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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Introducing CZ Smart YouQ, the smarter smartwatch. Citizen CZ Smart Casual 41mm smartwatch is designed to help you be the best version of yourself throughout the day, every day. Inspired by the rich design of Citizen’s iconic sport technical timepieces, CZ Smart marries cutting-edge science and technology with the style and quality you expect from Citizen. CZ Smart YouQ leverages AI Models built with IBM Watson Studio and research pioneered by NASA Ames Research Center to power features within the proprietary YouQ application. CZ Smart YouQ helps you anticipate patterns of fatigue and alertness and offers highly personalized insights and suggested actions to help you improve alertness and promote the building of better habits, readying you to meet whatever the day may bring. Compatible with both iPhone and Android, CZ Smart YouQ features Wear OS by Google. The versatile, customizable menu of dials, designed exclusively for CZ Smart, gives you all the information you need at your fingertips. With a range of interchangeable 22mm bands available for all CZ Smart watches in bracelet, mesh, leather, and silicone, you can dress your CZ Smart watch for any occasion and make the most out of every moment. The Smarter Smartwatch: CZ Smart features the new proprietary wellness app YouQ built using research pioneered by NASA’s Ames Research Center and AI Models built with IBM Watson Studio. YouQ helps wearers maximize their daily potential by learning the wearer’s unique Chronotype and rhythms. YouQ computes HR, SP02, fitness activity, sleep data, and alert scores to offer the wearer a personalized 24-hour forecast of alertness. Aggregating data over time will enable CZ Smart YouQ to cater to wearers personally allowing them to understand their body’s natural rhythms. Meet your self-care advisor: CZ Smart YouQ provides the wearer a daily, brief, and gamified Alert Monitor, designed based on NASA’s PVT+ (Psychomotor Vigilance Task Test), a test used by astronauts to measure alertness. Only CZ Smart YouQ uses Alert Monitor scores and sleep data to identify the wearer’s distinct Chronotype (are you a morning go-getter, steady achiever, high-energy hustler?). CZ Smart YouQ helps you stay on track with an Hourly Power Score, an indicator of your cognitive and physical energy at a particular moment and offers Power Fixes to mitigate the effects of fatigue and improve alertness so the user can optimize themselves for what’s ahead. You may have a napuccino or liquid energy in your future. Preloaded and ready-to-go: Citizen Connected works with phones running on the latest version of Android (excluding Go Edition and phones without Google Play Store) or iOS. Applications available via the Play Store include CZ Smart YouQ App, Google Fit, Strava, Spotify, YouTube Music, and Amazon Alexa. CZ Smart features 24+ hour battery life (varies based on usage) and achieves a full charge in just 40-minutes. Connections include Bluetooth (connect your headphones), Wi-Fi, GPS (head out for a run or hike and leave your phone behind), and NFC (make contactless payments). Sensors include Gyroscope, altimeter, barometer, accelerometer, heart rate sensor, SP02, ambient light sensor, so that you can track activity goals, heart rate monitor, cardio fitness tracking, steps, sleep, and more. Personalization, notifications, and more: The uniquely designed CZ Smart dials give hundreds of options to fully customize your watch face and receive the information you find most important. Stay focused all day while getting notifications on your watch for incoming calls, texts, emails and calendar notifications. The built-in speaker enables you to conveniently answer a call from your smartwatch. With Amazon Alexa built-in, CZ Smart makes it easy to tackle your daily tasks and organization. CZ Smart next generation: Citizen Connected works with phones running on the latest version of Android (excluding Go Edition and phones without Google Play Store) or iOS, 24+ hour battery life, Qualcomm 4100+ chipset, offering the user a seamless connection and quick response and screen changes.
Customer Rating
5
Stylish smart watch
on June 7, 2023
Posted by: Technopackrat
I have several smart watches that I switch back and forth with. Each has its own unique characteristics and depending on mood or need I pick the one I want to wear that day.
Out of the box the watch is very stylish. You can feel the quality of the build. I’m not a big fan of the silicone band included with the watch. For me it was a bit stiff and had a sharp edge which became uncomfortable during the day. I ended up purchasing another sport band online that has a more rounded edge increasing the comfort.
I already own the Citizen Hybrid Smart watch so I already had the Citizen Apple App on my iPhone. Pairing was easy enough by simply selecting add a new watch in the app. Once paired you can fine tune the watch features through the app which I found it much easier than trying to do it on the watch itself.
I did have some issues with the watch out of the gate and contacted tech support and they promptly replied with tips on how to get the watch to behave as selected and also increase battery life.
You can select a simplified watch face as always on or there are a multitude of faces you can download. I went with a more traditional analog watch look and set my watch to display on a wrist tilt but you can also set it so the watch face will display on a tap of the screen or a push of the main stem.
After optimizing settings and then fine tuning to my taste the watch is performing flawlessly.
I’d recommend this if it’s in your budget. There are less expensive options but there are also much more expensive options. This falls right in the middle from a trusted quality watch manufacturer.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The Alienware 34" Curved Gaming monitor features QD-OLED technology and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro. Featuring infinite contrast ratio, 165Hz refresh rate and VESA DisplayHDR TRUEBlack 400 for an incredible front-of-screen performance.
Customer Rating
5
Vibrant and High Resolution, Strong Performance
on May 17, 2023
Posted by: Technopackrat
It seems that the 34" ultra-wide curved monitor is a very popular configuration for a great general purpose monitor these days. Everyone is cranking one out but most can not compete with the latest from Dell's Alienware division.
Where this one shines is the high resolution and refresh rate. Connected to a capable graphics card the 3440x1440 resolution packs a lot of pixels per inch and connected via Displayport you get a blistering 165Hz refresh rate (100Hz with a HDMI cable). Running AAA games I experienced to ghosting or artifacts. Not only is the monitor great for gaming but also general use. I deal with large spreadsheets and the ultra-wide format gives me additional real estate so I don't have to horizontally scroll for most of my files.
Packaging was better than most I've seen. Curved screens require a bit more care with the packaging and the box inserts, screen covering and foam did a great job of protecting the screen, and the whole monitor for that matter.
Setup was a breeze. The desktop pedistal snapped to the back of the monitor. I used the included Displayport cable connecting to my nVidia RTX4080FE video card. I did go to the Dell support page for the monitor and downloaded the firmware update and hardware drivers. Initially Windows 11 recognized it as a generic monitor however installing the downloaded drivers Windows recognized it as an Alienware AW3423DWF providing a bit more fine tuning.
Power button is on the right hand bottom of the monitor. There is a center bottom joystick to be able to get into the native menu and make adjustments on the fly. I always enable Freesync (or G-sync for that version of the monitor) to help reduce any display tearing but honestly with 165Hz I never really see any noticable difference.
The OLED screen with HDR cranks out vibrant colors. It usually takes some tweaking for me to get the colors right on other monitors with HDR but I had no such issues with the Alienware. Out of the box it preformed amazingly.
For the ports you get 2 Displayport and 1 HDMI input. Dell supplies not only a Displayport cable but also a USB C to Displayport cable if your video out supports video over USB C. There is a USB port to connect to your computer so you can use the monitor as a USB hub (4 USB-A out ports) and allows for easy firmware updates.
I've been running a couple of AAA games and I really love the performance, crisp and bright picture. This is a great addition to my gaming setup.
Price point is around the $110o mark so a bit on the high end. If performance and picture quality are important to you then it's easy to justify the price tag.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Carry the heaviest portable sound in your hand. Middleton has a quad-speaker set-up to ensure the ultimate immersive experience wherever you roam. Control playback and adjust the bass and treble using the top-mounted controls or the dedicated app. Built-in Dynamic Loudness adjusts the tonal balance of the sound to ensure your music sounds brilliant at every volume. Middleton utilises True Stereophonic, a unique form of multi-directional stereo sound from Marshall. Experience superior spatial and binaural sound that flows around you and fills any space. This is absolute 360° sound – where every spot is a sweet spot.
Customer Rating
5
Stanmore's Little Sibling (relatively speaking)
on May 2, 2023
Posted by: Technopackrat
I’ve loved Marshall products ever since I bought my son his first guitar amp decades ago. Marshall is a great brand with reliable products. They branched off into home and personal audio equipment and I’ve tried a few of those. Their headphones and then the beefy Stanmore Bluetooth speaker are some of my go-to things when I need to punch up some tunes.
Marshall has come out with a smaller version of the Stanmore with the Middleton. I must say that it does carry the banner with pride. You really can’t compare the Middleton to other brand speakers in its category, it wouldn’t be a fair comparison. It has the same leatherette finish and the signature Marshall logo in the speaker grill. It comes with a charging cable (USB A to USB C) and a carrying strap which is as heavy duty as the speaker itself. I think a USB C to USB C cable should have been included or throw in a USB A to USB C adapter.
This thing is heavy for its size!!!! It’s a bit heftier than most portable speaker. I mean in size and in weight. The Middleton is packed with a ton of features and I’m sure that the extra weight must be from the batteries that give it a 20+ hour playtime. I haven’t tested the battery life but the advertised 20 or more hours gives me a good day of playtime… or even a weekend under practical use. Maybe not for casually tossing in a backpack but strap might come in handy to assist in transporting.
The Middleton is IP67 rated meaning its dust resistant and waterproof up to 30 minutes in 1 meter of water. Pretty much on par with most smartphones these day. Very solid choice for taking to the beach or even the pool as long as it stays out of the deep end.
The controls are all on top of the speaker. There is a large multi-function button on top center. It’s like a D-Pad on any game controller. I long press and the unit powers on. To pair the Bluetooth there is a small button on the left with the symbol. A long press will put in in pairing mode and easy connect to a computer, tablet or smartphone. Once connected just push play on your device or you can do a quick press on the power button to get the tunes rolling. I mentioned that the large button has multiple functions. So quick presses are pause/play, rocking the button to the left or right is forward/reverse, rocking back and forward is the volume control. Great use of a single button!! There are Bass and Treble buttons on the right hand side of the power button. In addition to the Bluetooth button on the left side is a bar LED indicator which reacts to the Bass, Treble, volume and also battery level check button. You can always see how much battery life you have left.
I powered it up and paired it with my iPhone. Setup was extremely easy. In a few minutes I was punching out some massive sound. Clear, crisp and no distortion even when cranking it up to something like 8 on the 1 to 10 volume scale. It filled the room with amazing clarity! I appreciate the onboard bass and treble control making it easy to adjust as needed depending on what I was listening to. Using the Marshall Bluetooth app gives you remote control within range. A solid BRAVO!
As I would have expected Bluetooth isn’t the only method to connect to the speaker. Marshall includes an auxiliary input jack next to the USB-C charging port on the back of the speaker for devices that have a headphone jack.
These come in two colors… black or cream. I prefer the traditional black Marshall look myself.
Price point at $299 is a bit hefty to match it’s bulk and weight but for the sound quality and battery life make it a value if you appreciate those things.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Intro-level price. Pro-level results. For food nerds, by food nerds. Our most compact cooker is still huge on results. This latest iteration of our entry-level sous vide circulator adds key improvements as requested by food nerds, for an even sweeter deal on perfect meals.
Customer Rating
5
New way to cook for me
on April 25, 2023
Posted by: Technopackrat
If you are like me you've only seen or heard of sous vide cooking on those TV cooking shows. I always thought "Why in the world would I need to use one of those things?". Boy was I wrong to think that way.
I asked a good friend of mine that is a pitmaster at his BBQ restaurant how one of his smoked briskets would freeze. Would it still retain the same texture and flavor. He told me to grab a sous vide and I'd be good to go. I asked another friend that uses one what he did with them and he's done a lot... short ribs, steaks, chops, eggs, vegetables... So I grabbed the Anova Nano to try for myself.
I bought a bulk pack of thick pork loin chops a few weeks ago and froze them in pairs. After a pair thawed out I seasoned with a popular pellet grill company's Rosemary Garlic prime rib seasoning and vacuum sealed them.
I downloaded the Anova app from the Apple store to my iPhone (Android version also available off Google Play). Pairing was simple which also included connecting the Nano to my wifi. By the way, the app has some great recipes and cooking guides depending on what you are cooking.
I grabbed my biggest stock pot, attached the Nano, filled up half way between min and max fill lines and fired it up. I set the cooking tempurature and time using the app. 140°F for 3 hours in the "hot tub". After the cook was done I pulled the chops from the bag and dropped them on the grill for about 3 minutes each side to give it a decent sear.
The results were amazing. So tender and juicy. I had cooked a pair of those chops on my pellet grill a month ago and they were a bit chewy but the Nano sous vide chops were amazing.
Next up was simple hard boiled eggs and using the app cooking guide they came out perfect. Oh... almost forgot... when using the cooking guide you can actually use the guide to automatically set your temp and timer on the Nano. Great way to maximize the functionality of the app.
I've got a 2" thick bone in ribeye in the freezer I plan on cooking soon. Can't wait!!!!
I would recommend this to a friend!
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All hail the new king. The Turtle Beach Stealth Pro Multiplatform Wireless Gaming Headset brings the best premium features to your gaming multiverse for PlayStation, Windows PCs, Mac, Nintendo Switch and mobile. Featuring the most versatile noise cancelling system ever in a gaming headset, with the ability to control noise-cancelling levels from anywhere. Experience ultimate audio immersion with powerful, hand-selected 50mm Nanoclear drivers for a vast soundstage; and the TruSpeak noise-cancelling boom mic or dual built-in microphones offer ultra-clear comms. Our softest memory foam ear cushions enhance noise isolation and provide all-day comfort, and the Stealth Pro is built to last with a durable steel-reinforced headband and frame.
Customer Rating
5
Premium features at a premium price
on April 20, 2023
Posted by: Technopackrat
I've got several Turtle Beach headsets and by far these are the best of the bunch.
First up is the fit - For me the earcup material is soft but would have preferred something that breathed a bit better but I know that the material used is better for noise canceling. After about an hour of game play my ears were warm and I started to sweat a little bit. The fit is a bit tight for my head, not uncomfortable, but it was a bit tighter than I would have preferred. I’m not sure I could put in anything more than an hour or so of gameplay before I’d need to take a break.
The sound quality is amazing. I connected first to my gaming PC to try it out for a while and then connected to my PlayStation 5 for its permanent location. I found the sound quality extremely good and with noise cancelling ambient sound was all but eliminated.
On the PC using the Turtle Beach Audio Hub software I verified the headset had the latest firmware and then fine-tuned it to my taste. There are a crazy amount of settings using the Hub software and for my purpose I tinkered with a few and then settled on what I preferred.
On the PlayStation 5 pairing was simple and setup was easy with on screen step-by-step instructions.
Once preferences were set it was time to put some gaming time in. I fired up Ghost of Tsushima and I was immediately immersed with the sound quality, listening to the wind and birds with clarity. After a bit I switched to Grand Turismo 7 and ran a few races with equally immersive sound.
Once preferences were set it was time to put some gaming time in. I fired up Ghost of Tsushima and I was immediately immersed with the sound quality, listening to the wind and birds with clarity. After a bit I switched to Grand Turismo 7 and ran a few races with equally immersive sound.
The right earcup has all the controls. Everything is easy to find, like the volume control wheel, the noise cancelling mode button, “Superhuman Hearing”/Mic mute button, power button and the Bluetooth button. Some of the controls can be reassigned to your personal preference using the Hub software or the mobile app.
On the left earcup is the boom mic attachment and removable rechargeable battery,
one of the great features of this headset. Not only is the battery rechargeable but you get a second battery that nestles into the included charging hub/transmitter. If the battery dies on the headset, you can do a quick swap and never miss any action. The other feature I love is you can also mute the mic by pivoting it upwards to at least a 45 deg angle and when muted you get an audible notification that the mic is muted.
one of the great features of this headset. Not only is the battery rechargeable but you get a second battery that nestles into the included charging hub/transmitter. If the battery dies on the headset, you can do a quick swap and never miss any action. The other feature I love is you can also mute the mic by pivoting it upwards to at least a 45 deg angle and when muted you get an audible notification that the mic is muted.
With full Bluetooth capability you can connect to your smartphone and use it to take calls. Not only
smartphones but I was also successful in connecting to a Nintendo Switch OLED (Bluetooth mic not
supported) and even my Steam Deck which is fully supported. All were easy to connect and use quickly.
smartphones but I was also successful in connecting to a Nintendo Switch OLED (Bluetooth mic not
supported) and even my Steam Deck which is fully supported. All were easy to connect and use quickly.
Turtle Beach tossed in a soft carry bag for the headset, which at this price point it would have been nice to include a clamshell case.
While the headset has a ton of features and can be used on both PC and PlayStation (also a Switch and Steam Deck) the price point might be considered a bit high at $330 and may be tough to swallow for some but since it’s multi-platform compatibility could ease the sticker shock.
Cons – price, slight discomfort during long gameplay sessions, soft bag instead of clamshell case (but at least they supplied a bag).
Pros – swappable batteries with included second pack, sound quality, noise cancelling, controls
customization, multi-device compatibility.
Pros – swappable batteries with included second pack, sound quality, noise cancelling, controls
customization, multi-device compatibility.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Achieve high-quality visuals on every play with this Panasonic Ultra HD Blu-ray player DP-UB154P-K. Deep color HDMI output and 4K upscaling delivers immersive enjoyment of your favorite movie titles, showing images at their very best. Featuring Dolby Atmos and HDR10+ compatibility, this Panasonic UHD Blu-ray player immerses you both in lifelike sound and images.
Customer Rating
5
Supporting physical media with updated capability
on April 17, 2023
Posted by: Technopackrat
I’m happy to see that we can still get a really good multi-media player as most everything is moving to digital delivery. I’ve got an extremely large collection of DVDs, CDs, Blu-Rays, and some 4K Blu-Ray, not to mention a lot of digital media. More and more the physical media is disappearing but what to do with your decades old collection? You certainly don’t want to toss them (lesson learned after tossing all of my 8-Track music). Heck, I still have a decent collection of tape format media (cassette, VHS and 8mm movies).
Sadly you can’t even find a newer computer with optical drive and you would be forced to purchase and external drive but at least those are still somewhat affordable. But if you have a home entertainment center nothing beats a good hi-def player. Panasonic has continued to support the DVD/CD/Blu-Ray technology but providing a refreshed player and adding Ultra 4K to it’s capability.
Setup is really easy. Power, HDMI cable and ethernet cable if you have a connection handy. I would have loved to see wifi capability for the unit but streaming 4K via wifi might negate the ultra format. You can check firmware and update once connected to the internet via the ethernet cable.
Interface is clean and simple. Movie, photos, music, USB content. Once media is loaded in the tray it will automatically determine what it is and get you to the media menu. I pulled one of my Ultra 4K Blu-Ray movies off the shelf and had a very pleasurable viewing especially taking advantage of my Dolby Atmos soundbar (which Atmos is supported with this player). It also supports HDR videio output (high dynamic range) for a more vibrant display. Paired with a supporting TV and soundbar you can get the most out of this player. One of my movies that really shows how beneficial it is to have HDR is “Avatar”. Playback was flawless with no ghosting or dropped frames. I realize a lot has to do with the TV you have as well but having a media player that can push the content at a high resolution makes for an extremely enjoyable experience.
It would have been great to add the ability to stream from services like Hulu, Vudo, Netflix or Amazon Prime (or the multitude of other services) but some folks do run other devices that support that function or they may have a smart TV with those features built in.
For the feature set at this price point it’s hard to beat if you still have a huge library of media. Now if someone would just make a decent VHS player 😉
Sadly you can’t even find a newer computer with optical drive and you would be forced to purchase and external drive but at least those are still somewhat affordable. But if you have a home entertainment center nothing beats a good hi-def player. Panasonic has continued to support the DVD/CD/Blu-Ray technology but providing a refreshed player and adding Ultra 4K to it’s capability.
Setup is really easy. Power, HDMI cable and ethernet cable if you have a connection handy. I would have loved to see wifi capability for the unit but streaming 4K via wifi might negate the ultra format. You can check firmware and update once connected to the internet via the ethernet cable.
Interface is clean and simple. Movie, photos, music, USB content. Once media is loaded in the tray it will automatically determine what it is and get you to the media menu. I pulled one of my Ultra 4K Blu-Ray movies off the shelf and had a very pleasurable viewing especially taking advantage of my Dolby Atmos soundbar (which Atmos is supported with this player). It also supports HDR videio output (high dynamic range) for a more vibrant display. Paired with a supporting TV and soundbar you can get the most out of this player. One of my movies that really shows how beneficial it is to have HDR is “Avatar”. Playback was flawless with no ghosting or dropped frames. I realize a lot has to do with the TV you have as well but having a media player that can push the content at a high resolution makes for an extremely enjoyable experience.
It would have been great to add the ability to stream from services like Hulu, Vudo, Netflix or Amazon Prime (or the multitude of other services) but some folks do run other devices that support that function or they may have a smart TV with those features built in.
For the feature set at this price point it’s hard to beat if you still have a huge library of media. Now if someone would just make a decent VHS player 😉
I would recommend this to a friend!
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These first-of-their-kind receiver-in-canal hearing aids are Bluetooth enabled and can be personalized to your needs. Lexie B1 hearing aids pair with the Lexie app, the first self-tuning mobile app that’s clinically proven to provide audiologist-quality customization for individuals 18 or older with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss. These are over-the-counter, self-fitting hearing aids. Available in gray. Lexie B1 hearing aids do not stream music or take calls.
Customer Rating
5
One of the best OTC behind the ear hearing aids
on February 6, 2023
Posted by: Technopackrat
I actually suffer from mild hearing loss in my right ear and moderate to severe loss in my left so now that hearing aids are available over the counter (OTC) you are starting to see a lot of companies jump into the mix.
I'm usually not a fan over the behind the ear hearing aids. I've actually got a pair of high dollar prescription hearing aids (in excess of $2400 with rechargable batteries and charging case) but they tend to be a bit uncomfortable for long wear.
The new OTC hearing aids intrege me because there are a multitude of styles. Some are coming in with earbud style, some with replacable batteries and some rechargable and them some more traditional behind the ear.
Lexie Hearing purchased technology from Bose for their latest offering. The Lexie B1 have replacable batteries that should give you at least 4 days with about 14 hours of use per day and they brand, age and type of battery used. To make sure you get the most of of the batteries open up the battery compartment when not in use. In the box you do get a package of 8 size 312 batteries. Hearing aid batteries are easy to come by as they are available at just about any big box store or pharmacy, not to mention online.
The package also comes with 3 sizes of open domes (the part that fits in your ear canal) and 3 sizes of closed domes. Open domes allow for more ambient sound coming through and the closed domes provide a bit more isolation, best used for front only needs. You also get a really nice carrying case, ear measuring tool, cable sizing tool, and a cleaning brush (which also has a magnet tip that helps with installing those small batteries).
I downloaded the Lexie app to my smartphone and made sure my Bluetooth was enabled I walked through the step my step setup and I had the B1's tuned for my specific need. The smartphone app has a quick select for 4 different environments: noisy indoor (great for restaurants), outdoors, music and then an everyday setting (which is what I use most of the time). You also have control of World Volume and also the amount of bass you want (less bass allows for better speaking hearing. The app also has a quick selector that allows you to switch from Everywhere mode to Front Only mode. The feature I like best is the balance control. Since I have different levels of hearing loss I can push more volume to my left year to help balance the noise levels making them near equal if not equal. The app also has links to Lexie support. One last mention is both hearing aids have "World Volume" control on them so you can quickly adjust ambient noise without the app (controls on each hearing aid control both).
Now for the disappointment. While I understand that the OTC hearing aids are suppose to be offering a more affordable solution than the prescribed hearing aid and while you need to connect to a smartphone to set them up thats all you get with the smartphone connectivity. There is no streaming capability, no capability to take calls through the hearing aids. With Bluetooth and Bose's name you would hope that would be a feature to add but I realize that to keep cost down you have to compromise. In defense though, I've tested 4 or 5 OTC hearing aids and all have this limitation or should I say elimination. It would be a great feature to add but not sure at what cost.
All in all I'm extremely pleased with the Lexie B1 aids. The offer a good solution for what in the past would cost twice as much. Also, the beauty of the OTC hearing aids is you can use HSA and FSA funds to purchase, if you have those savings accounts through your insurance.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The Turtle Beach VelocityOne Flightstick for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One & Windows 10 & 11 PCs equips you with immersive, accurate controls for navigating air and space flight simulation & combat games on Xbox and PC. High resolution non-contact sensors provide precise response and extended longevity to the main stick controls, while throttle and flap levers control main engine power and make for quick adjustment of secondary control surfaces. Plus, the levers can be customized with swappable throttle heads to suit the aircraft you are flying. Precision detents at the minimum and maximum positions allow activation of full reverse thrust at minimum, and afterburner, boost or Take Off/Go Around thrust at maximum. An ultra-precise nano trim wheel allows for fine tuning of attitude, and an analog POV hat allows freelook in cockpit views or strafe thrusters in space simulation games. An OLED Flight Management Display makes for easy adjustments to control profiles, trim wheel input mode, rudder lock and more. Navigate the FMD using an intuitive rotary dial with click at the base of the stick to configure, and update product performance in real-time with all information stored in on-board memory. 27 programmable buttons, stick mounted buttons, dual throttle lever detents and 8 programmable base buttons equip you with an arsenal of adjustable controls to your most critical simulation functions. Pilot fighter jets or airliners thanks to an ambidextrous right and left-handed design with a reversible wrist rest, and programmable base buttons allow the entire setup to be configured for right, or left-handed controls. Take customization a step further and adjust the color, brightness and response of multiple RGB LED zones. Familiar Xbox controls allow for easy console operation, and you can switch input mode to PC to play across a wide range of simulation titles.
Customer Rating
5
Feature packed device that fills the gap
on January 3, 2023
Posted by: Technopackrat
When your basic joystick just ain't cutting it and you want to move to something more robust you can grab dual stick HOTAS (hands on throttle and stick) setup but those are notoriously expensive. Or you can get something more reasonable and still gives you a basic HOTA experience... enter the Turtle Beach VelocityOne Flightstick for $130.
Setup is really easy. Just plug into the USB port on your XBox onr PC and the OLED display on top of the stick guides you through the steps. Navigating the steps is done with the silver ring at the base of the stick. Very ingenious!
There are buttons galore!!! Plenty of buttons for basic controls are pretty much default set but you can adjust configuration in your game to fine tune to your needs. Running Microsoft Flight Simulator I had the left sliding control set as throttle and the right was elevator trim. The dual top hat controls took a bit to get use to but once I did using to view out the cockpit windows was a breeze. The base has all the XBox nominclature but again if you are on a PC you can change these buttons to just about anything you need.
I ran the Flightstick through its paces with several games. I spent a fair amount of time with Microsoft Flight Simulator but I also played Elite Dangerous, Tom Clancy's H.A.W.K.s and Project Wingman. All the buttons came in handy when programmed for switching weapons or counter measures during flight battles.
The Flightstick is solidly built, with a quality build. There is some weight to it... not too heavy but enough to keep it from sliding around on your desktop or snack tray during game play, with the help from the 4 no-slip rubber feet on the bottom. I am happy to see the USB-C cable connection using the included cable but also there are a couple of other ports. Two more USB-C ports for "future" product integration and a headphone jack.
Additionally there are control stand mounting screw holes on the bottom so if you have a sim-rig you can easily bolt to it.
For someone that has gone the expensive route with a full blown HOTAS controller I can honestly say that if can get an enjoyable experience using the VelocityOne instead of something that is 3 times the cost. Heck, go this route and you have more funds for buying a couple more flight or dogfight sims.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Go Prime and take your hearing into your own hands. This rechargeable, in-the ear, digital hearing aid gives you crisp and clear sound when you need it most. Go Prime is wireless, small and discreet with easy volume adjustment. This device is excellent if you are looking for added features that could help you hear better in a large variety of environments. These are over-the-counter hearing aids.
Customer Rating
4
No frills OTC hearing aid
on December 15, 2022
Posted by: Technopackrat
The Go Hearing Prime doesn’t try to wow you with a fancy smartphone app but does try to deliver a simple to use over the counter hearing assistance device.
Rather than relying on a sophisticated smartphone app to fine tune this hearing aid to your need there is a simple single button on each device to let you select the best setting for each ear. There are 3 modes (Normal, High frequency and Low Frequency) and 8 volume levels per mode. Each device gives a beep to indicate which mode you are going to (1 beep for normal, 2 beeps for high frequency and 3 beeps for low frequency) and then you continue pushing the button to achieve the optimal volume for you. Repeat this for each ear. I find this very useful since I have different levels of hearing loss for each ear.
Once you have it fine tuned you don’t need to adjust again. However, unlike other hearing aids that have smartphone apps it is a bit more cumbersome to switch between modes on the fly since you have to cycle through each mode and it’s volume settings vs a tap on the phone. Since there is no connectivity you can not use this to stream media or use it for phone calls. You will need to decide if you need to pull the hearing aid out while you make calls or use it to amplify your phone speaker.
They are really easy to place in your ear and with the clear stems it can clutch and extract them just as easily. Different ear gels are supplied so you can adjust the fit to your ear. I originally thought the fit was perfect but I would get a ton of feedback while my hand was close to the hearing aid. Swapping out for a larger ear gel reduced the feedback squeal substantially.
The hearing aids are rechargeable and come with a rechargeable travel charging case. I do like that the case has a flat bottom, unlike some others, however the USB-C charging port is on the bottom, I’d much rather have seen it on the back so you can stand it flat on your desk or nightstand while charger. To me it kind of defeats the purpose of the flat bottom… but that may be just my expectation.
These are affordably priced and the beauty of over the counter hearing aids is you can still use Flex Savings Account or Health Saving Account funds to reimburse yourself for the cost.
All in all a simple solution and other than having to cycle through all of the settings to adjust for your ambient noise I find these pretty easy to use and could be an affordable solution .
I would recommend this to a friend!
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This multi-angle stand is made of durable aluminum and can support a variety of items in addition to a laptop including tablets, books, etc. Its foldable design allows for easy storage or transport, while the viewing angles and heights can be adjusted to fit your needs and optimize your viewing experience. This versatile stand gives you the ability to create a more efficient workspace, whether you need extra space or a standing desk setup. The integrated USB-C mini dock features a 4K HDMI output, two USB 5Gbps Type-A ports, as well as a USB-C port that supports 5Gbps data transfer rate and up to 100W pass-through, providing all the connectivity you need for enhanced productivity and to connect your peripherals.
Customer Rating
4
Simple 4K monitor solution with top notch stand
on December 15, 2022
Posted by: Technopackrat
Limited but Simple solution
The stand itself is fantastic. It is heavy duty aluminum and the tension on the joints is good and stiff, needing firm pressure to adjust. Once you have it adjusted to your preference you can pretty much leave it alone. There is enough tension that you can easily type on your laptop without the stand losing your prefered positioning. The provided hub nessles nicely into a spot on the base and held in place magnetically. I would have preferred a more "permanent" attachment however this is a solution for your basic setup and it's easy to pop the hub off to make a quick connection or unplug something and then pop it back in place. The no-slip pads on the base keeps it from sliding around on your desk even while typing and the same type pads keep the laptop in place. I can grab a corner of the laptop and use it to move the setup.
The stand itself is fantastic. It is heavy duty aluminum and the tension on the joints is good and stiff, needing firm pressure to adjust. Once you have it adjusted to your preference you can pretty much leave it alone. There is enough tension that you can easily type on your laptop without the stand losing your prefered positioning. The provided hub nessles nicely into a spot on the base and held in place magnetically. I would have preferred a more "permanent" attachment however this is a solution for your basic setup and it's easy to pop the hub off to make a quick connection or unplug something and then pop it back in place. The no-slip pads on the base keeps it from sliding around on your desk even while typing and the same type pads keep the laptop in place. I can grab a corner of the laptop and use it to move the setup.
If you are running only one external monitor off your laptop then this might be a great solution for you. It does have limitions however since it only supports a single HDMI connection but it does support a 4K display with the appropriate cable. If you have need for more than 2 USB Type A devices you will need to have a multi-port dongle or utilize ports on the laptop (which defeats the purpose of the dock). Also, the power out is only 100W so don't plan on using this with most gaming laptops since most have at least a 140W power supply. In that case you'll need to connect the power supply provided with your laptop and connect directly to the laptop.
I was pleasantly surprised when I connected my Android tablet to the Host connection on the dock and my tablet immediately recognized it and allowed me to put the tablet into PC mode, which I did. The dock worked flawlessly. This might be my primary use for the combo.
Setup was simple enough however the included quick installation guide could have had better instructions for the novice. I found a great visual diagram on the j5create website which a QR code link in the instructions would have been helpful.
I found the JTS327 hub not quite what I need for my work setup because I still needed my Dell docking station to support my 2 monitors. I would have been better off with the j5create JTS427 which supports dual HDMI. While HDMI is more prevalent and widely supported, a DisplayPort would be a welcome addition.
For single 4K monitor applications this combo would be hard to beat.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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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
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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
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3 years, 4 months ago
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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
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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.
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4 years, 6 months ago
by
Technopackrat