Category Archives: Techy

iRobot Roomba 675 Robot Vacuum Review

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iRobot Roomba 675 Robot Vacuum Review

It took quite a while to decide if I really wanna get a robot for vacuum cleaning. Somehow I have found pleasure in cleaning the house the old fashion way, but then again as the time went by, having the time to even do my chores diligently seemed to have become a challenge. In this iRobot Roomba 675 Robot Vacuum review, I will be telling my side of a story how I got convinced that having such help from robots in completing home chores isn’t a bad idea at all.

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It might sound weird to be making this review for an older version of iRobot when the newest version (iRobot Roomba i7+) just came out the market! Well, in all honesty, I’d say that the big reason for this is the difference in price. It’s pretty much practical for me to get an older version that fits all my needs with a reasonable price tag.

What are the best features of this Robot Vacuum cleaner?

The patented 3-Stage Cleaning system of this vacuum robot is without doubt, topping the reasons for having it. What it does is that it nicely loosens the dirt, lifts it, and finally suctions dirt, dust, or hair either from hard floors as well as carpets. The robot’s sensors detects and marks concentrated areas of dirt – probably areas where there is much more traffic – and cleans harder on these areas. It may have took awhile before the robot completely finished the task in the living room and kitchen but I should say the end result is satisfying. It gave a very pleasant feeling, walking barefoot throughout the floor.

Like most smart devices, it is always much convenient being able to connect the device or manage the cleaning schedule via our smartphones. Even if we are away from home, via WiFi connection, it is possible to clean & schedule it at anytime, regardless of user’s location, with the iRobot Home App. Or better yet, add voice control by combining it with an Alexa device – convenience at it best! In any case, the iRobot Roomba 675 runs for a good 60-90 minutes of vacuuming before it automatically goes back to its dock and recharge.

As with the noise, it not as quiet as the Roomba i7+, but in any event, much more quite than a regular vacuum cleaner. I would think of it as the noise of an industrial fan in medium speed.

PROS

  • Advanced dirt detecting system
  • Edge-Sweeping Brush (sweeps away the dust and dirt from edges)
  • Patented 3-Stage cleaning
  • Dual Multi-Surface Brushes 
  • Auto-adjust cleaning head
  • Automatically docks to its charger
  • WiFi capable
  • Compatible with an Alexa device for voice commands
  • Works great on both carpets and hard floors
  • Only needs 3 hours maximum to a full battery

CONS

  • Works best for cleaning dry surfaces ONLY, not advisable to clean your pet’s “legacy”
  • Not advisable for leaving the robot to clean without minimal supervision, as the cleaning brushes may get caught up or tangled up with a cord or wire
  • Does not guarantee cleaning the edges of the house
  • Sometimes does not get to clean under the furnitures

For such a lower price range, I do not expect the iRobot Roomba 675 Robot Vacuum to be perfect. But surprisingly, it exceeded my expectations on how clean my floors are, regardless of how mixed the floors we have in our house. And I am talking about a mix of hard wood, tiles, vinyl and different types and thickness of carpet. It is impressive and quite practical when it comes to its price range.

Check out other iRobot Roomba Models:

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iRobot Roomba 675 Robot Vacuum-Wi-Fi Connectivity, Works with Alexa, Good for Pet Hair, Carpets, Hard Floors, Self-Charging

HP Sprocket Portable Photo Printer Review

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HP Sprocket Portable Photo Printer ReviewThe HP Sprocket Portable Photo Printer is one of the smallest portable printer that on the pocket-portable zero ink printers in the market. Armed with it’s compact size and high portability this printing device makes it very convenient to instantly print images from your phone via bluetooth connectivity. Personlized photos and unforgetable moments will easily be printed out in 2×3 inch sized Zink embedded papers wherever and whenever. Find out more about this device through this HP Sprocket Portable Photo Printer Review and see if the costs of buying it justifies the features it brings on the table.

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As mentioned earlier, this portable photo printer does not require ink in printing. The Sprocket uses a technology called Zink technology which is actually originally develped by Polaroid.

What are the best features of this portable printer?

Those who take lots of photos from their smartphones will be most useful for this photo printer. The photos are printed out in less than a minute – approximately 50 seconds. Zink technology mentioned earlier is a printing system that uses a paper that is layered with multiple transparent dyes. These dyes are activated with heat impulses of varrying leng and intensity coming from a thermal print head.

The HP Sprocket is bluetooth enabled. It easily connects with your mobile device using the free HP Sprocket app to print the images. A great feature of this app is that it can be easily linked to social media accounts like Facebook, Instagram or Flickr. From then on, it will be easy to access more photos and instantly print them. The app also features editing tools that allows the users to use stickers, captions, borders or filters before printing.

It takes about 90 minutes to get a full charge on the printer and a single charge is able to print up to 30 2×3 prints. The printer can only hold 10 papers sheets inside. Although the portability and size is a big advantage of this device, the print quality is not much impressive as it is reliant on the photo’s subject. On a closer range it can show images vividly and detailed but on a farther range, the colors seems to blend too much and some colors are lost. Color resolution is 313 x 400 dpi.

PROS

  • Instant photo printing from smartphones/mobile devices (approx. 50 seconds)
  • Print size of  2 x 3-inch (5 x 7.6 cm) snapshots or stickers
  • Easy to use and very portable (pocket size)
  • Prints through HP Sprocket app via Bluetooth
  • Customize photos before printing through the app
  • Seamless bluetooth connectivity
  • Uses no-ink Zink Technology in printing
  • Rechargeable through a micro USB cable
  • Can be linked or connected to social media accounts through the app

CONS

  • Photo quality is not at best
  • Requires Android: 4.4 above / iOS: 8.0 above for the app to work at best
  • Printing is limited only to one size which is 2×3 inches

The print paper can be expensive as it is small and the print quality is not at optimal quality. This printer’s portability is probably the best feature of this device where the user can have fun in the instant print out of photos from smartphones.

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HP Sprocket Portable Photo Printer Review  HP Sprocket Portable Photo Printer Review HP Sprocket Portable Photo Printer Review

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HP Sprocket Portable Photo Printer, Print Social Media Photos on 2×3″ Sticky-Backed Paper – Blue (Z9L26A)

Polaroid POP 3×4″ Instant Print Digital Camera Review

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Polaroid POP 3x4" Instant Print Digital Camera ReviewThe Polaroid camera sounds so classic. It was year 1948 when the instant camera, the model 95 Land Camer, was first invented by Edwin Land, an American scientist. The modern times has brought this classic gadget into a much higher level as it merged with digital technology. Find out through this Polaroid POP 3×4″ Instant Print Digital Camera Review, the features as well as the limitations of this digital device and all the more of it is worthy of its price tag. Also, find out the difference of this device from the earlier polaroid camera releases like the Polaroid Snap Touch as well as it’s difference from Fujifilm Instax Square.

Click here for product pricing, availability and color variants.

Perhaps the feeling of nostalgia may not be around for those who are born in the millenial era. For those who have the nostalgia, the new features can be quite mind-blowing in comparison to the features of the older Polaroid models. The digital counterpart along with the Bluetooth and WiFi/WLAN Connectivity does not only make up the big difference of the device. Read more and find out.

What are the best features of Polaroid POP 3×4″ Instant Print Digital Camera?

The Polaroid Pop is not just an ordinary instant camera. Its design is quite neat, thin and slick. But apart from the chic look, it has a whoping 20MP CMOS sensor. This camera not just takes photos but is also capable of recording 1080p full HD videos. The videos and pictures can then be stored in a micro SD card of up to 128GB. This is quite an impressive difference as compared to the 3.4MP camera from Fujifilm Instax Square Hybrid.

Just like its predecessors (The Polaroid Snap and Polaroid Snap Touch), the core of feature of these polaroid cameras is its printing ability. The device’s integrated printer uses ZINK Zero Ink Printing Technology. The old polaroid cameras have used fluid compound enclosed in a thin plastic sheet to form the image. With this Polaroid’s new trademark technology, implanted crystals that are tinted as well as heat are used to create stunning 3.5- by 4.25-inch print-outs that of course features the all-time favorite Polaroid Classic Boarder Logo.

Another cool add-on features of this device is the WiFi and Bluetooth capability of the camera which enables it to connect to a Smartphone (iOS or Android) and transforms it into an instant photo printer via the Polaroid App. Extra features in the App include its ability to add stickers and effects as well as and filters to enhance the image, plus the images takes less than a minute to print.

PROS

  • Small and slick design with choices of different colors
  • 20MP photos
  • 1080p HD video
  • Built in dual LED flash and Microphone
  • Digital Zoom enabled
  • 3.97″ LCD Viewfinder touchscreen
  • 3.5×4.25″ Border Prints in vibrant colors
  • Polaroid POP App to edit, filter, add extras and print the pictures from your smartphone or tablet
  • WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity
  • Micro SD Card enables saving capacity up to 128GB
  • Ink-free Zero Ink Printing technology
  • ZINK Paper has an adhesive back  so the photo can be used as a sticker as well

CONS

  • The material is made up of plastic and can easily get scratches – providing a case might be necessary to protect it.
  • The App is glitchy and hopefully Polaroid updates this problem soon.
  • For a 20MP camera, the print outs seem less than its quality but then it is much better than the 3.4MP from Fujifilm’s Square.

In comparison to other digital polaroid cameras in the market, this products seemed to have the better quality for a much cheaper price. For those who are just looking for a polaroid printer, the Polaroid ZIP is also a good option to directly print from Smartphones or Tablets.

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Polaroid POP Instant Camera Gift Bundle + ZINK Paper (20 Sheets) + 9 Unique Colorful Sticker Sets + Case + Markers + Hanging Frames + Photo Album + Accessories

Google Wifi System Review

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Google WiFi System ReviewA continuous and stable WiFi connection is necessary for those who are working constantly most especially to those who are working at home. Bloggers, online sellers and the likes for example would definitely appreciate a house with a great internet coverage. Internet connection problems in homes mostly include dead zones and buffering on specific areas. A good router and internet provider is a factor for achieving an excellent internet connection. To maximize the internet signal throughout your home, using more than one wireless access point aside from the router will be a great advantage. Google has a product that does exactly that and this Google Wifi System Review will tell you more about it.

Click here to check product pricing and availability.

The Google WiFi System provides a seemingly affordable and yet reliable mesh system  around your house. It will definitely solve dead zone problems – a common problem amongst most routers. This mesh system made directly by Google has an impressively smart hardware design. It also has a notibly intelligent cloud-based brain power that can manage a strong WiFi through your home regardless of its lay-out, construction and size.

What are the the Best Features of Google WiFi System?

Quite different from the router (the OnHub) that Google released not long ago,  the Google Wifi is very much user friendly. It can be easily set up through a smart phone or a tablet. Apart from this, it can also be managed and controlled remotely – even when you are not at home. It features parental controls that is able to shut down a WiFi connection when needed be. This enables good family times, without the disturbance of Social Networking sites or Apps and online Games.

The design looks modern and chic. Each WiFi device is dense, solid and compact. A discreet looking cylinder that can be easily put on a shelf or a small table.  It does not appear to be a huge fragment of computer equipment but rather looks neat and stylish.

What is more important than the impressive design and appearance is the performance of this WiFi System. WiFi coverage and internet connection reliability of the entire mesh system surpassed absolutely high expectations. Be it with just one device or three internet connection is fast and flawless. Multiple data transfer was facilitated smoothly and notably fast. With multiple WiFi points, the internet connects from one unit to another seamlessly as it detects which WiFi point has the fastest connection and least traffic.

Interestingly, for those who have previously bought the OnHub – with an upgrade it can be used continuously as a WiFi point the same as the other units in Google WiFi System.

PROS

  • Compact, sleek and neat design
  • Easy to install (takes a few minutes)
  • Easy to manage from any of your mobile devices
  • Overall provides solid internet speed
  • Friendly to the budget as compared to other devices like Eero, Luma and Orbi
  • Covers WiFi points of up to 1,500 sq. ft (0n a single device) or a set of three covers homes up to 4,500 sq. ft.
  • Parental control is possible even if you are not connected on the Mesh System (you just have to be online and log in to your Google account
  • Network Assist technology enables you to have fast connection by always selecting the clearest channel and fastest band for your device
  • Compatible with major internet service providers

CONS

  • The device has no USB connectivity
  • It lacks a lot of customizable advanced features on its network settings
  • You have to have a Google Account and a mobile device (where you can download the app) to be able to have this system actually work. On a positive note – Google account is free (for some people this may seem to be disturbing).

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Google Wifi System Review  Google Wifi System Review  Google Wifi System Review

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Google Wifi system (set of 3) – Router replacement for whole home coverage

Garmin Vivoactive with Heart Rate Monitor Review

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Last January of this year, Garmin announced it’s new product Vivoactive during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Seeing from how it looks like, some people may find its appeal boring compared to other Garmin Fitness Watches. Comparing it with a smartwatch like an Apple Watch would also not give good justice. This is because this watch will be a lot more useful to highly athletic individuals. To properly describe the functionality of this watch, it actually works more like a fusion of a fitness watch and an activity tracker plus some more additional features. This device has also embraced the 3rd party app functionality of Connect IQ as well as getting support for golf. Pretty interesting. Let us now more about this device through this Garmin Vivoactive with Heart Rate Monitor Review, shall we?

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Although this device looks really a lot more like a smartwatch, I would not want to classify it simply as one. Keep in mind that most smartwatches in the market aren’t really GPS-enabled. That means, activities like running aren’t much accurately tracked as good as this watch can which is by the way, also water-proof and can be used when swimming.

What are the best features of Garmin Vivoactive HR?

Elevate – which is Garmin’s own technology for measuring the heart rate through the wrist is impressively quite accurate. The sensor for this is located under the watch. This optical sensor then detects the blood pulsing beneath the skin. The heart rate data from vivoactive HR gives the figures on how many calories are burned on activities and calculates the magnitude of your fitness activities, establishing an enhanced acknowldgement of your fitness efforts.

For users that are quite super active – which in this content means does a lot of different sporting activities, this watch would be the perfect activity partner as it covers a whole wider range of activities in one gadget. The list of the sport activities that are the following: Running, pool swimming (no open water option), golf, walking, rowing, paddle board skiing, XC skiing, biking, and indoor activities – run, bike, walk, and row. Sleeping is also tracked but this feature seems to be not too impressive. The automatic sleep tracking does seem to be very good at first but then it plots sleep time and interval the data to the user’s usual sleeping hours which is unrealistic as it is not always possible to sleep at the same time or interval.

One of the features that Garmin almost always outdo most of the time as compared to other products in the market is the battery life. The Vivoactive HR can run for a good 6 days of battery life using all features and occasional use of GPS. More so, it runs at about 14 hours in activity tracking using GPS. This impressive endurance is however accountable to the fact that Vivoactive HR smartwatch has less brighter and quite mediocre resolution screen.

PROS

  • GPS Smartwatch with multiple built-in Sport Apps
  • Measures heart rate from the wrist (thanks to Garmin’s Elevate technology)
  • Tracks floors climbed and has a built-in activity tracker that counts the steps, calories burned and hear rate within the day
  • Follows the progress of the users and monitors sleep quality
  • Long battery life
  • Water resistant up to 50 m (5ATM)
  • Displays smart notifications when connection to your smart phone
  • Options of customizable watch faces  from Connect IQ
  • Full GPS tracking
  • Great metrics for tracking activities

CONS

  • Heart rate measurement tends to pause on high intensity
  • Screen is quite mediocre
  • Because this device has lots of apps and features, it sometimes makes it difficult to navigate through every detail (getting lost into navigating is often – or maybe it just takes time to get used to)

For Garmin to be able to put up all these impressive sports app features in one device just like having many different sport watches in one great product makes Vivosmart HR an ultimate choice for sport enthusiasts. Additional features such as being able to connect to the user’s smart phone and having a heart rate monitor with accurate measurement makes this watch a big head turner in the market.

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Garmin vívoactive HR GPS Smart Watch, Regular fit – Black