Reviews of Sony SSF-5000 Floor Standing 3-way Speaker

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REVIEW 1 (5 STARS) Great Value

I agree with previous favorable reviews. These speakers may not equal the sound quality of much more expensive models, but they come close enough to make the price difference to step up unreasonable for most people. The following review is intended for those trying to select between Sony models. In January 2008 I bought a pair of Sony SS-B3000 speakers from Amazon and was pleasantly surprised with their sound quality when use with a subwoofer and center channel speaker. I used them as floor standing speakers with homemade stands. Today I received a new pair of SSF-5000 speakers and I've spent over 4 hours doing A/B comparisons with the SS-B3000 units. My conclusion: the SSF-5000 wins out narrowly by placing the tweeters higher (closer to ear level). Otherwise, both excellent pairs of speakers produce similar sound: clear, crisp and with more volume capacity than my 18x30 ft. family room requires. I am particularly impressed with the tweeter quality during classical (Beethoven and Tchaikovsky) instrumentals and folk vocals (The Irish Tenors, Nana Mouskouri). You won't go wrong with either the SS-B3000 or SS-F5000. Choose according to your spacial preferences. The SS-F5000 is about a foot taller with virtually identical sound, width and depth. Either pair is an excellent buy.

REVIEW 2 (5 STARS) AWESOME SPEAKERS!!!

First, I am an average listener - let me repeat that: I AM AN AVERAGE LISTENER - and I believe that the Sony SSF-5000 floor speakers are very loud, with good crisp highs, strong mids, and the bass response is absolutely great. If you need earth-shaking bass, you need a subwoofer, but these speakers will kick out a fair amount of bass - enough to feel through your floor. There is no distortion that I can hear, even when I have the system cranked up. Speaker connections were easy, even when I used fat 12-gauge oxygen-free copper wires. The black finish is nice. The cloth grills look great. These speakers match all the other Sony speakers in my system. I hope this review helps you.

REVIEW 3 (5 STARS) Amazing Sound For An Unbeatable Price

Forget all other audio companies. Sony will always have the highest quality products for the best prices. 3 foot high towers for $50 each??? They must be pretty mediocre right? Wrong. These speakers are wonderful.

They have a full, bright sound and can get as loud as you possibly want (and louder) if you have a decent receiver. There is a great distinction between the tweeter, mid and sub. These are the best speakers I have ever owned.

The only thing wrong with them is if you love extreme, rumbling bass, they might not meet your standards. But a good active sub woofer is a must for any good sound system anyway.

REVIEW 4 (5 STARS) Absolutely Stunning set of speakers

I usually do not write reviews but these speakers blew my mind on sound quality for a small price. I have an Onkyo TX-SR505 receiver. I bought two sets of these speakers as my fronts and my Surround Speakers. Alongside I have two yamaha bookshelf speakers, an infinity C250 center speaker, and a JBL Venue 12" subwoofer. The blend with these speakers are phenominal. I listen to music all the time and these speakers compliment the mismatching speakers very well. These Sony speakers will take a punch as well. Don't be afraid of turning up your receiver and getting distortion out of these speakers. They will shock you!!! I am a musician and I love my music so all music lovers on a budget, you can't go wrong with these!

REVIEW 5 (5 STARS) Gets the job done at an EXCELLENT price.

I ordered a Polk Audio 5.1 speaker system, with an Onkyo TX-SR705, then I got to looking and saw these for $99. Needless to say I was very apprehensive about how these would sound, well I tell you what for $99 you cannot go wrong, I could see people paying $300-$400 for a pair of these and not complaining.

I am no audiophile nutbag, but these sound amazing paired with the Polks, the bass is even nice and tight, so go ahead an getcha pull and grab some of these for the price you will not be disappointed.

I now have a complete 7.1 system, that plays all the new surround formats, and is THX certified for well under $1000 Guess how happy I am?

REVIEW 6 (5 STARS) Rock It

These Sony speakers are just the right price and sound just like the way more expensive ones. You can have the look of them covered or without to show the woofers, great look. Play some Led Zeppelin on them and judge for yourself. They sound way better than my surround sound system I had and cost much less. Turn em up and rock out

REVIEW 7 (5 STARS) Amazing speakers!

I ordered the SSF-5000 pair about a month ago and these speakers are amazing! I'm sure there are audiophile-grade speakers out there with better sound but you'll have to pay an arm and a leg to get any better than these. I use these mostly for music and as front speakers for my surround sound. I've got the Sony STR-DG710 6.1 Channel Home Theater Receiver, Sony SA-W2500 Performance Line 100 Watt Subwoofer, Sony SS-CR3000 Center and Rear Channel Speaker Package, and the Sony SSF-5000 pair. My living room looks great with the matching design of all of these speakers. My wife and I love watching Blu-rays with my Playstation 3 80GB and listening to the amazing sound through ALL of my Sony speakers. When I was testing these out I turned off my sub so that I can really hear them. Without the sub the bass is still powerful! It doesn't shake the walls or anything but, instead, packs a solid, bass punch. The mids are loud and the highs are very clear. I wouldn't mind having the Sony SSF-6000 Floor Standing 4-way Speaker Pair, but with my powered sub the extra bass from the SSF-6000 wasn't necessary. This package is a must-have!

REVIEW 8 (5 STARS) Amazing speakers for the price!

These are good quality speakers in my opinion. Just on the fact alone that you're get 2 BRAND NEW Tower Speakers for UNDER $200! I bought these to replace my 28 year old 10" 3-Wat Technics Speakers that the Mid rang & Tweeters started going out in. I play old-school Vinyl everyday & these produce great sound for me. Bass still rumbles my floors. Highs are great too!

Reviews of Canon PowerShot A2500 16MP Digital Camera

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REVIEW 1 (4 STARS) GOOD POINT-AND-SHOOT ENTRY LEVEL CAMERA

Got this yesterday and like it, had Canon PowerShot A2300 IS 16.0 MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Zoom (Black) before. Just to note, PowerShot A2500 is an entry-level pocket camera which is very similar to PowerShot A2300: 16-megapixel 1/2.3" sensor, DiGiC 4 processor, and 5x zoom 28mm wide angle lens, 2.7" LCD. Even 720p HD video capabilities are the same.

Pros:
1. What really distinguishes it from its predecessor is Smart Auto Mode recognizing 32 shooting environments and adjusts settings for better quality. It automatically selects the best shooting settings for optimal quality based on the environmental factors (lightning I guess) to provide point'n'shoot simplicity.
2. 16.0 Megapixels, with loads of resolution pictures are still clear. High resolution is also good for producing biggest printouts.
3. 5x Optical Zoom is sufficient in most cases.
4. DIGIC 4 Image Processor. Not as fast as DIGIC 5 though fast and powerful enough to give you advanced system options, provide quick-shoot with reliable performance and low battery consumption. As far as I know DIGIC 4 is currently Canon's most efficient processor for budget cameras. BTW it has some Eco mode, that is said to be providing even faster warm-up times and saves the standard battery, but I haven't tested it yet.
5. Very lightweight, just put it into your pocket, can take it everywhere.
6. Price tag - $99. You can't get any better camera for the price.

Cons:
1. Like A2300 it lacks optical image stabilization, though it's got digital image stabilization.
2. 1/2.3" sensor. Well, entry level CCD providing good pictures, not of a DSLR quality, that's all I can say.

Summary:
Sure this is not the best camera in the world. I definitely knew it when I bought the camera. BUT, I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of pictures I shot.

If you're like me (not a pro) and looking for a budget point-and-shoot camera taking family photos and events, mostly shoot in daylight or good lighting, I'd definitely recommend it, taking into account its price tag of $99 - just about right.

REVIEW 2 (5 STARS) GOOD CAMERA FOR THE PRICE

This is my 6th point and shoot (P&S) camera in 9 years, ranging in price from $200-$300. I have had 1 Bell & Howell, 3 Nikons and this is my 2nd Canon P&S camera. The last 2 P&S cameras I had I literally wore out by taking so many pictures. I bought this as a second camera for my husband (who doesn't usually take pictures) to use when he goes hunting with my son. I chose a Canon because I have a Canon DSLR and love it. I also wanted an inexpensive camera, because I thought it would sit on the shelf for most of the year. Of course it did not come with a memory card, as I have yet to buy any camera that does.

To test this camera, after shooting indoors for a bit, I took it to the park. Luckily, what started out as a sunny day turned cloudy, allowing me to test the camera in different lighting. This is a typical low priced P&S camera. Like all P&S cameras, this one performs best in bright, outdoor lighting. However, the ease of use and quality of pictures for the small price tag makes this a good buy. This is one of the better P&S cameras I have had.

Although no instruction manual was in the box (other than the very basics), it was easy to figure out how to manually set this camera, which is a must for me. I liked the fact that it has a PROGRAM setting, which allows me to set a program manually. Even if I switch to another setting, it saves my manual settings, allowing me to switch back and forth between settings. That was great when I tested it, because the lighting went from sunny to cloudy and back again. I could easily switch from AUTO to LANDSCAPE to PROGRAM (my manually programmed settings) and back, depending on lighting and activity, all while holding my 6 month old. The pictures I took while holding my baby (who was trying to grab the camera) of my 4 other children who were riding a moving train turned out surprisingly good. I also manually adjusted the ISO to 1600 and took some shots while holding my squirming baby, and the pictures were not as noisy as I thought they would be.

This is a great camera for the price. I would definitely recommend it for anyone, especially those who are ready to do some manual adjustments to get better pictures, but not ready to spend a lot of money. I am glad I bought this camera, and I am happy because I think

REVIEW 3 (4 STARS) WORKS PRETTY WELL, CAN ZOOM UP TO X16!

The camera takes excellent pictures and videos, the price... you can't go wrong. I just wish it came with a cable as well to transfer pictures to my PC, instead of having to remove the SD card. This does not come with a memory card, i bought a "Transcend 16GB Class 10 SDHC Flash Memory Card (TS16GSDHC10E)" together with this and it works well. The camera is very lightweight, and does not look nor feel as though it can withstand any small fall for shock impact, so be careful with it.

Ok an edit to my review: I just tried taking pictures of the moon and venus phenomena (08-09-13) and i realized that this camera zoomed up to 16times! Not just up to x5! After x5 it kept going, x8...x10....x16! I got an awesome pic at x16 of the moon and the planet.

REVIEW 4 (5 STARS) TERRIFIC VALUE

IT IS EASY TO USE AND THE QUALITY OF THE PICTURES IS AMAZING. I DON'T THINK THERE IS A BETTER CAMERA IN THE PRICE RANGE OF THIS ONE. JUST SPENT 12 DAYS IN ITALY AND TOOK OVER 1000 PHOTOS THAT ARE LIKE POST CARDS.

REVIEW 5 (5 STARS)MY FIRST DIGITAL

This is my first digital camera and it's so easy even I can take great pictures. I especially like that I can take stills and videos with the same camera. I highly recommend this camera.

REVIEW 6 (5 STARS) GREAT BUDGET CAMERA BASED ON SD330.

As a long time Canon compact camera user my favorite new features on the A2500 are...
The Canon PowerShot A2500 does not just stop at taking images but is rather adept at handling videos as well. It is capable of producing 720p HD files at the touch of a button. One of the thoughtful things about this camera is the inclusion of the movie button. You do not have to fidget about with all sorts of controls in order to get the video going. Rather you go back to that simple button and the rest is history.

Another nice feature is that this product is newly minted with an ECO mode which is designed to reduce the power consumption on your camera.

The Canon brand has made cameras its specialty and the Canon PowerShot A2500 holds true to type. This model brings out all the features that you would expect of a camera of its class but has the added advantage of making it easier for the consumer to access those features. In other words you get the best of both worlds with a great camera and easy usage.

Verdict:
There are no major surprises with the Canon PowerShot A2500. It is a great camera that does what it says on the box.

If you are looking for the next model up check out the Canon SD330 as it has another level of features and quality.

Reviews of Rocksmith 2014 Edition - Xbox 360

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REVIEW 1(5 STARS) Don't be misled by the word "game"

This is really not a game. There is no career mode with tour buses and goals that typical games have. I think this is a good thing. The achievement that you earn is the ability to play guitar or bass. That's all I'm looking for. If you bought the first edition of Rocksmith and did not like it very much (I didn't like it), don't let that prevent you from getting this. This is like another planet.

Everyone is talking about Session Mode and I'm sure that will be a big selling point for people that already know how to play. For me, a beginning bassist, it's nice to have the band backing, but randomly hitting notes when you have no real idea of what you are doing is cool but I'm sure once I get the hang of playing, this part of the game will be much more enjoyable.

If you want to learn to play, get this. I am doing bass only but I am sure the guitar play works the same way. I am using the Lessons and here is how they are laid out:

You first choose your instrument and click Lessons if you are a noob like me. The first couple show you how to hold the instrument and things like that. Then you start getting videos of different techniques and each of those lessons comes with a practice track. Here is where Rocksmith shines! Using the Riff Repeater feature, you can adjust the difficulty level from 0-100 using a slider: the lower the difficulty, the fewer notes that will scroll on by. If you start at say, 30, you can play that difficulty until you nail all of the notes and then move up to 40 and so on until you reach 100 which is all of the notes.

But that is not all. In addition to choosing the difficulty level, you can also use a slider to increase/decrease the speed. So if you want all notes but really slow, you can have that. If you want fast but fewer notes to play, then you can have that and everything in between. You can also loop the tracks so you play it a couple of times instead of just one, or you can have an infinite loop and the track will rewind and begin again until you stop it. You can pause and ramp up the difficulty and go right back into the track. If you overstep your ability, just pause, open Riff Repeater and readjust as you need to.

This is really an educational package for the Xbox rather than a game but it's amazing. I received it on launch day from Amazon and have been strictly using the Practice tracks in the Lessons and working on the Walking Bass lines in there at slow speed with fewer notes. I've inched up the meters a few times but need to master the level that I'm at now before moving on. Playing the track in an infinite loop has me playing it over and over and over and over again and I can feel my fingers beginning to stretch out and get more comfortable moving around the fingerboard.

The idea that you can plug in that guitar that's collecting dust rather than having to purchase special instruments to play with this game makes it such a worthwhile buy. It will be frustrating in the beginning if you've never played before (I know the feeling very well) but you really do find yourself saying "I'll never get this" and then all of a sudden you nail it and get such a rush. Then you add a few more notes, up the speed a little and get that too and you can't pull yourself away from playing because you realize that you can do it.

I have had DVD tutorials for bass and while good, they don't provide the instant feedback that Rocksmith does. The presentation in this game is lightyears ahead of the original. Loading times are fast and the options were created to accommodate learners of all kinds and proficient players as well.

I just can't say enough about this "game." It's just amazing, fun, and really teaches you to play. While there is no substitute for a real teacher and learning theory and the like, if you are just a hobbyist looking to learn to play some songs and jam out on a real guitar, this is definitely for you.

REVIEW 2 (5 STARS) Pure bliss for an intimidated noob

My 10 year old son and 39 year old self are having a blast with this game. Neither of us has ever played a "real" guitar before. We have played guitar hero, but there is just one strum bar and five buttons for frets on those guitars. For Rocksmith we have a 6 string guitar with 22 frets. That was (and still is) extremely intimidating to us.

Rocksmith came with
- USB plug from guitar to my 360
- 6 ft HDMI cable
- An audio adapter for the 360
- An audio cable

Lucky for me my 360 is plugged into a receiver via HDMI so the only cable I needed to use was the USB plug from guitar to XBox.

First thing I had to do was tune my guitar. Rocksmith walked me through it and checked the tones for me (good thing for a tone deaf guy). The cool thing (for me at least) was that the software knew the problem before I did. If I hit the wrong string, it knew and told me to check which string I hit.

So I went through about 5 tutorials and tried to 100% them. The tutorials are excellent. It starts easy...if you can't get it, then it slows it down to get you used to moving across the frets and strings in time. For a noob like me, this was great. The game amazed me when it told me exactly what I was doing wrong in the tutorials (ie: wrong string, wrong fret...it knew). After you get through the first test, it does the same riff with more notes and complexities. It allowed me to practice and have a sense of success before it upped the level.

You can choose to play lead guitar, rhythm, or bass. You can use your electric guitar for bass, but I have not tried yet. I have only tried lead guitar so far but plan on trying the others.

There are 20 or so more lessons to do, but I was interested in trying a song (knowing I would fail). Low and behold, they actually up the level of play on each song as you improve. So the first time through the easier songs was not impossible even for me to achieve some success. I felt like "I can actually do this with some practice".

The part I recently tried was the guitarcade which is awesome. Retro style arcade games that work on your guitar technique. The first game is similar to jet pack joyride, but based solely on how loud you strum the strings and control the volume. The next game is like the old Root Beer Tapper game but you have to hit the right string to "shoot" down the right area. I had trouble with volume and finding strings and these were fantastic ways to practice. It includes high scores, mini achievements, and online rankings. I also tried the slide arcade and a duck shooting game that helps practice slides, frets and strings. There are many more arcade games that I have not tried because I don't know the concept (ie: bending) yet. Some games are more fun than others, but the fun and rewarding way to practice is top notch.

The main thing this does not do is teach you to play guitar by reading sheet music. That was not important to me, but worth noting.

We try and limit video game play for our kids, but this game is so educational that we bend the rules and let our kids play Rocksmith at times when they normally are not allowed to play games.

I highly recommend this game for anyone who wants to learn to play a real guitar for fun. It provides learning, fun, and a sense of accomplishment. It will provide our family many hours of fun time together.

REVIEW 3 (5 STARS) If you have a guitar/bass already, $80 is cheap to learn to play.

To be clear, you MUST own, or have one on its way, either an electric guitar or an electric bass. One or the other is required to learn using Rocksmith. Those old plastic instruments we all came to love and adore, then ignore, do NOT work with Rocksmith.

Also, be sure you get what you need. If you have a previous version of the program, and already bought the guitar/bass to USB cable, you don't need to buy the cable included edition again. The old cable works just fine.

Why does Rocksmit seem to work where DVDs and books fail? It teaches you actual SONGS, real songs, not wimpy, silly lullabies or children's songs. You want to learn Slayer? You can. This is the goal of pretty much every guitar player (not to play Slayer necessarily, but play a son in general!) - you want to play like your rock heroes. The books and DVDs are good with teaching basics, getting you started, but they tend to just whet your appetite, not get you on the fret like Rocksmith does.

This being said, Rocksmith isn't easy. You won't likely be playing like Randy Rhodes after an hour or two. It will take practice, REAL practice, but... this is again where Rocksmith shines. You play games that help you practice. They can be fun, to the point that you don't really realize you are actually practicing. It's brilliant.

You can adjust the difficulty to suit your needs. If you've ever played, I recommend starting in the 10-20 range, if you've never played, hit the bottom and work your way up. And the most important part: DON'T FEEL BAD STARTING LOW! You WILL get better if you stick with this crazy "game."

Where the game excels at teaching you is the "riff repeater." If you have a part in a song that you absolutely just cannot get, fire up the riff repeater. This thing just adds to the brilliance! It lets you choose the speed and difficulty of the section - ramp up the difficulty as you seem to start learning the sections.

Session mode, when I am good enough at actually playing, will definitely be fun. It's OK right now, but I don't feel like I know enough to really enjoy having a band backing up my playing. And it's cool because it tries to match how you are playing with a level of randomness - it's not just the same beat and riffs over and over.

And it really does start at the beginning. Really, the beginning. How to hold a pick, tune your axe and so on. I say it again - it shines the brilliance of the entire package.

AND THEN there is the option to use a TON of equipment, really expensive equipment in the real world, using just the 360 to simulate the tones and so on that only certain amps and equipment can lend the guitar.

A note on configuration. When the pamphlet included tells you not to include your TV in the mix, and they tell you not to plug your system in w/ HDMI or optical, they mean it. I tried it and the lag really did kill the fun and the lessons. Please make sure you have this configured for the best option to "win" at it before playing, or you will be disappointed.

Bottom line - if you've ever wanted to learn the guitar and not have to pay for a lesson every day, this is the best $60 (or $80 if you need the cable) you will ever spend. But like anything, you really only get what you put into it, so make sure to leave your mind open and give the program a chance to teach you. They say 60 days on Ubi's website, and if you stick with it I'm sure 60 days is more than enough to make you quite a few levels better than where you are. Well, unless you are a Randy Rhodes naturally.

Reviews of Pebble Smartwatch for iPhone and Android

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REVIEW 1 (4 STAR) I love my Pebble

This watch is great! I love being able to try different watch faces every day. There is an app so that I can even create my own watch face. So I did. It was easy to load it on an use it. I added it to the others on my Pebble.

I'm hard of hearing. Normally I need to have my phone on LOUD to hear it even with my hearing aids and sometimes I don't feel the vibrating alert on my phone. Other times I have my phone in the bedroom because I don't have it with me. Nevertheless, my Pebble will vibrate and tell me who is calling. Even 30 feet away. It is totally awesome. If I want to ignore the call I just click the button on the watch.

For those of you that don't like the Pebble because they think that it looks cheap. Prior to the Pebble, all of my watches (except the one that I use to work in the yard) were fancy $500+. I now wear my Pebble everywhere. I meet with executives, and often I'll show it to them and next thing they want to know what it costs and where to get it.

I also wear my Pebble running and occasionally in the shower or bath. Never a problem.

I added the Skinomi Skin to the watch face to protect it.

The only drawback is that I'm 55 and find it difficult to read the text messages without my readers on. I wish that I could increase the font size of the text. For this reason, and only this, I give it 4 starts.

REVIEW 2 (3 STARS) To Pebble or Not to Pebble....Potential
Ordered the black Pebble in early Dec 13'. Order arrived within the prescribed time frame promised. It came packaged in a padded envelope and neatly boxed.

Construction: Light weight plastic with some metal (buckle and side charging pins). The screen is scratch resistant (according to the website literature). The screen is ~1-inch (corner to corner). The larger button on left above the charging pins is a 'back-button'. There are three buttons not shown on the right. Think of them as scroll up (top), select (middle button), and scroll down (bottom). The band is made of rubber and is very comfortable. Over all the watch is very light weight...I caught myself looking to make sure it was still on it is so light. The watch charges over a standard USB port. There is no literature on the specific type of AC charger to use, so i'd caution anyone in using this method to charge the watch as it may not match the charging requirements of the watch itself.

Software/Sync: I own an iPhone 4S with iOS7. The watch came with firmware 1.2 (? not sure if i'm using the correct terms-- firmware or software-not an IT guy!). I down loaded the free pebble app to my iPhone, once connected, it automatically walked me through the update process from 1.2 to 1.3., actually it was pretty seamless and a hands off process. Bluetooth established a handshake with my iPhone in seconds. I then selected the option to send test text and test call. both worked and the watch vibrated almost immediately. Packaged in the box were two short pamphlets, one with basic instructions and the other was all the FCC requirement information.

Pebble can only receive data, save one, the music selection, which can start, stop and play music on your mobile device. Otherwise you can't text, email, or call from the watch. Think of it as an 'extension' "to" your phone as a remote control and as a notification system--albeit a limited extension as it can't manipulate apps on your phone--it can only use streams of data from it, e.g. GPS-data. The phone must be in proximity to the Pebble (Bluetooth range varies) in order to function as a 'smart watch', otherwise it's only good as a watch...it tells time and date. There is tremendous potential here but that's a discussion beyond the scope of this review.

Issues I encountered. First, there are other Pebble utilities (e.g. Smartwatch +, SmartWatch Pro, etc.) that allow you access to weather features, maps, etc. But these are pay-utilities. In other word to really start enjoying the potential of this watch, you need to add these 'foundational utilities' in order to obtain the apps that make the watch more enjoyable to use as a tool. That said, some utilities/apps are pay and some are free, some are OEM type apps (approved for use on Pebble-tested), others are not (not tested or guaranteed). My opinion is that the smart watch needs to come with those baseline utilities/apps or at least make them available through the website. If its a third party vendor app, then sure, you may have to pay for those apps/services--I embrace capitalism, but in the most basic sense, the watch should come with baseline functional apps that showcase its potential. It just makes business sense.

I personally ran into issues after the upgrade. My Pebble was constantly looking for a Bluetooth connection and when established, it was constantly in an "updating" mode for weather and GPS for when I ran (didn't work the only time I used it on an outdoor run which lasted for 47 mins), and lastly it never was able to correctly sync may battery status for my phone. So for example, if my phone was 100% charged, the Pebble would show 75% charged.

Assuming you don't have a Samsung which has its own watch and assuming Apple doesn't come out with its own line of smart watches, Pebble can only improve in my opinion. It has a lot of potential, but it first needs to work out the basic bugs.

5 starts for it potential, 3 stars however for its functionality vis-a-vis the need to purchase additional apps, and its glitchy-ness.

REVIEW 3 (5 STARS) Pebble is easily the best smartwatch on the market!
Having used my Pebble for several months, it is hard to overstate its usefulness and practicality. There is no other electronic device closer to you than your watch, and the beauty of the Pebble is that all of its features work extremely well and help it to seamlessly integrate into your everyday tasks more than any other smartwatch.

You almost need to wear one on a regular basis to fully appreciate what it can do for you, because it enables you to do things you couldn't do before and might not have thought of. Some of my favorite uses:

1) Going for a run with my phone strapped to my arm and using the RunKeeper app on my Pebble. I can easily pause/resume my run, glance down at my wrist to see my speed and time elapsed (rather than having to awkwardly look and poke at my phone on my arm, especially in the sunshine).
2) Being able to remotely control the music playing on my phone. Handy for when your hands are all wet/dirty and you don't want to touch your phone or it isn't right next to you, and especially for running with earphones. Since Pebble is waterproof, I even use it when I'm swimming to change songs when I'm in the pool.
3) Being able to see immediately when I have a new text message, a new email, Facebook update, or when someone is trying to call me. I love being able to see at a glance who is calling me so that I don't need to take my phone out of my pocket to check (or worse yet, so that I don't miss the call entirely if I'm walking and don't feel it). Once I see who is calling, I can ignore the call without needing to take my phone out of my pocket. Of course, you can control which alerts get sent to your watch in the first place. How's that for minimizing phone-related distractions?!
4) Inconspicuously being able to read an email or text message on my watch, rather than fiddling with my phone and looking like I'm not paying attention to anyone nearby.
5) Changing watch faces for different occasions (especially using the Big Time face for practicality where the time is in huge font, or a cool look where the time is shown in text as "four thirty"). You could try a new one each day!
6) I can simply flick my wrist to activate the backlight for reading the screen in the dark.
7) What a great conversation starter -- if people don't come up to you and ask about it first, just about anyone would be impressed by its cool factor and what it can do. Whereas it would be pretty socially unacceptable to show off your Rolex to strangers, showing off your Pebble is cool, everybody loves it and has that genuine look of "wow, that's really awesome, now I want one!"

The Pebble is also physically a good size, very light and comfortable to wear. The stock watchband is very comfortable and waterproof, but you can change it if you want something unique. If you're not used to wearing a watch, the Pebble won't feel like a large heavy object like some other watches (*cough* Samsung *cough*). With a week of battery life, you won't need to worry about forgetting to charge it daily either.

Setup in the Pebble app and connecting it to your phone is a breeze. It works with Androids and iPhones, and gets software updates directly from Pebble as new features are introduced -- this is really a case where the product you buy today can get even better over time while you own it.

If you're the type of person who explores more than the basic functions, Pebble also has you covered. Designing your own watch face is fairly straightforward and you can add all kinds of data feeds to your watch. Personally, I have my watch face show the weather and temperature, the time, when sunrise and sunset are, the date, the battery life percentage remaining on my phone and what my next appointment is in my calendar.

I know a number of people who have Pebbles and we all love them! A highly recommended product!

Reviews of X Rocker 51396 Pro Series Pedestal 2.1 Video Gaming Chair, Wireless

CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE DESCRIPTION AND PIRCE

REVIEW 1 (4 STARS) The X Rocker - Turn it up!

This gaming chair is one of the more comfortable ones I have tried over the years. Setup took a few minutes to insert all the bolts in the frame and arms, but it was simple enough. I hooked up the wireless transmitter to my LCD TV's Audio Output through a stereo splitter also used for my external speakers. Plugged in the chair, flipped the chair's wireless receiver switch to pick up the transmitter, turned it all on, and sat down. The sound is great, when you hear someone talk it's like they're right there with you. The vibration is a nice added feature, although you have to have the chair at a high volume to feel it. Long exposure to sound levels that activate the vibration can be a bit deafening, but honestly i'ts fun to rock out listening to a few tracks. Added ports are for headphones and a mp3 hookup which is nice; no delay was detected with wireless transmitter as well. I would recommend it to a friend.

-Pros-
Awesome Sound & Vibration
Comfortable, Keeps Good Posture
Easy Setup

-Cons-
Leaning back is very limited
No power charger included for transmitter
Arms are of lesser quality

After a couple years of using this chair I report that it is still holding up somewhat. Padding in the seat has become almost obsolete so I had to add some padding to sit on to make it comfortable otherwise you end up sitting on the wooden frame. It creaks a lot and others have reported it falling apart, but so far mine still stands on its own. I should have mentioned in my initial review my size; I'm a 5'8 190lb guy who uses it for a good number of hours each day.

Metal frame that bolts to the chair and sits in the plate below has crumbled into fragments. Can't really use it without it sitting in its base, not for floor use. So I'll attempt a welding repair on it but even the padding is almost obsolete; the chair did not last as long as I had hoped for. I'm not gonna try to contact the manufacturer after reading that others have tried with not much luck. In my opinion I have to deduct a star because of this issue.

REVIEW 2 (5 STARS) Fantastic Chair

Out of the Box... put together in 10 min. hooked up in less than 5 min.
My Son has been it in for almost 48 hours !!!!
Very good looking. Very comfortable and the sound is great !

I'm not sure how to get him out of it !!!

REVIEW 3 (5 STARS) beyond perfection

This chair went above and beyond my expectations. it is comfortable, the speakers are amazing, and it does everything! i had no problems with the wireless connection as oppose to the people who wrote that there was a lot of noise interference. i noticed that if the speakers on the sides of the chair got close to the transmitter it made a little noise. another thing to mention is that you should not let the picture fool you. it looks a lot nicer in real life and the whole thing is VERY high quality. in the picture the chair looks like it has very small handles that are too small to put your arms on. that is not true at all. it is a perfect size and my arms fit fine. another thing that may fool you is that in the picture the chair looks very short. i keep my tv about 5 feet above the ground and this chair still works very well. i connected the ps3's av cable to the chair and the hdmi wire to the tv so i could have the best of both worlds and it was great. my xbox couldnt do both because its av cables were too big and covered the hdmi port. i dont play xbox much anyway. i gave this product 12 out of 10 because it did everything i wanted it to and more. the vibration works good when the volume is loud while playing video games but when you connect your iphone, ipod or mp3 player, the vibration works a lot better. i might make a video review of this chair so check out my youtube channel(itsGdublan.) no one else did a decent review of this product. if your thinking about buying this, do it because this chair is selling out fast and you dont want to have to settle for a chair that is not as good but costs more like all the others ive seen on the web.

REVIEW 4 (5 STARS) Let the games begin!!!!!!!!

I bought this chair for my son, who is an avid gamer and a big man. He is extremely happy with the comfort, sound and effects from the chair. It was a great purchase and I would recommend it for anyone who really likes to game.

REVIEW 5 (4 STARS) X Rocker Pro for Adults

I was very skeptical of this chair being sturdy enough to fit me, I am 6 foot 4, and 220 pounds the chair is the perfect height for me and gives really good overall support, both in back and in the backside .......it is stiff, and will break in, and as many other have said overtime there will be degradation in the support foam/ cushion which is the one complaint I do have about it, they need to be MUCH more generous in the support foam/cushion especially in the back support, my suggestion is you drop another 20 bucks and get a outer seat cushion and it should last and be all you want it to be for a very long time.... so overall 4 stars.

Another general tidbit is the shipping weight on this item is 50 pounds and its a big package, so please make sure to have help when unboxing this or carrying it.

Reviews of VIZIO S3821w-C0 38-inch 2.1 Home Theater Sound Bar with Wireless Subwoofer

See Complete Description and Check Price Here !

REVIEW 1 (5 Star) 5.1 made easy!

If you'd asked me a couple years ago which 5.1 sound system to buy, my answer would have been simple: "none."

They were a big expensive pain. It seemed like my friends who had these systems would either have them only half set up (say, ditching the surround speakers) or fully set up but not used (because the input selection or the remote was too much of a pain). My previous roommate had a 5.1 "surround" system - with all five speakers under the TV. We rarely used it because we had to change 3 settings in 3 different places to make it work.

Let's review the misery of yesterday's 5.1 systems, shall we?

1) You needed to place and wire six speakers: left, center, right, left surround, right surround, plus a bass module. That's a lot of wires, speaker stands, and connections.
2) To connect the left and right surround speakers, you needed to run wires across your seating area. That's pretty ugly unless you go through the effort to make conduits or buy a special rug.
3) You needed to purchase a separate receiver to power those speakers - and connect it too.
4) You paid for all that - an absolute minimum of $400, with nicer gear easily double that.
5) You needed to manage additional remotes and settings. Good luck if you ever asked a friend to change the volume.

Well, it's almost as though Vizio started with this list, and then eliminated these problems one by one when making this 5.1 soundbar. The soundbar itself combines Left, Center and Right channels into one thin module that will fit in front of your TV, assuming you use a TV stand with at least two inches of space there. There are no speaker stands or speaker wires, and no separate receiver - the amplifier is built in! The only wires are the ones you absolutely need: sound input (an optical cable in most cases) and power.

But what about the bass module and surround speakers? This is where the Vizio really shines. Low frequency sounds like those from the bass module cannot be well localized by the human auditory system. Simply put, you can place the bass module anywhere in the room, and it will sound nearly the same to a human. So why not place it behind your seating area where it can also connect to the surround speakers? Tada! You plug the bass module into a power outlet behind your seating area and the surround speakers into the bass module. No wires run across your living room. The audio signal is sent wirelessly, with pairing automatically set up when you plug in the bass module. Just try to keep the bass module within 60 feet.

But what about the remotes and connections? Again this product is one step ahead. Through an easy setup process, you can program the soundbar to respond to the volume commands from your TV remote. No need to dig up the sound bar remote. Now, even your drunk football buddy can change the volume. But what about turning the sound bar on and off? You must need the sound bar remote for that right? Nope. It also has a power saving feature, so it turns itself off automatically. To turn it back on, just turn up the volume on your TV remote. Genius: these three tweaks mean you don't even need the sound bar's own remote after day one. Something lots of other reviewers have noted (which I somehow took for granted) was that the remote includes a small LCD display to help you navigate options without commandeering your TV's UI or cluttering the appearance of the soundbar itself. Nicely done; other UI designers would do well to copy this.

A point for the fellow TV audio nerds out there: according to various internet sources, "most" televisions downmix the 5.1 audio signals they receive to stereo at their outputs, meaning that if you connect the optical audio output from the TV to a sound system, your sound system only gets two channels, even if the TV received 5.1 input. To work around the curse of those TVs, you need to plug the cable box, TiVo AND Blu-Ray player directly into your sound system, possibly using a switcher, which is a pain! However, there's good news here for Vizio TV owners like me: Vizio is one of the brands of TVs that outputs true 5.1 audio from its optical output. (Or at least it does on my VF550M which is a few years old.) I even borrowed a bitstream analyzer from a coworker and verified it. But you don't have to go that far to check on yours: the soundbar lights up with a "Dolby Digital" light for about two seconds when it detects a Dolby Digital bitstream, which is generally 5.1. Pretty cool.

Even if you don't give 5.1 input to this system, it can create 5.1 for you through a built-in upmixer provided by audio tech company DTS. Just give it stereo and the upmixer takes care of the rest. It's not as good as real 5.1 but it makes pretty good use of all the speakers. I enjoyed this feature when playing my iPod music on the system using its Bluetooth option. Which reminds me: this system has a Bluetooth option. It makes a damn loud party sound system, which Vizio claims outputs 102 dB SPL. I verified that it will indeed put out sound at or above what psychoacousticians call the "threshold of pain."

A few nits. First, the soundbar isn't quite as wide as I'd like: the left, center and right channels in it are all too close to each other. I use my sound bar with a 55 inch HDTV that I sit about 8 feet from. Unless I sit closer, audio from the sound bar generally fails to sound well "spread out." I kind of wish the sound bar would telescope so I could spread the left and right speakers wider! Second, when using Bluetooth the sound quality can be poor - kind of like a pirated MP3 rather than the high quality iTunes audio I'm streaming. I work around this by using the Spotify app on my TiVo to stream music directly from the internet to the soundbar. A final issue, which might be a soundbar bug or a weakness of digital audio in general, occurs when initiating or restarting digital audio, such as on Netflix or TiVo-played cable TV. The sound will either begin after a quick loud "snap" noise, or take a couple seconds to fade in after video has begun playing. Obviously, it should be instant and flawless.

The overall package though is a total winner. As you may know it's won consumer awards including a Best of CES award from CNET. It's priced aggressively at $330 and the convenience is liberating. I recommend buying it and freeing yourself from the headaches of yesterday's 5.1.

REVIEW 2 (4 Star) Great Soundbar; Early Versions May Be Defective (now there's a fix)

I can't add or refute praise buyers have posted for this soundbar system's audio fidelity and quality. After all, it was picked by CNET to receive the 'Best Product of CES' award at this year's Las Vegas "Consumer Electronic Show". I've waited since January to buy it, and finally, it became available locally at one of the discount box stores near me.

But, I can tell you, the unit I purchased was not ready for prime time, as several others have pointed out in their reviews. Recent reviews give me more hope. One reviewer said, "..the first unit I had would go silent when changing channels while using cable. Probably due to audio format changes between hd and regular channels but not sure. I would then have to turn the sound bar off then back on to get sound.", he said.

Folks, that was an understatement. After a pretty easy set up and using only the optical cable link from my optical output of my large flat screen Samsung to the soundbar, I immediately heard a dramatic difference in sound quality when compared with my older Vizio 2.1 system that had performed well despite it's inherent limits.

Then, using my whole system Logitech remote, I switched from a live cable program source in HDMI 1 to my Blu-Ray device. So far, so good. That is until I skipped DVD chapters or fast-forwarded the DVD. The audio dropped out and would not return unless I rotated through the various inputs to re-initialize the audio in the "optical" input on the Vizio remote. No amount of tries or even DVD changes would prevent this. Next, I tried switching to the HDMI input for the Roku streaming device, but any fast-fowarding of video of a movie in progress suffered the same audio loss, no matter if I used Amazon Prime content or Netflix.

I called Vizio customer service and the representative had me go through setup and connectivity to be sure the problem wasn't caused by me. He claimed he was unaware of any such issue, put me on hold to check his tech bulletins or reports, then came back on the line to tell me he couldn't find any reported instances of this problem. Then, in a step I hate, he proceeded to find fault with my brand of TV (as opposed to a Vizio large screen TV, which he said contains a circuit that allows consumers to change the audio phase delay and compression format. Right answer, they prefer PCM..or pulse code modulation).

Now, I'm a life-long broadcaster and electronics buff, schooled in PCM audio and much more. So, I knew he was putting me on the E-ride at Disney World. His answer, I felt, was designed to blow off a serious Vizio model defect. It was similar to experiences I'm sure we all have had with PC manufacturer tech support "experts" who when they reach the limits of their knowledge or troubleshooting, claim the problem lies with your PC software or operating system. I reminded him Samsung is the world leader in flat screen product sales, in ratios of up to 9-1 over competitors (probably wider for Vizio sales).

He had no answer for that, and he asked to again place me on hold to "check with his manager". And, "Eureka", he came back with the revelation that a firmware fix was needed and due out, but he didn't know when. He then admitted there was a defect and quoted the exact issue from "what his manager told him". He wouldn't budge on my suggestion to replace the unit as another reviewer said was done in his case. When I told him that's an offer one Amazon reviewer received as good customer service, he said they did replace some in early cases before a firmware upgrade was developed.

I said that when a customer purchases his company's products they expect it to work and if it doesn't, to not have to tie up good money for a poor experience until a solution or fix is found, which presently has no target date.

Now, his attitude went from authoritative to meek, and he was flummoxed when I asked how would I ever know when the firmware upgrade was available. Of course I knew Vizio wouldn't send me a message by taking my name. You have to check..daily, weekly or maybe until eternity.

Of course, I returned the unit back to the point of purchase and cautioned the store clerks they might see more returns.
I suspect this huge discount store chain bought this batch under an early contract for some of the first units to roll out of the factory. I am a faithful and constant Amazon customer. Amazon stock may be of a later vintage, but at the time, the discounter I purchased from had a significantly better price, including local sales tax.

Vizio, if you are monitoring customer feedback, may I suggest you add some employee training on candor, and admit upfront there are problems with firmware early versions of this model. It's the only way to become truly mainstream as this product far and way produces great sound and solves a common problem with inexpensive soundbars with wireless bass only that can't produce room-filling 5.1 sound and eliminate wires to satellite speakers from the soundbar or amp.

To potential buyers: Be sure to check out your purchase thoroughly and return it asap if you have these symptoms, or if you experience similar problems, check to see if the firmware upgrade has become available. I'm impressed enough that I'll wait to buy this model from Amazon after a decent interval in the hope I'll get a later version that has had a firmware change or upgrade. Normally, if you report any malfunction to Amazon within the specified time, you'll be treated right, but, note the Amazon disclaimer on this product, "This item is non returnable". What prompts Amazon to make this caveat? What does it know we don't, or have they had to eat the return costs too many times for defective units?

And congratulations to those who made the choice and got a defect-free unit. I'll upgrade my rating level after I purchase a newer model version.

UPDATE: 9/7/2013: Vizio has finally acknowledged and reacted to complaints by adding a firmware update to address this problem. Here is an excerpt from the Vizio website: "Firmware update version 1017 for the VIZIO S4251w-B4 Sound Bar. Download and follow the instructions below to update your S4251w-B4. This update addresses audio dropout on some units when changing channels using your Cable or Satellite Set Top Box. If you do not experience this issue, it is not necessary to update your sound bar."

Nonetheless, I'll upgrade my rating by one-star but not amend my overall description of the problem in the interest of alerting buyers who purchase remaining stock with this problem. I am encouraged now to the point I will repurchase the unit. It is great sound for the money.

Update: 10/6/2013
I'm updating my rating one level to 4-stars now that I have repurchased this model. So far, it is glitch free but I have the Vizio website download file for the firmware fix on a USB thumbdrive in case it's needed. Can't rate it perfect because the buyer shouldn't experience this with a new product and then have to arm-wrestle the U.S. customer service rep until he finally admits they knew of the glitch all along and there will be a fix at an as-yet undetermined date -- despite the fact, you now have their unusable product and a debit on your credit card. Until confronted, he was perfectly satisfied to let me end the conversation with his apology that I had a bad experience and to send it for repairs under warranty. Show more respect for your customers, Vizio.

REVIEW 3 (4 Star) Great, with some livable quirks.

I got this directly through the Vizio website when it finally came out and have very much enjoyed it.

Pros:
- Looks great, feels substantial.
- Great remote. You can see what you are doing in your hand, instead of squinting over to the unit. Why don't all companies do this?
- Sounds very good for a soundbar (better than my previous Samsung)
- Rear Speakers, yay! They make a big difference for movies. In music they quietly play along in stereo, which is nice.
- Easy to use! I can't stand complicated controls, these are simple.
- Bluetooth works great. I use my iPhone, and whenever I turn on the soundbar it automatically takes over the music playing on my phone, like my car does.

Cons:
- Subwoofer level is hard to tweak. If it is set good for movies, it's too loud for music, and if it's set good for music, it's too low for movies.
- Subwoofer has to be in the back, with the rear speakers. I think it would sound better if it could come from the front.
- It's hard to tell if the unit is turned on. The tiny LED just shines a bit brighter.

I think this is about as good value for money as you can get right now in soundbar world. Any serious upgrade in sound quality would require a lot more money.

REVIEW 4 (3 Star) Great Performance But Has Flaws

I was extremely excited to finally get my hands on this system from Vizio. I did a good amount of research before deciding to purchase the Vizio S4251w-B4. I also had to wait a little while to purchase this unit because these things were in great demand the first few weeks or so. I have now tested the item for about 3 weeks and here is the breakdown:

After removing everything from the box I was initially pleased by the look and feel of the sound bar , subwoofer and accompanying components. They were solidly built and did not look or feel cheap. It took me about 30 minutes to set up because I chose to mount the sound bar above my TV with some brackets I purchased off of amazon. This set up turned out to be a great choice and adds a nice look to my overall setup.

Once the sound bar was mounted everything else was a breeze to set up. I powered everything up and I began to fiddle with the sound settings. I bought this system for my home office, which is 12 x 14 feet, so I figured it would be ideal for the size of the room. I basically went down the list adjusting each speaker and it took about 20 minutes to determine the best sound for my ears.

I put the system through the gauntlet. I hooked my Apple TV (optic cable) and HD DVR cable box (Coaxial) up to the sound bar. I played all sorts of music like rap, rock, and R&B and it handled each type very well. I will say that the subwoofer wasn't able too handle the higher frequency of the bass in certain music. I could hear the details in the music and the voice clarity was on point. I also cranked it up and the sound quality did not diminish. The sound was not harsh like it would be in lesser products. I also watched Life of Pi (great movie) to test the movie experience and that's when the Vizio really came to life. The audio truly filled the room. I could hear all the sounds that we normally take for granted like falling rain, breaking glass, blowing wind, rustling in the bushes, and every click of a cocking gun. The sub also performed very well. It delivered a lively boom whenever it was called upon and it also shook the room. I was a little worried that I would be able to tell exactly where the bass was coming from, directionally, but it provided an experience like you would have at a movie theater. The vocal audio was also crystal clear.

There were some bugs that were readily noticeable as well. The first thing I noticed was that when running audio through the optical cable, using the apple tv, the sound would sometimes cut out when I stopped and started a movie on itunes or tv show when watching netflix. In order to get the audio to return I had to power the system off or switch the input. This may be an issue with the system having to re-transmit the audio signal or something. Also, when I pause something I'm watching the audio doesn't immediately return. It slowly fades back in while the video continues. This may be an issue with select units because I've read other reviews and most don't mention these issues or they haven't experienced them yet. These flaws are things I can live with for now but I may return it for a replacement unit real soon, once i have time. I have 3 months to do so.

Overall, i would recommend this product to a friend in spite of the bugs because it truly does perform very well for the price. Good job Vizio!

Review of Roku 3 Streaming Media Player

CHECK PRICE AND BUY ROKU HERE

REVIEW 1 (5 Star)Enormous channels selection, including YouTube (hands-on plus FAQ)

For anyone new to the Roku world, I would recommend the Roku 3 over any other previous models mainly on it being so much faster to operate. If 'cost' is an issue and 720p only is not a bother then the LT should be a great pick for half the price.

True for all Roku models: there's an enormous amount of channels to choose from, including most popular ones. And if there's something that you can't find in the official store you can always check the private channel listings (I included the URL of my favorite site) which is where I found things such as streaming CNN, CNN International and BBC World.

The streaming is exceptionally smooth. Quite impressive considering that I set this Roku on the second floor, some 60-70 ft. and two floors away from our Wi-Fi router located in the basement.

This model especially, due to the more powerful processor is easy to operate through Roku's very basic remote control.

Roku 3 and all Rokus are stable. I didn't have the Roku 3 for too long (will update) but my experience with a Roku LT was that it almost never crashes and I only had to manually reconnect to my Wi-Fi router once over a 6-months period.

The 'universal search' feature is quite amazing. You simply type in the name of a movie or show even an actor and you will see all you options on all channels and you will know in advance whether it's going to be free or exactly how much it was going to cost. On the Roku 3 all information appears almost instantly.

_______________________________________________________________

THE FAQ

I will try to keep this section as objective (factual) as possible.

Q: Why would I want a Roku?
A: Roku has, by far, the largest number of 'channels' vs. any other competing product. If you like exploring content beyond the popular services (Netflix, Amazon, etc.) you should consider a Roku?

Q: Why would I want a Roku 3?
A: When compared to previous models, this one has a much faster processor, 5 times faster. The faster processor allows you to quickly navigate the new and much improved user interface but if 'speed' is not an issue, the new interface will appear on the older models by April, 2013. This model also adds a 'private listening' capability through a provided pair of headphones that plug directly into the remote control. In addition it supports Dual-band wireless for faster streaming when connected to a router that supports the feature and has a USB port.

Q: When I shouldn't pick a Roku 3 over other Roku models?
A: Roku 3 does not support 'standard' (non HD) TVs but earlier models do. You should select a 'lesser' model such as the Roku LT when price is the issue and/or your HD TV is limited to 720p and 'speed' is not an issue.

Q: What can I play through the USB port?
A: Video: MP4 (H.264), MKV (H.264); Audio: AAC, MP3; Image: JPG, PNG.

Q: Is the Roku 3 expandable?
A: Yes. There a MicroSD slot for additional game and channel storage memory.

Q: Can I use a Roku 3 with any TV lacking an HDMI port?
A: No.

Q: What are the best screen resolution and audio supported by Roku 3?
A: 1080p, 7.1/5.1 surround sound.

Q: Is the Roku 3 energy efficient?
A: According to Roku, typical power consumption is 3.5W when streaming HD video.

Q: How do I connect a Roku 3 to the Internet?
A: You can do it wither via Wi-Fi or through the wired Ethernet port. Technically speaking: 802.11 dual-band (a/b/g/n compatible) with WEP, WPA, and WPA2 support (wireless) and 10/100 Base-T Ethernet for the wired connection.

Q: What is not included but I must have to make my Roku 3 work besides a TV and an Internet router?
A: An HDMI cable.

Q: Can I control the Roku 3 with a universal remote?
A: Yes.

Q: Do I need line of site to control the Roku 3?
A: No if you use Roku's own remote, yes if you use a universal remote control.

Q: Can I play games on the Roku 3?
A: Yes, it comes with Angry Birds Space preloaded and you may add more games from the store.

Q: Are the Roku channels free?
A: Many of them are but Roku also streams 'premium' channels for which you will require a separate subscription.

Q: What are private channels.
A: These are channels that, for whatever reason, are not listed by the channel store. You can easily make them 'appear' on your TV by picking them from one of the sites that lists such channels. See the first comment to this review for the URLs of such sites.

Q: How much it costs to use a Roku?
A: Once purchased, it could cost you nothing. Or you may subscribe to one or more premium services.

Q: Can I have more than one Roku tied to one account?
A: Yes.

Q: Can I search for a specific movie or show across all of Roku's channel?
A: Yes, you can. Even better, Roku will not only tell you which channel carries it but you will know in advance if it will cost you and how much it will cost to view or 'rent' it. You can also search for other related information such as movies featuring one specific actor.

Q: Can I watch YouTube on the Roku?
A: Yes, a YouTube channel was launched on December 17, 2013.

Q: Can I get live news channels on the Roku?
A: Yes. You may be able to find such channels at the store or as private channels listings but most US 'mainstream' news channels only offer a selection of recent on-demand videos. [I have a link to a listing of 'Roku channels that contain at least one live TV feed' on the comments section, the FIRST comment to this review. Be aware that the listing may not be complete, that some of the channels are 'premium' and that some of them may drop live streams.

Q: Are non-video streams supported?
A: Yes, radio stations and music streaming channels such as Pandora are supported.
_______________________________________________________________

NOTE:

The YouTube channel became available for the US, Canada and Ireland in December 2013.

REVIEW 2 (5 Star) Are you searching for a way to bring your TV into the 21st century? Here it is..

Let me first say that I have been a Roku user for a number of years now, and own a Roku 1 XD, XDS, and a Roku 2 XS. I have also owned and used in the past the Logitech Review using GoogleTV, the last two non-Google TV Sony boxes, and two generations of the WD TV Live streamers. After owning and using all those, the Roku is the only one that has a place in my livingroom, and here's why...

Without boring everyone on the specs of the R's, let me start by telling about my experience setting it up.

Once unpacked one simply plugs the power adapter into the wall and an HDMI cable into the TV and the Roku, that's it. The unit begins booting up then asks you to select whether you want to use a wireless or wired network connection. I selected wireless and it then shows a list of the networks it detected. Once you choose your network you input the password for your network and in a few seconds it connects right away.

Finally it displays an activation code which you are to use to activate and attach the Roku to your online Roku account. For some seeking out a computer that may or may not be near the TV might be a pain, but I simply opened Safari on my iPhone and added the code to my account while sitting in front of the TV.

Once the code is entered, as part of the attaching process you are prompted to add payment info just in case you want to buy a channel or game in the future. You can not bypass this but IT'S OK. Enter it in and finish the account set up. Once you do you can simply choose to delete the payment info and it's erased from the Roku servers.

Once the account is made and successfully linked, the Roku automatically downloads the channels from your account (if you are attaching it to an existing account) or just quickly downloads the few selected during the account creation process, including "Angry Birds Space".

That's it, its that easy to get it set and ready to stream. Of course with some premium channels you will either need to log in to your account from the Roku (Netflix) or similarly link the box to your online account using a computer, smartphone, or tablet browser (Amazon Instant Video).

I have found that the set up is incredibly easy over the numerous boxes I've used over the last few years and always recommend a Roku to especially those less adept at setting up electronics/computers/networking items.

The interface--

The interface of the Roku units has always been a sore point.. When it started out with just Netflix and then just a few channels, the horizontal row of channel icons was fine, but now with HUNDREDS of channels it was sorely needing a refresh. The interface alone was one of the biggest reasons I was always trying different streaming boxes..

I'm so pleased to see the new grid-style interface on the R3. Not only is it beautifully rendered, but it is very, very fast to navigate and to find whatever it is you want in your channel list. Very modern-looking and functional.

One huge thing I notice over the older units in the interface is that besides it being "pretty", even the channels load much faster than previous units thanks to a new processor.

The universal search function is great too, allowing you to search for movies, shows, and even actors across the major providers.

The USB port--

USB functionality is a great add-on for the top tier Roku. The Roku units are first and foremost internet streamers, but the convenience of plugging in a thumb drive and being able to play some of my personal movie collection is great. Video format is rather limited, but again this is an add-on feature not a main selling point. Because I'm an iTunes user, I rip all my movies/shows as H.264 MP4 files because thy are iPhone/iPad compatible, and just so happen they are compatible with Roku as well. Very nice.

Programming----

This is where Roku is just second to none, and why I choose to use it over all the others. Besides the big players like Netflix, Vudu, etc. Roku has such a wealth of programming that I actually hate it. I hate the fact I'm not independently wealthy and have to work for a living, and consequently don't have enough time in the day to watch everything on there I want to. You may very well feel the same way, but not to worry.. Unlike broadcast TV, everything on Roku is on-demand, meaning its there when you want it, not when its being broadcast.

Now sure, there's no YouTube. That might or might not be coming so if you get one, just assume you won't have it. Cute little kitty videos are fun to watch on the TV, but there's tons more you can watch on other channels. I love the fact I can get live streaming news from the BBC or CNN International, or watch cheesy, badly dubbed Kung fu movies, or B-movie horror and sci-fi all night long for free from my Roku if I want lol. The Roku's available programming really is like a buffet, its all you can eat and there's something for everybody.

The remote ---

The remote is very comfortable in the hands and acts as a motion-controlled controller for gaming. It it also isn't infared like a traditional remote so that means it doesn't have to be pointed right at the TV in order to work. The private listening mode worked really nicely when I tried it and I can imagine many uses for it.

Overall the Roku 3 is a great upgrade from the previous Roku 2, mostly because of the new UI (which will be coming to the roku 2 units in a month or two), the faster processor, and the wireless private listening mode. If you already have an R2 XS, I don't honestly think its worth upgrading since its biggest noticeable feature (the UI) will come in time.

For some just now dipping their toes in the world of internet streaming, I personally would get this Roku 3 hands-down over any other competing player on the market. Its so easy to use and that's why not only is it what I use but what my elderly parents use too. The best thing about them is they keep getting better.

REVIEW 3 (5 Star) Roku 3: The cable company killer well worth waiting for

I wrote a scathingly negative one-star review (see my other Amazon reviews) of the Roku 2 XS when it first became available here on Amazon.com in August 2011.

My final comment after returning the, in my opinion, not ready for prime time Roku 2 XS was something to the effect that I would intentionally be waiting for Roku 3 before ever purchasing another Roku.

Well Roku 3 is finally here and boy oh boy am I ever glad to have waited!

Initial setup of this extremely compact streaming device is truly a breeze and takes just a few minutes.

All of the annoying issues of interference with other devices (sound bar, digital picture frame, Internet radio, etc.) in my living room - in which absolutely nothing has changed since August 2011 when I took the Roku 2 XS for an extremely disappointing spin - have been completely resolved in this new incarnation of the Roku product line.

Internet connection problems are no more even with the very same wireless router and modem that I had back in 2011: The Roku 3 connects quickly and easily to my private/secure WiFi network and streaming of the available channels (a truly overwhelming selection with hundreds of free channels and others at nominal monthly cost) is fast and smooth just like a conventional TV program not originating via the Internet. The audio signal is loud and crystal clear. As of 05/21/2013, I have an approximately 50 Mbps broadband download speed available, but 20 Mbps also has worked fine in the past.

To avoid disappointment before purchasing any Roku model be sure to do your research concerning available programming/channels beforehand. Check the Roku Web site on the Internet to see what is and what is not available as far as channel selection is concerned, as well as what is absolutely free and which programming is associated with a clearly specified recurring monthly fee.

Two sites on the Internet - Roku Guide and Roku Channel Database - also can provide extremely useful information on Roku programming, especially the lowdown on free private channels (such as BBC World News and others) and the needed codes to add them to your Roku device. As of 12/30/2013, I have 123 absolutely free channels installed on my Roku 3 and this includes YouTube which has just recently been added to the impressive lineup.

Especially if you are news junkie, you will be able to get much more than your needed fix and possibly be at serious risk of overdosing from all the English language (and many foreign language) newscasts available from the USA and diverse international sources (UK, Japan, China, Australia, Canada, Russia, the entire EU - most notably Germany and France, Israel, South Africa and many others).

I have read several reviews posted here on Amazon giving the Roku 3 a single star, because the purchaser's incorrect and unrealistic expectations were not met, namely being able to see everything live on all broadcast channels just like he/she could with cable/dish television but for free. Get real! Obviously these individuals did not properly research what this device does and does not do before purchasing it. They are the ones who have earned a one star rating, not the Roku 3!

The remote control provided is simple to use and responds quickly when appropriate buttons indicating one's selections are actuated and it need not be pointed at the Roku 3.

I haven't yet had occasion to use the provided earphones or try out the memory expansion capability with a microSD card, but I really don't expect any problems here.

Overall, this is a very impressive example of technical virtuosity. The device is well worth the price of approximately $100.00 which for many people represents the monthly cost of cable/dish television. It may sound good to have potential access to 200-300 channels, but in reality you're probably really only interested in regularly watching a small percentage (10% ?) of what you're being forced to pay for in those inconvenient channel packages. With Roku 3 and other streaming devices channel selection is always a la carte.

If you're a really smart consumer what you'll do is purchase one of these newly available game-changing Roku 3 streaming devices, pair it with a small and nifty indoor antenna like the Mohu Leaf or the Terk HDTVa Antenna Pro (see my reviews here on Amazon) to also receive TV channels the old fashioned and free way via the airwaves and then cut the cable company/dish cord for good.

I have done this and have been cable-free since August 2011 and am loving it! You too can liberate yourself from cable company/dish slavery and save the cost of a brand new HDTV every year (about $1200.00 annually). Go ahead, cut the cord and finally set yourself free!

Note that if you do decide to pursue a cable-free, dish-free TV lifestyle, don't skimp on the broadband connection that you will need to ensure smooth streaming with minimal buffering; this is especially important with a WiFi connection. Sufficient bandwidth is essential for the Roku 3 to provide an enjoyable TV viewing experience; it can't work miracles without it.