology lets you set your own level of noise cancellation, so you can control how much of the world you want to let in - or how quiet you want your surroundings to be. Volume-optimized EQ gives you balanced audio performance at any volume, while a noise-rejecting dual-microphone system provides clear calls, even in windy or noisy environments. Connect easily to your devices with Bluetooth and NFC pairing. QuietControl 30 wireless headphones feature a lightweight neckband design that conforms to your body for all-day comfort and wearability. A lithium-ion battery gives you up to 10 hours of wireless listening per charge. And the Bose Connect app helps you manage your paired devices and gives you enhanced control. Available in Black.
Customer Rating
5
Bose scores big
on October 4, 2016
Posted by: Technopackrat
I've been a big Bose fan for a long time having owned several pair of noise reduction and noise cancelling headphones over the years along with a Soundlink Mini Bluetooth speaker and one of their HDTV sound bars. I've always been impressed with the build quality, ruggedness, and quality of sound produced by their devices. I've been wanting to tray a set of earbuds for a long time but couldn't justify spending the money since I already own Quietcomfort headphones as my roadwarrior gear.
Bose recently released the QuietControl 30 Bluetooth in-ear buds and they continue to impress! In the box you get the headphones, two extra sets of earpieces to custom taylor the fit, charging cable (USB micro) and a firm shell carrying case.
The headphones have a rubberized base collar that houses the electronics with the each earbud connected with about 8 inches of cord. The collar has some flex in it so it's easy to place around the neck. The right cord has the sound controls which not only controls volume but also track control and even noice cancelling level. The collar has a charging port that will take a USB micro cable (included but does not come with a charger block). When not in use the charging port does have a captive rubber plug to keep moisture out. The collar also has the power button and two small LED lights to indicate that it's powered on and that Bluetooth is in discovery mode.
Ease of Use:
Setup was easy. The instructions have a QR code which you scan with your smartphone. Depending on flavor of phone you are directed to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store so you can download the Connect app. Launch the app and then power up the headphones. The device connection is quickly discovered and paired. Once loaded you are ready to fire up your music player. I did find that the location of the controls took some getting use to and I would inadvertently pull the bud out of my right ear trying to operate it.
Setup was easy. The instructions have a QR code which you scan with your smartphone. Depending on flavor of phone you are directed to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store so you can download the Connect app. Launch the app and then power up the headphones. The device connection is quickly discovered and paired. Once loaded you are ready to fire up your music player. I did find that the location of the controls took some getting use to and I would inadvertently pull the bud out of my right ear trying to operate it.
Sound:
The noise-cancelling and sound is extremely good and what you would expect from Bose. Sound is crisp and clear with great full spectrum response. Bass, mid-range and treble all sound great with no distortion. Noise-cancelling is adjustable via the smartphone app. More or less ambient noise with a simple swipe on the screen or push of a button on the inline control.
The noise-cancelling and sound is extremely good and what you would expect from Bose. Sound is crisp and clear with great full spectrum response. Bass, mid-range and treble all sound great with no distortion. Noise-cancelling is adjustable via the smartphone app. More or less ambient noise with a simple swipe on the screen or push of a button on the inline control.
Comfort:
The earbuds fit comfortably but for me the collar took some time to get used to. I'm sure the designers were looking for a one-size-fits-all application so it's not uncomfortable but you know it's there if you are a large person.
The earbuds fit comfortably but for me the collar took some time to get used to. I'm sure the designers were looking for a one-size-fits-all application so it's not uncomfortable but you know it's there if you are a large person.
Price:
MSRP is $299.99. Bose stuff has never been cheap but you get what you pay for. Great quality and great sound.
MSRP is $299.99. Bose stuff has never been cheap but you get what you pay for. Great quality and great sound.
Final thoughts:
With a few minor tweaks (only for people with large necks) the QuietControl 30 is a must have. The more I use it the more comfortable I am with it. Great sound, great noise cancelling, great design. I'd pick it over an over the ear any day.
With a few minor tweaks (only for people with large necks) the QuietControl 30 is a must have. The more I use it the more comfortable I am with it. Great sound, great noise cancelling, great design. I'd pick it over an over the ear any day.
My Best Buy number: 0035035732
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Power your Apple devices with this Belkin charge dock. It comes with a Lightning connector that charges iPhones and an integrated magnetic charger that provides Apple watches with more juice when needed. The single built-in cable of this Belkin charge dock lets you charge both devices simultaneously, saving you the inconvenience of using multiple cords.
Customer Rating
5
Almost Perfect Solution
on August 25, 2016
Posted by: Technopackrat
As an iPhone 6s Plus and Apple watch owner I've had to rely on two methods to charge both devices. I use an Urban Armor Gear case for my phone so it's a bit large. I had concerns that regular docks would not work due to the size of the case or I'd be stuck removing the phone anytime I wanted to cradle it. I ended up just plugging it into a sync/charge cable.
The Belkin Powerhouse is a great solution to my problem. It comes with it's own power adapter so you don't use a sync cable. It's got some weight so it won't move around while you are docking your devices and it takes up a little more than a 3" x 3" footprint on my desk.
The dock for the phone has an adjustable lightning connector that you dial up or down to accommodate different case configurations. It's got some flexibility to the connector to make it easier to dock and undock, although I need practice getting the alignment perfect on the first attempt to dock but I'm sure it will be easier the more I use it.
The watch charger is incorporated into the stand and uses the same power source. It's extremely convenient all in one charging station for both devices.
Since it does not use a lightning cable or a USB connection you MUST use WiFi sync between the phone and the computer. I had never used that feature and always sync'd using the USB cable so it took me a few moments to set up the combo to sync via WiFi. Not a huge issue but a slight inconvenience at first.
All in all a great device which addresses a need for iPhone and Apple Watch owners.
My Best Buy number: 0035035732
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4: Whether you're at home, in the office or working on the go, this tablet is your portable personal assistant. Multitask efficiently with Multi Window, and create, edit and share documents with ease using Hancom Office Suite.
Customer Rating
5
Great tablet for the money
on May 2, 2014
Posted by: Technopackrat
from Katy, TX
Verified Purchase:Yes
I've been slowly moving away from Apple products and migrating to Android devices. I have owned several tablets... original iPad, iPad2, iPad Mini, Dell Venue 8, Nexus 7 and the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition. I really love the Note 10.1 and when I saw the Tab Pro 8.4 form factor I fell in love with it. Android is a robust operating system and it perfect for the geek that likes to customize the look and feel of the experience. If you want something plain jane vanilla and something that just gets the job done... go get an iPad. You want to fully customize and tweak your tablet get the Tab Pro.
My Best Buy number: 0035035732
My Best Buy number: 0035035732
What's great about it: Screen resolution is awesome. Quick performance.
What's not so great: Nothing
I would recommend this to a friend!
Ease of Use
5
Features
5
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Logitech Wireless Mouse M325. A better mix of precision and comfort-with designed-for-Web scrolling. Designed for how you use the Web, our newest micro-precise scrolling makes everything you love to do online easier. Its feel-good, contoured shape and textured grips help keep your hand happy-even after long hours. And with up to 18 months of battery life, it virtually eliminates the hassle of changing batteries.*
Customer Rating
5
Affordable wireless
on June 15, 2013
Posted by: Technopackrat
from Katy, TX
Verified Purchase:Yes
These are compact enough and fit the needs of a business traveller. I own several and toss them into my different laptop bags. Great price and get the job done.
My Best Buy number: 0035035732
My Best Buy number: 0035035732
What's great about it: Great price and wireless
What's not so great: nothing
I would recommend this to a friend!
Design
5
Ease of Use
5
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An industry defining 49” 1000R curved screen, equipped with a cutting edge Quantum Matrix HDR2000 panel, 240hz refresh rate, G-Sync and FreeSync Premium Pro support, 1ms GTG response rates, and fully customizable Odyssey Infinity Core lighting.
Does this monitor have a VESA mount?
yes, it comes with an 100x 100 VESA adapter
2 years, 4 months ago
by
Technopackrat
PowerCore III 20K is a slim and powerful portable 20000mAh battery. With two USB-A port outputs and one USB-C PD input, this is all you need as your charging companion.
Can you charge your Nintendo switch with this?
Coffeehouse Versatility meets Pod Convenience with the Ninja DualBrew Pro Specialty Coffee System. Included 12-cup, double-walled thermal carafe is perfect for both hot and over-ice beverages, with an ergonomic handle and spout allow for easy control of pouring. Tackle grounds and pods with 9 grounds brew sizes from small cup to full carafe, and 4 pod brew sizes from 6 to 12 ounces. Brews a coffee pod faster than a leading Keurig coffee maker upon startup. With Thermal Flavor Extraction DUO technology, perfect flavor for grounds and pods is delivered with even saturation and precise temperature control for ultra-flavorful coffee. Separate from the coffee system is a dedicated hot water line. Using a separate line eliminates flavor contamination and delivers clean water. 2 temperature settings, hot and boil, allow you to make tea, hot cocoa, instant soups, and oatmeal. Brew a super-rich coffee concentrate that you can use to create delicious lattes, macchiatos, cappuccinos, and other coffeehouse-style drinks. Use the built-in, fold-away frother to transform hot or cold milk/milk-alternatives into silky-smooth froth in seconds. Top your Specialty brew with frothed milk for a coffeehouse-style drink. The frother is also removable for easy cleaning. Choose from one of four different brew styles; classic or rich for a traditional hot cup of coffee, over ice for an iced coffee that's never diluted, or specialty to make a cappuccino or latte. Clean function, dishwasher-safe parts, removable Ninja pod adaptor and frother allow you to easily deep clean your unit.
Can you tell me more about the thermal carafe? Is the inside stainless steel?
The future of gaming has arrived with the WD_BLACK™ SN850 NVMe™ SSD. Long load times are obsolete with PCIe® Gen4 technology, reaching up to 7,000MB/s read speed and up to 4,100MB/s write speed. Spend more time playing and less time deleting, storing your latest and favorite games with 500GB capacity (not intended for NAS or server environments). This WD_Black internal SSD has a compact form factor and a PCIe Gen4 interface for compatibility with select PCs or laptops.
what form factor is this m.2? My motherboard (x570 Unify) supports 2242/2260/2280 storage devices.
Unleash the power of the Samsung 980 PRO PCIe 4.0 NVMe Gen4 SSD for next-level computing. 980 PRO delivers 2x the data transfer rate of PCIe 3.0, while maintaining compatibility with PCIe 3.0.¹ ¹The NVM Express® design mark is a registered trademark of NVM Express, Inc.* Results are based on a comparison with Samsung PCIe 3.0 NVMe SSDs and SATA SSDs.PS5 compatible with heatsink as recommended by Sony; heatsink sold separately.
I was thinking about using this with an enclosure on a ps5/Xbox SX. Could that decrease speed, and downgrade graphics as compared to internal ssd? Thanks
I would suggest using a 2.5" Samsung SSD rather than a M.2. Enclosures are plentiful and might be better priced. I've got an external 2.5 SSD on my PS4 and it works flawlessly.
3 years, 4 months ago
by
Technopackrat
Play CDs, CD-Rs and CD-RWs on this Memorex portable CD player. The 60-second anti-skip protection ensures interruption-free audio, while programmable tracks let you easily recall your favorite tunes. This Memorex portable CD player features an LCD for simple frequency navigation, and the included stereo earbuds offer crisp and clear sound.
Does the volume control on this device also control the volume of the Bluetooth device it’s connected to?
Play CDs, CD-Rs and CD-RWs on this Memorex portable CD player. The 60-second anti-skip protection ensures interruption-free audio, while programmable tracks let you easily recall your favorite tunes. This Memorex portable CD player features an LCD for simple frequency navigation, and the included stereo earbuds offer crisp and clear sound.
Can this item connect to car USB audio ports?
Play CDs, CD-Rs and CD-RWs on this Memorex portable CD player. The 60-second anti-skip protection ensures interruption-free audio, while programmable tracks let you easily recall your favorite tunes. This Memorex portable CD player features an LCD for simple frequency navigation, and the included stereo earbuds offer crisp and clear sound.
Can this player be connected to a car aux input
Introducing MX Keys, an advanced wireless illuminated keyboard crafted for efficiency, stability, and precision. Perfect Stroke keys are shaped for your fingertips and increased key stability reduces noise while optimizing responsiveness. Tactile reference for hand positioning makes it easy to stay oriented and in your flow. The backlit keys light up the moment your hands approach, and automatically adjust to suit changing lighting conditions. With MX Keys you can truly master what you make.
What is the length of the keyboard
Introducing MX Keys, an advanced wireless illuminated keyboard crafted for efficiency, stability, and precision. Perfect Stroke keys are shaped for your fingertips and increased key stability reduces noise while optimizing responsiveness. Tactile reference for hand positioning makes it easy to stay oriented and in your flow. The backlit keys light up the moment your hands approach, and automatically adjust to suit changing lighting conditions. With MX Keys you can truly master what you make.
Logitech's website shows a graphite color keyboard. Are there multiple versions / does BB offer graphite version? See https://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/mx-keys-wireless-keyboard.
The keys are black but the base appears to be graphite. There is a definite but slight contrast between the base and the keys.
4 years, 6 months ago
by
Technopackrat