CriticalEye's stats
- Review count134
- Helpfulness votes480
- First reviewOctober 22, 2014
- Last reviewAugust 1, 2026
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.1
Reviews comments
- Review comment count0
- Helpfulness votes0
- First review commentNone
- Last review commentNone
- Featured review comments0
Questions
- Question count0
- Helpfulness votes0
- First questionNone
- Last questionNone
- Featured questions0
- Answer count22
- Helpfulness votes12
- First answerMarch 11, 2018
- Last answerOctober 21, 2021
- Featured answers0
- Best answers1
The Sole Vibe heated foot massager is your all-in-one solution for tired, aching feet and legs. Using PulseWeave Technology, Sole Vibe delivers heat and vibration to boost blood flow, relax muscles, and relieve pain while you sit or stand. On one side, the acupressure surface kneads and stimulates the whole foot, waking up the arches and heels, while the hot stone surface digs into sore spots and melts away tension. The Sole Vibe gives you the relief your feet have been aching for.
Customer Rating
3
Good Idea but Limited Effectiveness
on August 1, 2026
Posted by: CriticalEye
The Sole Vibe heated foot massager combines 3 components: heat, vibration, & targeted pressure. It’s presented as an AiO solution for tired, aching feet & legs. Using so-called PulseWeave technology, NOT to be confused w/pulse wave technology (or acoustic wave therapy) which has been clinically tested & proven to work on plantar fasciitis & heel pain, etc., the Sole Vibe delivers heat & vibration in an effort to boost blood flow, relax muscles, & relieve pain while you sit or stand & roll the device over the desired area. You can keep the device at or under your desk or store it in your workout bag for faster foot relief after a walk or run, when & where you need it.
The <2 lbs. portable device contains dual-sided surfaces with a “Hot Stone” ball on one side & a textured “Acupressure” surface on the other. The Hot Stone side contains a heated, bulging disk intended to help melt tension & relax stiff connective tissues. The idea is to press the protruding ball to into sore, stubborn spots, knots, arches, & heels for slow, penetrating, soothing comfort. On the other side is the textured, knobby, Acupressure surface which is designed to provide individual pressure pts. to stimulate the whole foot & revive tired arches & heels. This side does not emit heat.
As for the vibration component, there are 3 main buttons that offer 3 preset vibration patterns/programs as follows:
-Refresh: For general foot pain & soreness: light blue button w/short-amplitude wave
-Circulation: For stimulating blood flow: ‘V’-shaped medium blue button w/oscillating acceleration/deceleration
-Deep Release: For tension release in muscles/tendons: dark blue/purple irregular wave pattern
-Refresh: For general foot pain & soreness: light blue button w/short-amplitude wave
-Circulation: For stimulating blood flow: ‘V’-shaped medium blue button w/oscillating acceleration/deceleration
-Deep Release: For tension release in muscles/tendons: dark blue/purple irregular wave pattern
Then there’s a 4th vibration button that allows you to choose from 4 different speeds/RPMs. But the vibration pattern doesn’t vary, only the speed. And w/all 4 vibration buttons, you can choose 1-of-3 heat options: no heat, low heat, or higher heat.
Form Factor: The Sole Vibe has good build quality. The slate blue silicone-coated device looks like a dumbbell or portable BT smart speaker. Its soft, pliable coating is a rubber-like polymer that’s tough, durable, water-repelling, & resistant to mold growth. This coating can w/stand the heat generated in the bulging hot stone of the massager w/o melting or breaking down.
Knocks on the Hot Stone surface’s 2 heat levels: I’d call these 2 settings “low” (113º F.) & “medium” (131º F.). Even the higher temp doesn’t feel hot enough for my feet. So, to call it a “hot stone” is a bit of mktg. hyperbole. Perhaps Chirp design engineers were concerned that the silicone wrap might eventually degrade w/higher temps or that some user would claim he somehow burned his foot if they went any warmer? Regardless, I think Chirp played it safe on the heating element. Too safe. But if you have very sensitive feet, perhaps you’ll find the higher heat setting warm enough.
Knocks on the Acupressure surface: Perhaps the distribution of the knobs is too densely concentrated &/or the knobs aren’t as pronounced or tall enough to create sufficient ‘acupressure’. Whatever acupressure pts. Chirp was going for here, we weren’t feelin’ it. Whether from the heated hot stone side or the knobby acupressure side, our expectation was that we’d feel something akin to the “good pain” we feel when we use an IT band roller on our hip muscles, quads, & glutes. Instead, it felt like a bit of a nothingburger when targeting tight connective tissue for fascial release & increased blood flow in my low arches & hardened heels. Ditto for my wife.
Even when I used the Sole Vibe in the handheld mode & pressed 1 of the fins into my arch just below the ball of my foot at the top vibration speed, I didn’t enjoy the after effect of all the vibration in my hand, which felt as though it absorbed far more vibration than my arch. The only real comfort I can pt. to was when I set the device on the highest heat & vibration settings (2 & 4, resp.) & placed the roller under my calf as I sat on the floor & rolled my calf & Achilles over the roller. For me, that dual max combo setting is just the entry-level threshold for any worthwhile sensation. Everything else is just too weak. In fact, 1 of the biggest disappointments w/this device is that none of the 3 preset vibration programs allows for any speed adjs., all of which seem to be preset at a very low RPM & minimal impact. I would’ve liked to have been able to try all 3 preset variable vibration programs at much higher speeds. Perhaps they would’ve been more effective. But I’ll never know because the only preset that allowed different speeds was the 1 lone preset that provided zero variability/fluctuation in the massage pattern.
In fairness, as for the 3 different oscillating presets/programs, one setting that provided marginal comfort is the passive, hi-heat setting w/o vibration. I just applied more downforce & slowly rocked the sole of my foot forwards/backwards over the semi-hot stone in the vibrationless mode. This gave me max control to try & methodically work out the tendons & ligaments on the bottom of my foot. But I can get this w/a traditional manual roller.
Ergonomics: The control panel layout on the top side of the device when in standing mode is ok except that the helpful button backlighting doesn’t illuminate until I long press the device to fully power it on. It would be much more user-friendly if I could just short press the power button & see the backlit buttons which would allow me to pre-select my desired settings from the 5 button options before turning on the unit. This would also save battery life as I wouldn’t be turning on the battery-draining default vibrating action of the device until after I’d selected my desired options. For ex., sometimes I want only to activate the passive hot stone to roll over w/o any vibration. Why must I turn on the default vibration & then turn off the vibration just to use the hot stone for manual foot rolling?
App: There’s no app, but we don’t miss it. The tactile buttons on the end of the device work fine for us. Whether we’ve been for a brisk walk or a routine 5k run, it’s always good, whether you’re sitting or standing, to reach out or reach down, & stretch your back, shoulders, quads, abs, & core if you need to change from 1 setting or preset to another.
Battery: The battery lasts 3 hrs. at the max combo setting of vibration level 4 & heat level 2. We like that it comes with a USB-A-to-USB-C charging cable. Although it has an LED battery life indicator which you can activate by short pressing the power button, other than a flashing green light during charging, the only display is a solid green light indicating the unit is anywhere from fully charged down to just 20% remaining charge & a red warning light indicating the battery has been depleted below 20%. Given this device’s charge time is a whopping 6 hrs. for a fully depleted battery, a battery life % indicator isn’t an unreasonable expectation, esp. at this price pt.
Cleaning: Although this device is water-resistant, it’s not waterproof; so, you should never immerse or submerge it in water. Use a damp cloth & no alcohol to clean.
Tutorials: The QR code in the quick-start guide takes you to Chirp’s website where I watched a worthwhile 3-min. video tutorial + 8 useful <30 sec. video clips for targeted applications.
Conclusion: The Sole Vibe could perhaps provide some limited relief as a warmup or recovery tool for some desiring mild foot massage. While I enjoy the sensation of this device for light calf & Achilles use & will keep it for that, I don’t feel this is a robust enough device, nor is it designed & engineered to provide what’s required for plantar fasciitis relief in my arches, heels, & soles. For that, I use a competing device that instead grinds deeper w/significantly greater penetrating impact & w/less superficial surface-level vibration. As for the Sole Vibe serving as a foot massager/roller after I’ve stood all day doing computer work via my raisable electric desk &/or after my routine 5k run or walk, I’m unable to derive tangible, meaningful foot relief from the Vibe. The only experience worth noting was when I sat down on the floor & rolled my calf muscle overtop the device while it was at the highest heat & vibration setting. But for a deep tissue foot massage that works out knots & tight fascia or provides relief to tendons & ligaments in the soles of my feet, it's not about RPMs, speed, mild heat, or vibration patterns in a self-contained foot roller. Real relief comes more from powerful devices engineered to provide focused, percussive, penetrative action, which this foot roller/massager simply isn’t designed to produce.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
The Dyson V16 Piston Animal Submarine is the most powerful anti-tangle cordless vacuum.~ Dyson's latest Hyperdymium motor delivers up to 315 Air Watts of powerful suction and 70 minutes of fade-free run time.~ It intelligently adapts for optimal cleaning performance for your floor type and amount of debris.~ The de-tangling All Floor Cones Sense cleaner head deep cleans all floors and illuminates microscopic dust as you vacuum. The Fully Optic cleaner head illuminates microscopic dust you can't normally see on hard floors. Wash hard floors and tackle dried-on dirt with the Submarine 2.0 cleaner head. The CleanCompaktor~~ bin compresses dust for 3x more capacity~ and wipes clean for hygienic emptying.~ Dyson cordless convenience and handheld cleaning made even better by two built-in tools, remote-release cleaner head and smart attachments. Connect to the MyDyson app for instant software updates, settings customization and maintenance guidance. Comes with the Dyson 2-year limited warranty and lifetime support.
Customer Rating
4
3-in-1 Cordless Vac/Mop Does It All!
on July 28, 2026
Posted by: CriticalEye
Product Description: This powerful, hi-tech, 3-in-1 cordless smart stick is a multi-function dry vac/wet floor mopping system. It vacuums carpets & rugs, mops hardwood floors & tile, & also converts into a dedicated handheld vac for sofa & chair upholstery, bookshelves & fixtures, vehicle detailing, & more.
Dyson: Dyson is a private co. We don’t work for Dyson or personally know anyone who does. But we’ve been Dyson fans for over a decade. We bought our 1st Dyson vac, a DC41 Animal, in 2013. And 13yrs later, we still use that vac! Granted, it’s now a backup vac w/an attachment for cleaning baseboards/crown molding, etc., but it still works great! We’ve continued to purchase Dyson products—from vacs to bladeless fans/heaters to hi-velocity hairdryers—because Dyson consistently thinks outside the box, demonstrates innovative design & engineering, & creates form factors & features that break the mold & shake up the status quo. Dyson exemplifies the relentless pursuit of steady, incremental, continuous improvement to boost overall efficiency, reduce waste, & involve everyone in the org in problem-solving. Dyson built 5k+ prototypes in his exhaustive 15yr search for a better vac design. He eventually engineered his idea of a dual cyclonic system that used centrifugal force to spin & separate dirt & dust from the air to prevent it from clogging suction & installed a powerful 1200W motor to ensure constant suction in his 1st famous DC01 bagless vac, released in 1993. Dyson & his sizeable team of engineers & scientists understand that success is built on continuous learning from trials, errors, & failures. Because they’re not afraid to fail, they continue to innovate & build winning machines.
Box Opening: The V16 is very easy to set up. There were no tools needed & only ½-doz. steps to fit-&-click components into place, & voila! The stick vac was ready for use. Note: It took 3hr to fully charge the battery initially.
App: After D/L the Dyson app & adding my V16’s serial #, I quickly paired the vac to my Android phone. The app then displayed Battery Charge, Brush Speed, Dust Illumination Laser Status, & all my vac/mop Activity—posted by date, start time, & elapsed session time. The app also incl. helpful How-To video tutorials. Later, I was prompted to install a recommended software update that required connection to the V16. But the software update repeatedly failed. After troubleshooting, I was forced to delete the V16 from my phone & Dyson app, re-add the V16, & reinitiate the pairing process. Unfortunately, this wiped my previous vac activity, but I’ve had no further connectivity issues since.
Power: The V16 features Dyson’s new Hyperdymium 900W digital motor which generates <315AW of fade-free suction power. Over the past wk., we vacuumed our med. cut pile carpeting in the upstairs hallway & bedrooms multiple times. Although I didn’t try to bog down the vac, I did try applying light added downforce on the stick in Boost mode to see if it would suction any addl. debris after having vacuumed the same carpet every weekend for the last 7yr w/a series of 3 different, new-at-the-time, hi-end brands. The volume of particles & hair that accumulated in the V16’s collection bin was significant enough to get our attn. Once we witnessed how much debris we’d been leaving behind w/our other vacs, we agreed the V16 would become our new go-to vac.
Cleaning Heads/Tool Attachments: One of the most convenient features of the V16 system is the wand’s remote-release collar which allows us to attach/detach multiple cleaner heads, transition to different tasks seamlessly, & change tools via the quick-release mechanism w/a simple click-in of the next tool—all w/o bending down to the floor to perform changeouts. When a new head or attachment is clicked into place, the vac's sensors autodetect the tool & adj. suction power accordingly. The V16 comes w/a new All Floor Cones Cleaner Head w/sensors that auto-adapt to different floor types by adj. suction power & rotation speed of the head’s dual rotating conical brush bars. These dual-action stiff nylon bristles pick up more hair than previous heads while acting as anti-tangle/detangling rollers. They agitate/lift dirt from carpets but also incl. soft, fibers to clean hard floors w/o scratching. Then, there’s a Fluffy Optical Cleaner Head w/a soft woven nylon roller for hard floors & a green laser to reveal small particulate. Next is the dedicated Submarine 2.0 Wet-Cleaning Roller Head for mopping liquid spills/washing hard floors. I filled the water tank, chose the light spills/clean floors setting (vs. Max Hydration mode for stubborn floor stains/dried-on dirt) & rolled the head across the floor w/the wet mop track confirming the roller was being kept adequately damp. Dyson’s sanitary wet cleaning system confines all water to the Submarine head. Neither clean nor subsequent used, dirty water is ever pumped up thru the stick itself, preventing residual moisture/debris from breeding mold, mildew, bacteria, &/or foul odors inside the vac/mop. Just be sure to vac your hard floors & tile 1st, as the dedicated Submarine head is for mopping, not vacuuming. Then, there’s the motorized mini-conical upholstery brush, which collected an astonishing amt. of fine hair/debris from our sofa/dining room chairs. Also incl.: a crevice tool, wall-mounted charging dock, & charging adapter. A noticeably absent attachment in my config is the Combi Tool which acts as a 2-in-1 multitasking acc. w/a widemouth dusting brush.
Display: The LCD screen inset in the fully sealed HEPA filter endcap gives real-time updates that track the V16’s cleaning performance, battery life, & maintenance needs. As a “visual”, I like glancing down at the Dust Particle Graph that informs me of the size, concentration, & type of dust particles suctioned from the floor & carpet. The types of particulates are broken out into 4 different color bars by size (in microns). And if I want to know, in general, how much dust/debris is being suctioned into the machine, another series of colors is displayed. Green: I’m vacuuming a relatively clean area, Amber: med. dust levels, & Red: high debris concentration. Sensors auto-adj. suction power & brush roll speed as the smart-vac detects varying debris levels. These precise measurements are far more effective than attempting to guess whether surfaces are truly clean by trying to eyeball microscopic particles. The display also provides remaining battery runtime based on my power mode/attachment. Finally, the display provides graphics/warning icons for Maintenance/Error Alerts (wash HEPA filter, vac obstruction, battery issues).
Lighting: The V16 has an eerie green laser illumination system that reminds me of the military’s night vision goggles w/their green phosphor screen glow that provides image intensification. The laser lights up all the dust, dirt, & debris atop our hardwood floors like we’ve never seen it before. The enhanced illumination enables us to see exactly what needs to be vac’d/mopped & prompts us to make more passes over debris areas that we might otherwise miss.
Maneuverability: At 7½ lbs., the V16 is light & maneuverable on hardwood floors, but much less so on our med. cut pile carpet. How much resistance I experience depends in part on how vertical I hold the stick & how much downforce I apply. The V16 is noticeably more work than our newish, competing, corded upright which has hi-speed rotating brush rolls & specialized fins that grip carpet fibers & pull the vac fwd., making it feel self-propelled. So, when I go for deep cleaning in Boost mode, it can be a bit of a workout to vacuum the entire upstairs carpet. But when the result is cleaner carpet, I’m eager to exert the extra effort.
Battery Life: The biggest drain on the 7-cell Li-ion battery occurs while vacuuming thick carpet due to drag & friction. Dyson offers 70min of runtime in Eco mode while cleaning low-friction hard floors, 42min on Auto mode as the vac adjs. power based on floor type/debris particles detected, & just 17min in Boost mode when extra power is needed during deep cleaning of thick pile carpeting. So, in Boost mode, it’s impossible for me to vac the upstairs hallway+4 bedrooms w/o 2 fully charged batteries, as the upstairs takes 35min even when I hustle. And even w/2 batteries, there’s no charge left for the 2 tile-floored upstairs bathrooms, much less hitting any of the hard floors, downstairs.
Waste Disposal: The design of the dustbin cannister w/its interior wall-scraping mechanism is ingenious. I can now compact the debris into the end of the dustbin & instantly see how much room I’ve left in the chamber before needing to eject waste. W/past models, I couldn’t tell how much dustbin capacity remained, as the initially clear plastic dustbin walls were always clouded w/residual debris film, even after emptying. The ability to go <30 days between emptying is a timesaver.
Conclusion: So far, we’re pleased w/the V16. Dyson has struck a good balance among competing/complementary features. Balancing all these features always requires some compromise. But overall, the V16 performs impressively. It does what we need it to do in a user-friendly way w/minimal hassle & improved effectiveness. It incl. notable specs at 315AW, 70min of runtime in Eco mode, & a weight of just 7.5lb. But another leading global brand’s cordless stick offers a more powerful 400AW rating, a longer Eco runtime of 100min, a weight of just 7.0lb, & all at the same price pt. We recognize that great design engineering requires more than just packing products w/the highest raw specs. But we hope Dyson will strive to live at the top of the leader board in the all-important specs mentioned above to ensure max value. When Dyson either incl. a 2nd battery or doubles battery life in Boost mode & incl. the missing Combi Tool w/the V16, we’ll add a 5th star.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
1000X THE COLLEXION headphones are crafted with curated materials for luxury comfort and a refined fit. A bespoke driver, co~tuned with renowned mastering engineers, reveals exceptionally detailed, studio~grade sound with precise separation. Advanced 1000X Series noise cancelling keeps distractions out, while spatial upmix expands sound into immersive listening.
Customer Rating
5
Elegant Over-Ear Headphones
on June 4, 2026
Posted by: CriticalEye
Sony Has Done It Again: I’ve been a multi-decade Sony fan; but even if I were new to Sony, I couldn’t refute the superior quality of these WH-1000XX headphones. This is Sony’s 10-year anniversary model which is meant to celebrate/highlight their hugely popular WH-1000XM series of headphones. (Among other pairs of Sony headphones, I still use a pair of 2017 Sony WH-1000XM2 headphones in black with my desktop PC & laptop in my home office.) Back to the new headphones: from the initial unboxing of the new tech packaging & travel case to the next-level softness when I slid them over my ears, it was apparent that Sony is still competing/striving to remain at or near the top of the leaderboard in premium consumer audio headphones.
Out of the Box: I topped these off with a charge (about 20 min). Before I forget, & this is admittedly a small thing, but I’ve never liked that Sony uses an orange/amber charging indicator. I prefer a green light like most other brands employ so that I know when the device is fully charged. The amber light isn’t intuitive, & I find myself searching to know when charging is complete. Anyway, I already had the Sony Sound Connect App loaded on my Android phone; so, the headphones paired quickly, & I was able to begin listening to my music in under 5 minutes.
Premium Build Quality & Comfort: These headphones beg to be held in your hands & strapped to your head. But if you reach for them, do they really feel as good as they look? Yes! In a word or two, they look & feel refined & luxurious. The softness of the padded headband, earcups, & earpads almost feels like lambskin. But it’s a premium synthetic leather that Sony reportedly spent 2 years developing & engineering to look & feel more like real leather. The kicker is that the material these headphones are wrapped in, is not only more durable & touch-sensitive vs. most faux leathers, but it’s exceptionally comfy to wear during extended listening sessions. Case in point: over the last few days, I binge watched a multi-episode business documentary, listened to several teaching podcasts, & enjoyed some beautifully orchestrated instrumental music tracks from my playlist of favorite artists. Over the hours, I found these headphones wore exceptionally well. Instead of feeling pressure & discomfort on my temples, the tops of my ears, & the top of my head, as I usually do w/most over-the-ear headphones, these continued to feel plush & comfortable. I also like the way the hand-polished metal & close-tolerance sliders in the headband are designed for smooth adjustability. And the quality spring on the headband keeps it secure but, again, not too tight. It’s clear that Sony gave a lot of thought paid a lot of attention to detail when they designed & engineered these sleek, stylish, modern, minimalist headphones.
Sound Quality: Without question, these cans offer some of the best sound quality of any headphones I’ve tried. With multiple Listening Mode options, 10-band EQ adjustments, & multiple mechanisms included in the Sony Connect App, you can dial in & enjoy a rich variety of full sound quality across a broad cross-section of genres—from classical to instrumental, from pop to rock, & from movie soundtracks to Broadway musicals—& hear the kind of music you want to listen to, the way you want to hear it. In addition, you can adjust settings so that you can discern a more precise separation of instruments. Just over the last several days, I’ve been able to recognize musical nuances that I’ve been unable to glean from my previous headphones. And the voice clarity on phone calls & podcasts is also exceptional. In reading Sony’s acoustic architecture technical specs, they highlight their custom dynamic 30mm carbon composite soft-edge drivers & AI-powered DSEE (Digital Sound Enhancement Engine) Ultimate audio upscaling. This is Sony’s first wireless headphone model to feature DSEE Ultimate w/its enhanced sampling rate & upscaling technology that restores lost detail & dynamic range & essentially rebuilds compressed music files as you listen. Sony’s proprietary technology effectively upscales low-res or compressed files to sound more like hi-res audio.
360 Reality Audio Upmix: Sony utilizes a spatial audio technology they call 360 Reality Audio Upmix. There’s a dedicated button on the left earcup that allows you to choose from different listening modes—Standard, Music, Background Music, Cinema, or Gaming—so that you can change the sound dimensions to simulate a more immersive 360º Surround Sound-type experience. The upmixing provides a way to identify, define, & more distinctly separate the brass from the woodwinds from the strings from the percussion & so forth, not to mention breaking out the vocals from the instruments. You can customize a lot between the listening modes & the EQ. Of course, for max personalization & enjoyment, you’ll want the ability to create & control your own custom audio profiles, which you can access through the Sony Sound Connect app.
Adaptive Noise Cancelling (ANC): This important feature is powered by Sony’s next-gen dual chip processor which includes the QN3 HD NC processor & the V3 integrated processor along w/12 mics (6 mics in each earcup) to continuously adjust to your environment. While Sony struck a nice balance between supreme sound quality & noise canceling, at some pt., their design engineers had to make a choice as to where they would invest the most time, effort, & funds. I think they rightly decided to focus their efforts first & foremost on producing the best studio-grade sound quality they could. Having said that, while the noise cancelling on this unit isn’t the best I’ve heard, it’s still as good or better than most. For NC, I’d give these a 4 out of 5. It may be apples & oranges, but I still find that my in-ear Sony earbuds possess a better capability of blocking out more outside noise than these over-ear headphones. But as circumaural headphones go, these are still quite good.
Wireless Connectivity:
-BT 6.0 LE audio & lossless streaming for listening to music & making phone calls.
-Audio Codecs: LDAC & AAC for high-res music streaming.
-Multipoint connection: pair 2 devices at once
-BT 6.0 LE audio & lossless streaming for listening to music & making phone calls.
-Audio Codecs: LDAC & AAC for high-res music streaming.
-Multipoint connection: pair 2 devices at once
Earcup Controls: I like the intuitive controls on the earcups rather than having to whip out my phone App every time I want to access a different headphone feature or make an adjustment. The left earcup contains the physical, tactile buttons to press for Power, NC, & Listening Modes, whereas the right earcup is strictly swipe. Through the touch controls you can answer calls, play & pause music (music auto-pauses when you remove your headphones), skip tracks, control volume, turn on/off NC, etc. You can also access voice asst. to ask questions, send texts, & control your music.
Rechargeable Battery Life: Sony lists up to 24 hrs. of battery life per charge with NC on (& up to 32 hrs. with NC off). I’ve enjoyed these headphones for 5 days straight & I’m still on the initial charge. This is happily far more battery life than I’ve enjoyed with any other set of headphones or pair of earbuds. So, I don’t understand what the rub is for folks who’re unhappy that these don’t provide 30 hours of battery life per charge when you can do a 5-min. quick-charge & get another 90 mins. of play from them.
Accessories: Included is a sculpted low-profile case w/a carry handle & magnetic latch for quick storage & transport as well as for easy-open access when you’re ready to use them again. I’ve developed a habit of storing these in their case whenever they’re not in use to protect them from spills, dust, & damage in the event they’re dropped. Also included is a black 4ft 3.5mm audio cable for wired use. No USB-C charging cable is included, which is hard to believe at this price point.
Summary: I rated these at 4.5 stars but rounded up to 5-star quality headphones that truly shine. Sony’s latest effort is a good start towards the kind of no-compromise top-tier consumer headphones I’m still hoping they’ll eventually build.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
Shark PowerDetect UV Reveal 2-in-1 Vac+Mop sees invisible messes for a new level of clean. Featuring UV Stain Detect, Powerful Suction, HyperSonic Mopping, NeuroNav AI~, NeverStop Battery, 8 PowerDetect Technologies, Advanced Edge Cleaning, Anti-Tangle Brushroll, & the ThermaCharged NeverTouch Pro Base, which delivers up to 60 days of handsfree hygiene by killing 99.99% of bacteria.
Posted by: CriticalEye
We’ve enjoyed using several Shark robot vacs over the years, including most recently, the PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro. I didn’t think that unit could be topped, but this new PowerDetect UV Reveal is a clear upgrade. It has everything I could want in a robot vac: auto-emptying, self-cleaning, heated mopping & drying, & more.
Ironically, we were presented w/an unusual but timely situation for an “industrial”-style test of this new UV Reveal vac. We have family that ran the London Marathon at the end of April. When they told us that they’d decided to turn the event into a two-week vacation, they asked us if we’d be willing to keep their two large yellow Labrador Retrievers. We’ve been around these two beautiful, well-behaved dogs many times. One thing we knew: they have thick, double coats that shed year-round, especially in the spring & fall. As neatniks, we don’t normally allow pets in the house, but we reluctantly agreed to keep them downstairs at night where the flooring is comprised of dark faux wood vs. upstairs where the bedrooms are all carpeted. We knew immediately that this demanding environment meant this new Shark would have its work cut out. Picking up all that blonde hair would provide quite the test. I’m pleased to report that the Shark UV Reveal met the challenge. After a full week of use, this Shark has been surprisingly impressive at removing almost all the hair. About the only touchup required was some spot vacuuming w/a tapered crevice tool along the top of a few baseboard areas. The UV Reveal handled all the rest.
Like all Shark products we’ve used, setup is very simple & straightforward. Just scan the QR code to bring up a YouTube tutorial video to get started. After removing the plastic wrapping & stickers, the only assembly required is to snap on the side brush, attach the ramp to the base, fill the water tank (solution included), & insert the odor neutralizer. Downloading the SharkClean App is a must. Total setup time took under 15 minutes.
SharkClean App: We were already comfortable using the App from our experience w/previous Sharks. After pairing w/the new model, which was quick & easy, it first ran a test to explore & map the house. Then we made a few custom edits, incl. labeling all the rooms & setting up some “no-go” & “high-traffic” zones. This unit is also compatible w/Amazon’s Alexa & Google Assistant.
Cleaning: We noticed improved edge cleaning & suction power especially in the corners. With dark floors, it’s easy to discern if any debris is missed. This unit clearly vacuums better & more thoroughly than any of our previous models. The PowerDetect feature is the best. Its sensors identify when it rolls over a high-debris area--automatically boosting suction power just for that spot, & then returning to normal power. It also provides more effective cleaning along the edges of the baseboards. As it drives along the edge, dog hair is blown & brushed away from the edge & then suctioned. Another noticeable improvement: after running the Pro several times during this first week, it never got stuck anywhere. Some of our older vacs occasionally ran up over & got hung up on the beveled feet of bookcases & workout equipment, which required us to pick up the robovac & reposition it. The mop function also impressed as it scrubbed effectively & didn’t leave any sticky residue. And you never have to manually remove the mop pad. If it’s programmed for a vac-only run, it leaves the mop pad on the base automatically.
Low Maintenance: With the Self-Empty/Refill feature, there’s no cleanup! Once the vacuuming is completed, the unit evacuates its contents into the base. It also automatically refills the mop tank as needed.
Conclusion: We’re always on the lookout for ways to create more free time on the weekends. The goal is to leverage newfound time for more important priorities, including having fun with family & friends. Offloading dull & monotonous manual chores to automated machines & tools like this Shark PowerDetect UV Reveal is a great way to buy back precious time. We’re very impressed with this robotic vacuum & highly recommend it.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
The BlueParrott M300-XT SE Bluetooth driving earpiece headset is designed for superior calls in high-noise environments. Featuring 80% noise cancellation with 2-mic tech, our earpiece for drivers provides 14 hours of talk time on a single charge for those who work long shifts. Our ultra lightweight earpiece weighs just 0.7 oz., making it an excellent option for those who work on the road delivering packages, food delivery drivers, taxi drivers, ride-share drivers, limo drivers, and anyone who drives for a living. In addition, our driving headset earpiece is reversible so that you can wear it on whichever side you prefer. With a wireless range of 300 feet (100 meters), our blue tooth headset for work ensures you can leave your phone in your vehicle as you're dropping off orders, ideal for local truckers, remote workers, or anyone on-the-go. Our hands-free call earpiece with mic provides IP54-rated protection against dust and water, making it a rugged and comfortable accessory for your work mobile phone. And while you're on the road, you can instantly mute calls, speed dial a preferred contact, or Push-to-Talk with your colleague using our customizable BlueParrott Button. Simply program it with your most-used function for instant access without taking your eyes off the road. The wireless earpiece pairs with up to 8 devices, with 2 simultaneous connections, and provides 420 hours of standby time.
Customer Rating
4
Mono BT Headset for Commercial Driver/Road Warrior
on March 19, 2026
Posted by: CriticalEye
INTRO: I’m well-acquainted w/the Danish GN Group & have been using their audio enhancement/productivity tools since 2012 w/multiple purchases of Jabra Pro & BIZ Headsets, GN ReSound Forte, Vida, Preza & Jabra Enhance Select 700 hearing aids, & BlueParrott (BP) headsets, etc. As a sales/mktg. guy, when I’m not on the phone w/clients, I’m a road warrior on the way to meet w/clients. If I don’t stay close to my clients, someone else will. So, I was excited to learn that GN Audio had introduced a new BT headset thru their BP subsidiary brand & couldn’t wait to try it.
GETTING STARTED: The box containing the new BP model M500-XT monaural BT headset incl. BP’s tagline in all caps, “Built for Life on the Road.” Road Warriors are clearly the intended target mkt. here. This incl. commercial drivers, i.e., couriers, delivery drivers, rte. drivers, rideshare drivers, shuttle drivers, OTR truckers, etc. The secondary mkt. incl. commuters, outside salespeople, & all those who’re trying to increase their productivity & buy back some time. There’s also a Quick Start Guide w/a snapshot product overview via a graphic artist’s 3D drawing which is printed on the underside of the box flap. After studying the diagram, I connected the USB-A-to-C charging cable from my laptop to my new headset’s charging port on the underside of the device. 3 EarGel domes (small, medium, large) were incl. The pre-installed medium dome fit my ear perfectly. I tried the ‘rest on ear’ config followed by the ‘rest in ear’ config after inverting the dome into a funnel shape for a more secure fit at the entrance to my ear canal. After several hrs. of wearing the headset in both configs, the original ‘rest on ear’ config proved to be comfier. Then I downloaded the ‘My BP’ app to my smartphone from the Google Play Store & easily paired the pre-charged headset w/my phone. The app then prompted me to D/L a BP firmware update to v.1.54.0, which took only a few mins.
FORM FACTOR: After wearing compact earbuds over the last several yrs., I admit my 1st impression of this headset was that it looked a bit large, clunky, & dated vs. sleek, hi-tech, & futureproofed. But this headset isn’t meant for listening to music, audiobooks, or podcasts. Its primary function is to help busy, hardworking people make/receive clear calls in challenging environs so they can stay connected to their customers, colleagues, employees, & mgrs. throughout the workday while on the job. In this sole focus, the BP headset quickly demonstrates its functionality, practicality, & efficiency. I often find the simpler a thing is, the better designed/engineered it is. The 1st convenience I noticed is the reversible behind-the-ear frame which gave me the ability to swing the mic out of the way & rotate the earpiece 180º so that I could hang the headset on my L ear in (where my hearing is better) vs. my R ear. Also, when a passenger rides w/me, I want my R ear unencumbered so that I can hear him above the din of engine/road noise. Next, I noticed how light (just .7oz) this innovative, flexible yet sturdy, silicone headset is w/its IP54 (Ingress Protection) rating to resist dust, rain, & perspiration. The over-the-ear hook, behind-the-ear frame, & curved mini-boom mic all conform to the shape of my ear & face to provide all-day comfort to the pt. I forget I’m wearing the device until a call comes in. I also like that this audio headset comes in basic business black which offers a more matte, professional look than the other loud/trendy metallic ‘tech’ colors. Finally, for those users who elect not to utilize the handsfree call mgmt. voice controls, the headset’s simple, tactile, intuitively placed buttons provide an uncommon ease-of-operation, allowing you to make/take calls easily/safely while driving. Contrast this w/today’s era of flush electronic touch controls that can prove difficult to isolate/activate while on the hwy. at speed.
NOISE REDUCTION/SPEECH CLARITY: This headset’s advanced dual intelligent mic system offers AI-driven noise reduction/canceling via Machine Learning & Precision Voice Pickup, eliminating 93% of background noise for dramatically improved call clarity/quality, even in hi-noise environs. I’ve repeatedly verified this by simply calling & polling colleagues, family, & friends while I’m in loud environs. All have consistently remarked that they either can’t hear any background noise at all, or at most, they could hear only faint background noise while my voice came in ‘wall-to-wall’. So, GN’s speech optimization tech, on the mic side, is most impressive. I even called my wife while rolling slowly thru a hi-volume commercial carwash. It was so loud in the tunnel that I could barely hear what she was saying, even after increasing my speaker volume, yet she could hear everything I said & had no idea I was in a carwash. Unfortunately, the headset is simultaneously amazing yet often disappointing in that, while I’m continually surprised at how well others can hear me, despite hi-dB background noise, I still find myself struggling to hear the caller clearly while I’m in noisy environs, even w/my volume turned up. The speech clarity emitted from the speaker on my end can sound a bit dulled/muddy & just not as sharp or clear as I’d expected at this price pt. Despite my misgivings, I must say that GN got the fundamentals right w/their 10mm audio dynamic driver & low 32-Ohm impedance, both of which help provide good midrange frequencies for clearer voice calls, while keeping the headset light & conserving battery power to drive the speaker. The 20Hz-to-7k Hz frequency response is also considered near optimal for human speech/voice call clarity as it helps filter background noise.
CONNECTIVITY: This headset offers a strong, reliable, handsfree connection w/a reported wireless range of 100yd/100m from paired BT devices. I tried leaving my smartphone in my upstairs home office while sitting in the car in our attached garage while on a call. Connectivity was flawless, & I was able to continue my convo as I walked over to, & slightly past, my next-door neighbor’s house before I almost lost the BT connection. While I didn’t realize a 100yd range, after checking my smartphone model’s specs & BT v., the 35yd-range I enjoyed was on track w/my mobile device’s hardware/software limitations. So far, I’ve had no dropped BT connections or calls.
BATTERY: I’ve been recharging my headset every night this past wk. So, I haven’t yet tested the limits of the headset’s 100mAh rechargeable battery capacity. Even when I work 12hr days, I don’t talk on the phone during the entire 12 hrs.; so, the promised 11hr talk time & 2-day standby time from a single 2hr charge far exceeds my needs, at least unless or until I forget to charge my headset one night. Although I’d prefer GN/BP incl. a USB-C PD Charger/Adapter w/this headset, I’m glad they at least incl. a 4ft-long black charging cable which offers more flexibility w/my laptop at a hotel room desk than a short 1-to-2ft. cord.
MULTI-FUNCTION BUTTON (MFB): Rather than plodding thru all the MFB press-&-hold features, you can access the detailed instructions in the ‘My BP’ app’s User Manual. Functions incl. the ability to turn your headset power on/off, pair your headset w/your phone, answer/end calls, reject incoming calls, end a call to answer a call, put a call on hold to answer a call, increase/decrease speaker volume, & redial the last #. You can also activate your choice of 4 Voice Assts. Although I prefer the headset’s simple Voice Controls, some users may prefer the headset’s physical buttons for call mgmt.
BLUEPARROT BUTTON (BPB): Again, you can easily access the detailed instructions re: all the functions assoc. w/the BPB in the ‘My BP’ app’s User Manual. Besides muting/unmuting your mic/audio, you can customize BPB functions for: Push-to-Talk (PTT), access to a 2nd paired mobile device simultaneously, pairing w/<8 different mobile devices w/“Multi-pt. Mode,” checking the battery level, assigning a 2nd MFB for a 2nd paired device, speed-dialing, voice-controlled call mgmt., 3rd party app access (7 mobile apps to connect to, incl. the 3 biggies: AT&T Enhanced PTT, T-Mobile, & Verizon PTT+), & Voice Commands, ltd. to: Answer, Ignore, List Commands, Pairing, Connection Status, Battery Status, & Cancel.
SUGGESTIONS FOR MINOR IMPROVEMENTS: It’s a bit crowded behind my ear w/the thin frame of my glasses & the frame of this behind-the-ear headset w/its thick over-the-ear hook. I’m hopeful GN/BP design engineers can create a thinner, yet still stable/comfy over-the-ear hook for the millions of drivers who wear glasses & sunglasses. It also would be helpful if GN/BP were to incl. a compact, formfitting carrying case to protect, preserve, & safely store the headset & charging cable at home, work, & in the car. Finally, I’d like to see GN/BP add a snug-fitting protective silicone flap to cover the USB-C charging port to prevent dust, dirt, grime, & moisture from entering.
CONCLUSION: Most drivers understand that open-ear headsets provide important safety features. In fact, many states prohibit drivers from wearing buds, domes, headphones, & headsets that plug or cover both ears simultaneously (w/the exception of hearing aids), as these could restrict drivers’ ability to hear emergency vehicles, etc. As much as I like the M500-XT, after once again trying a monaural headset in both my L & R ear (w/the other ear free of any device), I still feel that I’m better able to hear what callers are saying when I use an open-ear binaural/stereo headset as it seems to provide improved audio clarity & balance vs. a mono headset.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+2points
2of 2voted this as helpful.
Theragun Prime (6th Generation) delivers scientifically proven powerful percussive therapy in our most durable design yet ~ built to withstand intense training, outdoor adventures and everyday wear and tear. Its impact-resistant rubber exterior and reinforced corners protect against drops up to 10 feet, making it ideal for the most demanding lifestyles. Simple one-button controls let you adjust massage intensity across 5 speeds, while the patented triangle grip - now with a wider opening for easier handling - ensures a secure, comfortable hold and better leverage to reach every muscle. Real-time LED indicators show how much pressure you're applying, and the quiet, adaptive motor maintains speed and power under pressure to prevent stalling. Apply up to 35 lbs. of force to work through deep knots and tight muscles, helping relieve pain, improve flexibility and accelerate recovery. With a 2-hour battery life and 2 versatile attachments for full-body recovery, Theragun Prime keeps pace with your toughest days. Bluetooth connectivity unlocks app control via the Therabody app, where you can adjust settings, monitor pressure levels and follow guided routines. Plus, Coach by Therabody - included free in the app ~ creates personalized recovery plans based on our goals and activity data, helping you stay consistent with your recovery.
Customer Rating
5
Powerful Percussive Relief
on November 7, 2025
Posted by: CriticalEye
This is my 3rd Theragun & this Prime Massage is without doubt the best model so far. I’ve been hooked on Theragun since I got the Mini about 5 years ago followed by the Relief Gun just a couple of years ago.
We’re a family of amateur athletes (walkers, joggers, marathoners, ultra-runners, & bodybuilders). A couple of us have massage therapy backgrounds; so, we’re big believers in the benefits of manual muscle manipulation. But with the exception of professional athletes & the wealthy, few have access to a massage therapist 24/7. Enter the Theragun. For us, percussive massage has proven to be a welcome supplement to manual massage, & this Prime 6th-gen massage gun is a winner. It’s a littler heavier than my older Relief gun but with the added weight comes a grippier handle which makes it easier to maneuver. It feels much sturdier & more substantial than either the Relief or the Mini.
This Prime gun came with 2 attachments: The Standard Ball for total body & general tension reduction & the Dampener, which has a wider & softer head for more sensitive areas.
We use it after almost every run/workout. I’m convinced that it helps ward off plantar fasciitis; so, I regularly use it on the bottom of my feet & heels & all the way up to the top of my calves. I find that if I limit any increases in my running routine to no more than 10% of my normal distance & keep up with my Theragun post-run massage maintenance, I’m able to keep all plantar problems at bay.
My sister has had a nagging lower calf injury for several months; so, she used the Theragun over the last week & feels better already. But she has smaller hands & feels that the Prime is a little big & heavy for her; so, she’s going to try the older smaller & lighter Relief model instead.
Theragun also has a helpful App to guide you with recovery plans based on your physical activities & fitness goals. I used the App in the beginning, but once I got into my own routine & discovered what works best for me, I rarely use the App anymore. My Theragun usage is pretty simple after a workout. After a long run, in addition to using it on my lower extremities, I use it on my quads & IT band, etc. After an upper body workout, I use it on my bis, tris, shoulders, forearms & sometimes my lats, but I avoid the kidney area. I also avoid the neck & traps since that rattles my teeth. Overall, this is a powerful recovery tool that’s simple to operate & effective for relief of tired or sore muscles.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
Experience better hearing today and save thousands ~ with clinic-quality hearing aids & licensed audiology services, at half the cost of in-person clinics. Meet the world~s smallest rechargeable receiver-in-ear hearing aids, the Select 700. Conversations are clear and effortless with advanced Auto Focus technology that locks on to speech and applies top-tier noise reduction in real-time. Make hands-free calls with iOS and Android, and know that your hearing aids are ready for the future of connectivity with Bluetooth LE Audio and Auracast~. When you choose Jabra Enhance, you're not just getting hearing aids~you're getting virtual audiology services with an in-house team of licensed hearing professionals, excited to help you hear better. The Jabra Enhance Audiology Team uses clinical software to professionally program your hearing aids based on your audiogram or online hearing test, and are available 7 days a week for unlimited adjustments.
Customer Rating
4
Good Mid-Tier OTC Hearing Aids
on October 7, 2025
Posted by: CriticalEye
Background: When I was young & dumb, I played rock drums w/inadequate hearing protection. Since then, I’ve noticed my hearing loss has increased from just the upper frequencies to now incl. some of the upper-mid frequencies. Consequently, I’ve experienced increasing difficulty in understanding conversational speech in noisy environments. I even find myself breaking eye contact w/others to try & read their lips to supplement my poor hearing. To try & compensate for this decline, I’ve spent a lot of money on hearing aids over the last several yrs.
I was eager to try these new GN/Jabra Enhance Select 700 hearing aids, esp. w/their SoundScape speech clarity technology & their Auto Focus feature for clearer speech-in-noise performance which simultaneously reduces background sounds in noisy environments. Given that I’d purchased multiple GN/Jabra corded & wireless headsets for both home & small business use some yrs. ago & 3 previous sets of GN hearing aids in their flagship ReSound line, incl. the Forte 861, Vida 8, & Preza 861 models, I decided to give these a shot, even though I’d never experienced the hoped for speech clarity in noisy environs that I’ve long been desperate to realize. So, I tempered my expectations for this new model, recognizing that these hearing aids are part of GN’s Jabra line of OTC (over-the-counter) consumer-oriented hearing aids vs. their flagship ReSound line. Still, going in, at least I knew I’d be familiar w/GN hardware & software, incl. their mobile app, BT connectivity, controls, filters, form factor, presets, programming, adjustments, support, & Li-ion battery life/rechargeability, etc. But it took more than just familiarity w/GN’s famous Jabra & ReSound brands to prompt me to give these a go. Here’s what tipped the scales.
Jabra Enhance is a very innovative business model which incl. the following bennies:
-mobile app to control my hearing aid settings w/easy adjustments & no office visits,
-an online hearing test, which I happily took using my own pair of high-end ANC (active noise canceling) OTE (over-the-
ear) headphones vs. being shut into an old stale soundproofed booth for another audiogram
-speaking directly w/a licensed hearing specialist via scheduled ½-hr. Zoom orientation telecon vs. an in-person clinic visit,
-having my hearing aids reprogrammed/personalized to fit my unique hearing profile based on my hearing test/audiogram,
-receiving on-the-go iterative adjustments via the cloud as my environment & hearing needs change,
-receiving 3 yrs. of free virtual audiology services incl. convenient appts. w/Jabra’s Audiology Team,
-free customer service, tech support, & troubleshooting from US-based customer support,
-end-user advantages from globally recognized/trusted experts in hearing research, care treatment, & tech,
-advanced BT LE to stream calls, media, & music directly to my hearing aids
-hands-free calling w/TapControl
-futureproofed BT Auracast access
-long 24-hr. battery life
-weather/water-resistant hardware
-mobile app to control my hearing aid settings w/easy adjustments & no office visits,
-an online hearing test, which I happily took using my own pair of high-end ANC (active noise canceling) OTE (over-the-
ear) headphones vs. being shut into an old stale soundproofed booth for another audiogram
-speaking directly w/a licensed hearing specialist via scheduled ½-hr. Zoom orientation telecon vs. an in-person clinic visit,
-having my hearing aids reprogrammed/personalized to fit my unique hearing profile based on my hearing test/audiogram,
-receiving on-the-go iterative adjustments via the cloud as my environment & hearing needs change,
-receiving 3 yrs. of free virtual audiology services incl. convenient appts. w/Jabra’s Audiology Team,
-free customer service, tech support, & troubleshooting from US-based customer support,
-end-user advantages from globally recognized/trusted experts in hearing research, care treatment, & tech,
-advanced BT LE to stream calls, media, & music directly to my hearing aids
-hands-free calling w/TapControl
-futureproofed BT Auracast access
-long 24-hr. battery life
-weather/water-resistant hardware
All those bennies were too impressive to pass up by continuing w/the traditional clinical middleman model.
Difficulty in Pairing: After opening the nice tight box w/all the hardware & basic accessories incl., I fully charged the new hearing aids & downloaded the new GN/Jabra Enhance Select App from the Play Store. Then, I made sure my preexisting GN/ReSound (Jabra’s sister co.) hearing aids & GN Smart 3D app were unpaired & that there were no pairings between my preexisting Jabra Sound+ app & any of my other Jabra headphones or earbuds. Although I followed all the initial pairing steps to the letter, I spent the next 2 hrs. trying to achieve a successful pairing between my flagship Android phone, which I’ve routinely paired w/dozens of other devices w/o issue. While young & old use hearing aids, most wearers are of sr. citizen age. I know w/certainty that none of our parents or grandparents would’ve had the patience or tenacity to endure the 2 hrs. of difficulties we suffered in finally getting these hearing aids paired w/my phone. This, despite repeatedly following all the troubleshooting steps to the letter, incl. continual hearing aid resets, inserting & retrieving the hearing aids from their fully charged recharging case, toggling BT on & off, & even performing phone restarts. It wasn’t until after I’d finally performed a hard reboot of the hearing aids, in exasperation, that we finally achieved a successful pairing. Since then, the pairing of the hearing aids each morning has been quick & remained stable vs. the previous instability & unpairing of either the L or R hearing aid & intermittent audio breakups on phone calls.
Controls/Presets/Filters: I quickly began experimenting w/the 4 presets (‘All-Around’, ‘Restaurant’, ‘Music’, ‘Outdoor’), all of which are like the presets w/my preexisting GN Smart 3D app & GN ReSound Preza 861’s. I’ve also played w/customizing my new Select 700’s to fit changing environs. With my type hearing loss, I gravitate towards ‘Speech Clarity’ w/in the ‘All-Around’ & ‘Restaurant’ modes vs. the ‘Noise Filter’, although I need both. (And now there’s also the ‘Custom Filter’ option.) Drilling down to the graphic equalizer, I must be careful not to increase the much-needed high frequencies to the pt. of over-amping the treble which creates not only a tinny sound, but a distorted, unnatural sound w/wind whistling through a tunnel w/echo. I also appreciate the flexibility of the dual (L & R) volume controls.
Big Picture: the GN/Jabra Enhance Select 700 is a micro RIE (Receiver-in-Ear)/RIC (Receiver-in-Canal)-style hearing aid. It’s easier to understand the form factor of this style hearing aid by contrasting it w/what it’s not. This isn’t a CIC (Completely-in-[Ear]-Canal) device, & it isn’t fully a BTE (Behind-the-Ear) device. Like my previous GN hearing aids, this is a hybrid device w/a thin wire that connects the RIE/RIC to the main body of the hearing aid, which is a small, curved plastic piece that rests discreetly BTE. This much I’ve learned: If the hearing aid’s combined body, dome, & wire aren’t small, light, & tight, as in, ‘fit-&-forget’, or if they don’t noticeably improve my ability to hear important voices that are otherwise missed or garbled, then I won’t consistently wear them. Fortunately, these hearing aids are very comfortable, & I rarely remember that I’m wearing them ‘til time to remove them at bedtime.
Aesthetics: In today’s youth-oriented society & ultra-competitive job mkt., many older workers go to extraordinary lengths to appear hip, fit, & high-tech. Accordingly, most mid-aged to older workers who wear hearing aids tend to be lowkey about them so that their devices often go largely unnoticed. The color of these new BTE hearing aids is listed as ‘sand’, although they appear closer to brushed nickel or pewter with a smooth metallic finish. This color is a clear departure from the classic flesh-tones of many previous GN devices like my Preza 861’s. In contrast, my wife noticed that these new hearing aids stand out prominently when she looks at the back of my head, esp. when overhead light shines on them & reflects off them. This color, w/its shinier surface, simply isn’t as discreet for most wearers.
Conclusion: I’m approaching the Jabra Enhance care team’s hearing improvement process w/an open mind & the intention of being a model patient & willing partner to achieve optimal hearing via these new Select 700 hearing aids. My hope is that Jabra’s team will be just as committed & tenacious about this shared goal as I am. To date, although I’m pleased that I’ve heard more high-pitched birds on my morning walks, more hwy. sounds in the car, & even a seemingly ‘louder’ oven timer from the farthest upstairs bedroom in the house—I’ve much greater hopes for hearing improvement than these. The main difference maker for me would be to plainly hear what nearby conversants are speaking to me in noisy environments like restaurants, company sales mtgs., & family outings. But what I’ve mainly experienced from all the different hearing aids I’ve tried has been either the indiscriminate, wholesale filtering, reduction, or suppression of almost ALL noise, incl. the very voices I’d hoped to hear, OR the overly broad, indiscriminate, wholesale amplification of both the voices I wanted to hear AND all the other surrounding noise that then drowned out those same voices. What I want but haven’t been able to find is hearing aid technology w/amplification AND filtering that can be accurately directed, focused, & selective so that I can clearly hear the people near me while all the unwanted noise is filtered out. After receiving my results from Jabra’s online hearing test which measured my hearing impairment levels by frequency (Hz) & subsequently experimenting w/many different combinations of presets & filters as well as bass, midrange, & treble components via the amplification & dampening sliders, etc., I’m looking forward to next week’s ½-hr. orientation via Zoom call w/my Jabra Enhance licensed audio specialist. At that online appt., we’ll have the opportunity to discuss my specific hearing goals, issues, challenges, difficulties, & successes. If Jabra’s team can help me achieve real, measurable improvement in my personal ‘difference maker’ hot button, as discussed above, that would be a gamechanger.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+8points
8of 8voted this as helpful.
Meet Pixel 10 Pro, the new standard for pro phones. Advanced AI with Gemini, unbelievable camera quality, impeccable design, and the next-gen Google Tensor G5 chip.~
Customer Rating
4
Excellent Camera & AI Integration
on September 10, 2025
Posted by: CriticalEye
I’m truly conflicted about how to rate & review this new Google Pixel 10 Pro XL. On the one hand, if I were upgrading from an older or inferior Android phone, I would happily give it a glowing 5-star rating. It has a stunning display, superior Pro Camera, sleek design, ~30-hour battery life, & oodles of helpful Google Apps as well as advanced AI integration. On the other hand, I’ve been using a top-tier Android smartphone with slightly better resolution, a stylus, & better optimization & widgets. So, I feel in many respects that this is a small step down. Therefore, I have to give it 4 stars.
With so many features that can be pointed out, I’ll just mention a few positive & negatives that stood out to me.
- No bloatware: I absolutely love that there is no third-party or carrier bloatware on this unlocked model.
- Camera: Next-level quality 50 MP Octa PD wide camera with Pro Res Zoom up to 100x. I love catching pics of some of the amazing birds in our area. For the first time, I was able to zoom in & catch a great shot of a beautiful soaring Red-tailed Hawk on a hike this week. When I switched to video, the AI stabilizer allowed me to smoothly follow him until he landed. This is by far, the best smartphone camera I’ve had so far.
- Battery life: I’ve used the phone heavily over the past week; so, I can attest to the 24-30+ hour battery life. I played background YouTube Music for some of the workweek & was surprised at how little it drained the battery. I do wish the battery displayed the percentage of remaining battery life without having to swipe down to view the number.
- Limited Widgets & Customization: I’ve spent a good amount of time customizing my Android phones over the years with my current brand; so, I was disappointed in some of the limited choices with this Pixel smartphone.
- No Physical SIM card / eSIM only: Before mentioning the negatives, there are a couple of minor upsides to eSIM. Not having to take the protective phone case completely off to insert or change out the SIM card is nice. And if travelling outside the US, you should be able to easily download an eSIM. This is very convenient for intercontinental travelers. However, for the rest of us, I don’t like the loss of control as a user. For starters, I was still forced to visit my local carrier’s retail store to activate the phone. In the past, if I had a phone that went bad or if I wanted to try out a new phone, I could simply pop out the SIM card & reinsert it into the new phone without needing to contact the carrier. I don’t enjoy spending time calling customer service or having to visit the store for something simple that I used to be able to do quickly and without carrier assistance. Physical SIM cards are supposedly included in Pixel 10 phones outside the US. If that’s the case, then it doesn’t appear to be a design issue but rather a control issue by Google for its US-based customers, & I’m averse to this. The primary reason I’ve favored Android in the past is due to the user’s ability to customize & personalize options. My other high-end Android phones still offer both the physical SIM & eSIM options.
- Weight/Bulkiness: Although this Pixel 10 Pro XL is nicely designed, it feels heavy & a bit clunky in my hand even before adding a protective case. It weighs only a tad more at 8.18 oz. vs. my current 8 oz. Android phone, but I’m used to a sleeker, smoother design with curved/beveled edges.
Overall, this is an improved offering from Google with a quality build & seamless AI integration across all its Apps. If you live your life on your phone, utilizing it to organize your schedule & streamline your daily tasks, this would be a worthy choice. And if Google continues leveling up in their design & ability to personalize, I could see them pulling even with the competing flagship Android brand if not leading in this space in the future.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+3points
3of 3voted this as helpful.
Head-to-toe HD view, two-year battery, simple setup, Sync Module Core included ~ System (Black)
Customer Rating
3
Average Camera/Average App
on July 27, 2025
Posted by: CriticalEye
We have several outdoor cameras from 2 other brands and 2 separate Apps, but this is our first experience with the Blink brand & Blink Home Monitor App. We had high hopes for this Blink Video Doorbell cam since we’re big fans & users of everything Amazon, but unfortunately, it underwhelmed us.
First the good: Setup was simple & explained well in the App (you must have or create a Blink account). The box contained the needed AA Lithium batteries which was nice. After adding both the sync module & the camera to the App, we chose the non-wired mount since we’re using it at a rental & didn’t want to wire it to the existing chime. The App notification response is pretty quick. After using it for a full week, it consistently takes only a few seconds from the time the camera is triggered until the App notification is received.
The Audio is very good quality. The speaker is quite robust. I can easily communicate with a person at the door. Via the app, visitors at the door are able to hear me very clearly, even with a little street noise in the background. Likewise, I’m able to hear the person at the door very clearly. Of course, the bonus is that via the live app, I could be talking to the visitor from inside the house or from many miles away.
To save battery life, I have the Video Quality set on Standard which is adequate. The view of a visitor at the door is clear, but anyone standing farther down the walkway towards the sidewalk comes across in low quality & unclear.
Disappointments:
For starters, this new Sync Module does not have a USB port that allows for a flash drive for local storage. I also don’t care for the slight fisheye effect which distorts the view. None of my other cameras do this.
The Blink Home Monitor App does allow a good amount of personalization, but I’m disappointed w/the lack of some basic features. For example, there’s no ability to change the App notification chime. My other camera Apps allow this. I also don’t see a battery level indicator. All my other devices prominently show the current battery level at all times.
This camera faces the street which is fairly busy with foot traffic & cars. After receiving a ton of notifications for cars driving by, I turned off the Vehicle Detection, but I’m still getting clips of passing cars labeled as “Motion”. The negative thing about turning off the Vehicle Detection is that I no longer receive a notice of vehicles pulling into the driveway. I do want to be notified about those.
After receiving clips of every dog walker & jogger passing down the sidewalk, I adjusted the Activity Zones & grayed out some areas, but I still receive quite a few passers-by clips. It would be nice if I could adjust the grid in the Activity Zones. Even in the Advanced option screen (that zooms in on the view), I don’t have the flexibility to gray out the areas needed, without also graying out areas I want monitored.
Several times, the camera did not activate when a delivery driver ran up to the edge of the porch & threw a package. My other camera was able to capture the whole event, but this Blink cam didn’t activate until the driver was already walking away.
Overall, for this price point, this is an adequate camera with a decent App. I would cautiously recommend it for someone on a budget, especially renters that don’t want to fully install hardware & don’t have high expectations. But for homeowners who’d like a more full-featured audio-visual security device w/tweakable & convenient set-&-forget options, there are better choices out there.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
Turn up the energy with BRAVIA Theater System 6 all-in-one 5.1ch system. Featuring 10 total speakers, including a subwoofer and rear speakers, and with support for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, movies will explode with powerful, immersive surround sound. Ready to entertain? Energize your next party with room-filling multi-stereo sound.
Customer Rating
4
Good Mid-Tier Fully Immersive Home Theater System
on June 11, 2025
Posted by: CriticalEye
In the Box: The system arrived in an odd-looking, unwieldy, connected pair of boxes, with a fat/squat cubed box containing the 25lb subwoofer adjoined to a tall box containing the soundbar, amp, rear speakers, power cords, cabling, & remote. The FedEx driver had a heckuva time getting it off the truck & up to the driveway ‘til I rushed out to help her.
Packaging: To our delight, all the minimalist matte black components were logically arranged & expertly packed in a tight array of dedicated, formfitting, recessed molds to keep each piece locked down in transit. Kudos to Sony for their attention to detail in designing custom shipping materials ensuring every system component arrives in pristine condition. Sony immediately validates their customers for choosing quality.
Installation/Setup: I scanned the QR code to D/L the Bravia Connect app from the Google Play store. I followed the simple paint-by-number instructions for setup, operation & initial settings config. Using the incl. cables, I connected the TV to the subwoofer & the subwoofer to the soundbar. (A wireless signal is then sent to the rear amp to which the L&R rear speakers are wired.) The app eventually confirmed the system had properly read our TV via HDMI/eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel) & we were able to control power & volume w/our TV’s remote. After pairing, the app guided us thru the process of customizing the surround sound (‘SS’) system to fit our unique home environment, incl. our seated listening position relative to the speakers & our listening preferences. It was as close to ‘plug & play’ as we’ve seen w/an SS setup. Taking a relaxed, methodical approach, it took just a ½-hr from box opening to install. At the end of the process, the app confirmed our speaker system setup had been completed.
Packaging: To our delight, all the minimalist matte black components were logically arranged & expertly packed in a tight array of dedicated, formfitting, recessed molds to keep each piece locked down in transit. Kudos to Sony for their attention to detail in designing custom shipping materials ensuring every system component arrives in pristine condition. Sony immediately validates their customers for choosing quality.
Installation/Setup: I scanned the QR code to D/L the Bravia Connect app from the Google Play store. I followed the simple paint-by-number instructions for setup, operation & initial settings config. Using the incl. cables, I connected the TV to the subwoofer & the subwoofer to the soundbar. (A wireless signal is then sent to the rear amp to which the L&R rear speakers are wired.) The app eventually confirmed the system had properly read our TV via HDMI/eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel) & we were able to control power & volume w/our TV’s remote. After pairing, the app guided us thru the process of customizing the surround sound (‘SS’) system to fit our unique home environment, incl. our seated listening position relative to the speakers & our listening preferences. It was as close to ‘plug & play’ as we’ve seen w/an SS setup. Taking a relaxed, methodical approach, it took just a ½-hr from box opening to install. At the end of the process, the app confirmed our speaker system setup had been completed.
App: The app offers deeper settings control than the system’s dedicated remote; so, we connect via the app to rebalance components or finetune settings.
Speaker Test: We performed a speaker check using the Test Tone app feature. The app displays & highlights each individual speaker image as it emits an audible synchronized hiss until every speaker has been tested & the full loop is complete.
Speaker Positioning/Volume Level Settings: Our setup didn’t require any tools other than a tape measure to check the distance between the sofa & subwoofer & soundbar, & the distance between the sofa & rear speakers. We entered this data in the pulldown menus w/in the Sound Sub-Settings. This data helps optimize the system’s performance when SS is enabled via the default Sound Field setting for max listening enjoyment. The volume level settings for the subwoofer & L&R rear speakers are adjustable (Presets can be adjusted from -6dB to +6dB). We leave these settings at a neutral 0dB for all our OTA TV channels.
Sound Field Setting: You can toggle among 3 different Sound Field Types or Virtual Surround Modes, incl.: Sony’s own Vertical Surround Engine, Dolby’s Speaker Virtualizer, & DTS’s Neural:X. Sony’s engine allows the soundbar to ‘position’ sound in vertical space so we can experience virtual 3D audio, ostensibly w/o need for ceiling or up-firing speakers. We liked all 3 ‘virtualizers’ but gave the edge to Sony. To our ears it seemed to offer more pronounced vertical sound placement ‘images’ that add ‘height’ channels to the traditional SS format. Sony uses 360 Spatial Sound Mapping which they combine w/Sound Field Optimization to provide listeners w/optimal sound immersion, surrounding them from all directions, incl. from above.
DSEE: You can toggle on/off the Digital Sound Enhancement Engine. Audio info is often lost in the higher frequencies in file compression. But Sony’s DSEE tech analyzes compressed audio files & uses algorithms/AI to recreate this missing info. This restoration is meant to bring the sound closer to high-res audio & contribute to a richer, more natural sound.
Audio DRC: This tech compresses the dynamic range of Dolby True HD encoded audio signals so we can hear soft sounds & dialogue more easily. We’ve toggled this on at times to try & avoid resorting to closed captioning.
A/V Sync: Depending on the streaming source, we’ve occasionally noticed some separation. You can delay audio to reduce audio-visual mismatch w/a slider that offers a 0-to-120-millisecond delay. We’ve played w/this slider to try & compensate.
Advanced Auto Volume: Sony’s tech minimizes volume changes due to changing input signals w/the aim of creating a more consistent listening experience & preventing abrupt changes in volume. It specifically considers the center channel, which often carries dialogue, to make more accurate adjustments. We keep this feature toggled on to prevent loud volume shocks at the start of commercial breaks.
Bass: The dedicated subwoofer offers a deep, impactful bass that can reverberate under your feet w/great intensity or be minimized to simply balance out your overall audio’s mids & highs w/o drawing attention to the bass at all.
Voice/Dialogue: If you’re being forced to use headphones or earbuds or enable closed captioning because the dialogue is being trampled by an overbearing soundtrack or the studio has cut corners on audio capture or sound engineering, then you can lower the bass & enhance the dedicated center speaker’s voice channel w/Voice Mode via the app or remote. This enhances vocal clarity by boosting mid-range frequencies for clearer voice reproduction in dialogue-heavy scenes. Sony’s unique Sound Optimizer Signal Processing Tech suppresses distortion & lets each speaker produce voice & treble simultaneously w/little-to-no distortion for clearer dialogue.
Multi-Stereo Mode: This setting plays the same full audio from all speakers simultaneously. It provides a consistent room-filling sound throughout the space & is appropriate for background music, easy listening, social gatherings, & parties.
Night Mode: This mode provides subtle boosts in soft sounds at lower volumes, enhancing dialogue clarity, while lowering the intensity of louder sounds like booms & crashes. It allows late-night TV watching w/o disturbing other family members.
Upmixer: Sony’s unique upmixer can upgrade the playback of you older or lower quality content if it wasn’t recorded in Dolby Atmos or DTS:X. This tech restores acoustic details using algorithms/AI to help produce a richer 3D sound closer to what you would enjoy w/content recorded in today’s premium formats.
Test Drive: We 1st tested the System 6 by playing a few YouTube 5.1 Dolby Atmos demo clips. Then we streamed a few favs on Pandora (you can also stream music via BT from your phone), watched a few scenes from our favorite movies on Blu-ray, & streamed a few movie scenes on Netflix.
Speaker Test: We performed a speaker check using the Test Tone app feature. The app displays & highlights each individual speaker image as it emits an audible synchronized hiss until every speaker has been tested & the full loop is complete.
Speaker Positioning/Volume Level Settings: Our setup didn’t require any tools other than a tape measure to check the distance between the sofa & subwoofer & soundbar, & the distance between the sofa & rear speakers. We entered this data in the pulldown menus w/in the Sound Sub-Settings. This data helps optimize the system’s performance when SS is enabled via the default Sound Field setting for max listening enjoyment. The volume level settings for the subwoofer & L&R rear speakers are adjustable (Presets can be adjusted from -6dB to +6dB). We leave these settings at a neutral 0dB for all our OTA TV channels.
Sound Field Setting: You can toggle among 3 different Sound Field Types or Virtual Surround Modes, incl.: Sony’s own Vertical Surround Engine, Dolby’s Speaker Virtualizer, & DTS’s Neural:X. Sony’s engine allows the soundbar to ‘position’ sound in vertical space so we can experience virtual 3D audio, ostensibly w/o need for ceiling or up-firing speakers. We liked all 3 ‘virtualizers’ but gave the edge to Sony. To our ears it seemed to offer more pronounced vertical sound placement ‘images’ that add ‘height’ channels to the traditional SS format. Sony uses 360 Spatial Sound Mapping which they combine w/Sound Field Optimization to provide listeners w/optimal sound immersion, surrounding them from all directions, incl. from above.
DSEE: You can toggle on/off the Digital Sound Enhancement Engine. Audio info is often lost in the higher frequencies in file compression. But Sony’s DSEE tech analyzes compressed audio files & uses algorithms/AI to recreate this missing info. This restoration is meant to bring the sound closer to high-res audio & contribute to a richer, more natural sound.
Audio DRC: This tech compresses the dynamic range of Dolby True HD encoded audio signals so we can hear soft sounds & dialogue more easily. We’ve toggled this on at times to try & avoid resorting to closed captioning.
A/V Sync: Depending on the streaming source, we’ve occasionally noticed some separation. You can delay audio to reduce audio-visual mismatch w/a slider that offers a 0-to-120-millisecond delay. We’ve played w/this slider to try & compensate.
Advanced Auto Volume: Sony’s tech minimizes volume changes due to changing input signals w/the aim of creating a more consistent listening experience & preventing abrupt changes in volume. It specifically considers the center channel, which often carries dialogue, to make more accurate adjustments. We keep this feature toggled on to prevent loud volume shocks at the start of commercial breaks.
Bass: The dedicated subwoofer offers a deep, impactful bass that can reverberate under your feet w/great intensity or be minimized to simply balance out your overall audio’s mids & highs w/o drawing attention to the bass at all.
Voice/Dialogue: If you’re being forced to use headphones or earbuds or enable closed captioning because the dialogue is being trampled by an overbearing soundtrack or the studio has cut corners on audio capture or sound engineering, then you can lower the bass & enhance the dedicated center speaker’s voice channel w/Voice Mode via the app or remote. This enhances vocal clarity by boosting mid-range frequencies for clearer voice reproduction in dialogue-heavy scenes. Sony’s unique Sound Optimizer Signal Processing Tech suppresses distortion & lets each speaker produce voice & treble simultaneously w/little-to-no distortion for clearer dialogue.
Multi-Stereo Mode: This setting plays the same full audio from all speakers simultaneously. It provides a consistent room-filling sound throughout the space & is appropriate for background music, easy listening, social gatherings, & parties.
Night Mode: This mode provides subtle boosts in soft sounds at lower volumes, enhancing dialogue clarity, while lowering the intensity of louder sounds like booms & crashes. It allows late-night TV watching w/o disturbing other family members.
Upmixer: Sony’s unique upmixer can upgrade the playback of you older or lower quality content if it wasn’t recorded in Dolby Atmos or DTS:X. This tech restores acoustic details using algorithms/AI to help produce a richer 3D sound closer to what you would enjoy w/content recorded in today’s premium formats.
Test Drive: We 1st tested the System 6 by playing a few YouTube 5.1 Dolby Atmos demo clips. Then we streamed a few favs on Pandora (you can also stream music via BT from your phone), watched a few scenes from our favorite movies on Blu-ray, & streamed a few movie scenes on Netflix.
Power Cord Length: Both the subwoofer power cord & the rear speaker amp should be at least 1ft longer. With our newer model 77” OLED TV all connecting ports are on the back L side. I had to rearrange everything above & below my TV stand/media console just to make this setup work w/only 1” of cord to spare.
Audio Volume Indicator: The small unobtrusive numerical volume indicator that used to appear on my TV screen when I increased/decreased the volume via my TV’s remote control has disappeared ever since I installed the Theatre System 6 & initialized the Sony Bravia Connect app. Now, this volume indicator is displayed only in the app. But I don’t want to access the app screen in the dark just to see the volume setting. I’ve checked my TV settings & manual & there’s no option to reenable the numerical volume display on my TV screen w/this new setup. Can Sony remedy this w/an update?
Clunky Firmware Updates: After the Bravia Connect app confirmed it had the latest software v. installed, I visited Sony’s website to D/L a pdf instruction manual & discovered the new Sony speaker system needed a new firmware update. Unfortunately, this speaker system isn’t equipped w/Wi-Fi or an ethernet port; so, the update had to be performed manually, using my laptop & a USB drive. This is a bit archaic compared to my other home theater components which offer direct internet connectivity. I can D/L firmware updates to our spare 11-yr.-old Sony Bravia 4k TV & our 7-yr.-old Sony 4k Ultra Blu-ray Player, as both devices are equipped w/ethernet ports. But w/this new speaker system, I’m forced to jump thru some rather convoluted instructions & annoying hoops to update the firmware which was anything but a smooth process.
Audio Volume Indicator: The small unobtrusive numerical volume indicator that used to appear on my TV screen when I increased/decreased the volume via my TV’s remote control has disappeared ever since I installed the Theatre System 6 & initialized the Sony Bravia Connect app. Now, this volume indicator is displayed only in the app. But I don’t want to access the app screen in the dark just to see the volume setting. I’ve checked my TV settings & manual & there’s no option to reenable the numerical volume display on my TV screen w/this new setup. Can Sony remedy this w/an update?
Clunky Firmware Updates: After the Bravia Connect app confirmed it had the latest software v. installed, I visited Sony’s website to D/L a pdf instruction manual & discovered the new Sony speaker system needed a new firmware update. Unfortunately, this speaker system isn’t equipped w/Wi-Fi or an ethernet port; so, the update had to be performed manually, using my laptop & a USB drive. This is a bit archaic compared to my other home theater components which offer direct internet connectivity. I can D/L firmware updates to our spare 11-yr.-old Sony Bravia 4k TV & our 7-yr.-old Sony 4k Ultra Blu-ray Player, as both devices are equipped w/ethernet ports. But w/this new speaker system, I’m forced to jump thru some rather convoluted instructions & annoying hoops to update the firmware which was anything but a smooth process.
Overall: I assumed this rather compact mid-tier SS system would improve our movie viewing-enjoyment, but I didn’t think it would make THAT BIG of a difference. As it turns out, I underestimated the impact & power of 3D SS tech combined w/rear speakers & the technical prowess of Sony/Dolby Atmos to deliver it. I won’t say it’s like switching from B&W to color TV but the difference in sound does rise to the level of ‘gamechanger’ in terms of the overall immersive experience. This system provides a ‘you are there’ feeling of authenticity & reality as it places you at the center of the storyteller’s cinematic journey. I’ve been a lifelong fan of Sony’s patented sound processing techs. This well-balanced system provides a theater-like experience w/its 10 total speakers (incl. dedicated tweeters) & delivers quality spatial audio. And it doesn’t hurt that all this tech comes in a beautiful, understated, compact, well-engineered, classic Sony quality build. We’ve always looked forward to movie nights, & now, even more so. You don’t have to spend a fortune on complex, expensive hardware anymore to realize the sound you get w/this compact SS system. Best of all, you can easily & quickly install this simple, compact system all by yourself.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
CriticalEye's Review Comments
CriticalEye has not submitted comments on any reviews.
CriticalEye's Questions
CriticalEye has not submitted any questions.
Set your imagination free on the most powerful Surface Laptop, designed to light up the best of Windows 11. Boundary-pushing design lets you flex your creative muscle on the sleek 14.4~~ touchscreen, making seamless transitions from laptop to entertainment-ready stage to portable creative canvas, complete with built-in storage and charging for Surface Slim Pen 2* under the keyboard. Enjoy smooth gameplay, and draw, sketch and take notes like you would on paper on the bright, vibrant 120Hz display. Run intensive applications and get things done anywhere with all-day battery life, and get inspired with graphics power that exceeds your expectations. Elevate your entertainment with Quad Omnisonic speakers, featuring large bass and immersive Dolby Atmos. Stay in the flow, be inspired and get closer to what you love.
Does the Surface Laptop Studio have USB ports? If so, how many and of what type?
The HP OfficeJet Pro 9025e delivers the fastest speeds, 500-sheet paper capacity, and up to 2x faster scan speeds. It includes the optional HP+ Smart Printing System that keeps itself up to date, secure, and ready to print from virtually anywhere at any time. Optional HP+ system requires an HP account, internet connection, and use of only Original HP Ink for the life of the printer. This product has beenished.
Can it print wireless from a Samsung Galaxy Book S
As long as your device can download the HP Smart App, you should be fine. The App will let you know if the device is incompatible. I tried it on an old Samsung Note 3 and it let me know the device was too old.
Hope that helps.
Hope that helps.
5 years, 6 months ago
by
CriticalEye
The HP OfficeJet Pro 9025e delivers the fastest speeds, 500-sheet paper capacity, and up to 2x faster scan speeds. It includes the optional HP+ Smart Printing System that keeps itself up to date, secure, and ready to print from virtually anywhere at any time. Optional HP+ system requires an HP account, internet connection, and use of only Original HP Ink for the life of the printer. This product has beenished.
Does software include security software
The unit doesn't come with software. You just download the HP Smart App.
Hope that helps.
Hope that helps.
5 years, 6 months ago
by
CriticalEye
Protection for every home and family. Capture the details in full 1080p HD video for a clearer picture, day or night. Spend less time recharging with 6 months of battery life*. Connects directly to Wi-Fi without the clutter of extra gear. The Arlo Essential is wire-free and weather-resistant to deliver fast, easy installation and flexibility to get the perfect camera view. With the integrated spotlight, see important features like faces and licenses plates in full color, at night with color night vision. Ward off unwanted guests by triggering the siren or integrated spotlight automictically or manually from the Arlo App. Receive smarter alerts for people, vehicles and packages and take quicker action like sound the siren, call a friend or dial emergency services with the included trial of Arlo Secure**. Works with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit*** and Samsung SmartThings.
How long is the power cord? Or is that a extra
There is no power cord. I comes with a short charging cord.
5 years, 11 months ago
by
CriticalEye
Protection for every home and family. Capture the details in full 1080p HD video for a clearer picture, day or night. Spend less time recharging with 6 months of battery life*. Connects directly to Wi-Fi without the clutter of extra gear. The Arlo Essential is wire-free and weather-resistant to deliver fast, easy installation and flexibility to get the perfect camera view. With the integrated spotlight, see important features like faces and licenses plates in full color, at night with color night vision. Ward off unwanted guests by triggering the siren or integrated spotlight automictically or manually from the Arlo App. Receive smarter alerts for people, vehicles and packages and take quicker action like sound the siren, call a friend or dial emergency services with the included trial of Arlo Secure**. Works with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit*** and Samsung SmartThings.
Can you add an Arlo Pro 3 camera to an Arlo essential camera set up?
Bose Sleepbuds II deliver relaxing sounds that help you fall asleep, and use Bose noise-masking technology so you stay asleep. Tiny, wireless Sleepbuds II are designed for comfort with sleep technology clinically proven to help you fall asleep faster. Sleepbuds II play content only from the Bose Sleep app, which gives you full control of the Sound Library and helps you personalize features. Discover tranquil tones and soothing sounds from nature. Or, use Bose noise-masking sounds to cover unwanted nighttime noise. Download your favorite sounds directly to Sleepbuds II, control volume, and set a personal wake-up alarm. Sleepbuds II feature proprietary eartips made of soft silicone for a comfortable, secure fit. Sleep on your back or side, or rollover during the night, they~ll stay put. Get up to ten hours of battery life from a single charge, enough for a full night~s sleep ~ and three additional charges from the portable case.
I live in an apartment with the loudest bunch of people above me,Do you think it might mask a dog's bark?Or loud thuds? Thanks!
I have loud screaming children & mowers nearby on a regular basis. These definitely help mask those sounds enough to sleep & study through.
Not sure what you can do about the loud thuds though as that's something you usually feel as well as hear.
Hope that helps :-)
Not sure what you can do about the loud thuds though as that's something you usually feel as well as hear.
Hope that helps :-)
6 years ago
by
CriticalEye
Bose Sleepbuds II deliver relaxing sounds that help you fall asleep, and use Bose noise-masking technology so you stay asleep. Tiny, wireless Sleepbuds II are designed for comfort with sleep technology clinically proven to help you fall asleep faster. Sleepbuds II play content only from the Bose Sleep app, which gives you full control of the Sound Library and helps you personalize features. Discover tranquil tones and soothing sounds from nature. Or, use Bose noise-masking sounds to cover unwanted nighttime noise. Download your favorite sounds directly to Sleepbuds II, control volume, and set a personal wake-up alarm. Sleepbuds II feature proprietary eartips made of soft silicone for a comfortable, secure fit. Sleep on your back or side, or rollover during the night, they~ll stay put. Get up to ten hours of battery life from a single charge, enough for a full night~s sleep ~ and three additional charges from the portable case.
Can they play the music on your phone
They don't play music that's stored in your device. You can select sounds & study-type music from a library available within the free App.
Hope that helps :-)
Hope that helps :-)
6 years ago
by
CriticalEye
MX Master 3 is instant precision and infinite potential. Designed for designers and engineered for coders, it~s our most advanced Master Series mouse yet. App-specific button customizations speed up your workflow in the apps you use most and the electromagnetic MagSpeed wheel enables fast noiseless scrolling. Your hand rests perfectly on the sculpted form and allows you to work comfortably for hours across multiple computers and operating systems in one fluid workflow. Ready for video calls - predefined settings for Microsoft Teams and Zoom let you instantly mute and Start/Stop your video call. With MX Master 3, you can truly master what you make.
Bluetooth is turned off on our work computers. Will this operate as a wired mouse with the USB cable attached or is it strictly for charging
The cable is just for charging, but the USB receiver will allow connection in lieu of Bluetooth
7 years ago
by
CriticalEye
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
Sleep better. Cover unwanted noise with soothing sounds. Bose noise-masking sleepbuds~ are uniquely designed for sleep. They don~t stream music or have acoustic noise cancellation. Instead, these tiny, wireless earbuds use pre-loaded, soothing sounds to cover up unwanted noises, so you can get to sleep ~ and stay asleep. Plus, unlike traditional earplugs, they~re super comfortable and made to stay in place all night long, even if you sleep on your side. 1. Choose your sound, 2. Set an alarm, 3. Fall asleep without unwanted noise.
How will these work against Smoke Detectors etc in case of emergencies?
The sound volume is customizable, so you could test them against any noise you want to be aware of. However, even with the volume up, I've had no trouble hearing loud sounds. Hope that helps.
8 years, 4 months ago
by
CriticalEye