Just a quick plug for some guys that have done a bit of work in our historic house. All Pro Renovation LLC, located in West Ga, has done several different pieces of electrical work for us including installing dedicated breakers for our pond pump, new light fixtures and new outlets. Quick, clean work and knowledgeable.
If you’re in the metro Atlanta area and need electrical work done, go let them know and they will give you a call.
FYI, this is not a paid review.
I recently ordered and received the Peak Design Universal Adapter and finally got the chance to try it out today. I actually received it for free as I have ordered a case from them, the Everyday Case for Pixel. Due to various problems the cases are still on back order. No big deal but Peak Design was kind enough to shoot an email out with a coupon to get the adapter free as their way of an apology. Not necessary but a cool way for a company to respond.
This is what the adapter looks like on the back of the dbrand case on my Pixel 6 Pro.
I had to wait a couple of days to try it out because I had to order an Apple Magsafe charger and a 1″ ball adapter for my Ram Mount. I’ll get into the Ram Mounts at some other time but I have used a Ram Mount for the last ten years. They are the most awesome and sturdy mounts you can buy. Depending on what you need it can get a bit pricey but definitely worth it. This is actually my second Ram Mount, my first one was stolen when someone broke into my car three or four years ago.
Here’s the Magsafe charger attached to my Ram Mount.
I’m not sure how well these should work as I have never played with Magsafe anymore, I’m an Android guy and unless you purchase third party products, obviously Apple doesn’t make anything for me. Seems like a great idea. Wireless charging and a magnet. Great idea, not such great results, at least in my case. First speedbump I went over the phone slid off and cracked my screen protector. Oh well, it’s back to the X-Grip. I linked to a version of it above (by the way, those are affiliate links so if you click on them I might get a buck or something). Here’s the picture of my X-Grip below.
I still like the idea of the wireless charger. What I may do is take the magsafe charger out of the adapter I bought and glue or tape it into the X-Grip. Looks like there is just enough room to accommodate my phone and the charger.
My only concern is that while I received the Peak Design Universal Adapter for free (not including the magsafe charger, USB-C to USB adapter and 1″ ball adapter I bought) the Everyday Case I am waiting on was $40. That’s as much as I paid for the dbrand case, which is much better looking. If it falls off the magsafe charger like this adapter did, it will be headed for the trash bin. I lie, it’ll go into one of my desk drawers with cases from my last 15 or so phones until I can find someone that needs it 🙂
I also had to remove my Spigen Ring, which I really like, from the back of the case in order to install the Peak Design adapter. I may be prying that off real soon if I can do it without ripping the skin off the case. Time to break out the heat gun…
SO I’ve been using Google Wifi for a couple of months now and wanted to sort of update my initial review.
I picked up the Google Wifi two-pack from the Google Store back at the beginning of December. Overall I was very pleased, at least initially. Setup is easy and without getting into benchmarks or testing it’s pretty fast. Prior to using the mesh network I had two different wifi access points and an extender and still had problems getting a decent signal in some areas of my property. This seems to have been solved by switching to Google Wifi so I was pretty happy.
While the Pro’s up until the last week or so have outweighed the Cons I ran into some issues almost immediately that I have had to work around. For the most part I use static IP addresses on my network. My Home Automation PC, My CCTV server, the BBS computer, not to mention all of my IR controllers and cameras all have static IPs in the 192.168.1 range. Unfortunately Google FORCES you to use a range of 192.168.86. That’s a major problem as I’m not going to change 50+ items, batch files, python scripts, etc.
When I first installed the Wifi network I had my switches and router connected through them. I ended up having to change that so that my Internet connection goes through my router and wired switches ran the Google Wifi hubs from those. That basically means that I had to create two separate networks in the same house. A pain in the ass because I had to expand my subnet mask in order to let devices on each network “see” each other.
Once I had all that set up every seemed peachy until earlier in the week. Google apparently had some sort of issue earlier in the week that effected Google Wifi and OnHub devices and took a great deal of them offline. You aren’t able to manually specify updates, that is controlled 100% by Google. Unfortunately something they’ve done fucked up a large portion of them. There’s no way to backup network settings and people everywhere had to factory reset their hubs and add them back in. It doesn’t take long but it’s still stupid.
Since then my wifi hub that sits in the master bedroom has had to be factory reset twice more. Three times in the past week is a bit much. Every couple of days it just starts flashing red. When I did a search as to what the flashing red light means over at the Google Support site it just says
| Wifi point has an issue. | If your Wifi point continues to pulse red, please contact us. |
What the fuck? That doesn’t sound good. Anyway, I have sent Google Support and email and hopefully will hear back from them soon.
It’s been several years since I’ve done so but I am probably going to start doing sponsored posts (or just sponsored links inside some posts) to help defray some of the costs I incur running my site as well as other things. I made pretty decent money while I was heavily doing it. I don’t see it taking over the site like I did before as I prefer writing the how-to’s and reviews and I really don’t want it to take away from what I prefer,
I love coupons and deals. Hey, if I can save a buck or two that’s usually a good thing particularly if I’m in a situation where I can see the goods beforehand. Groupons, not so much. Now, for services they seems to be ok. I’ve purchase meals ahead of time and concert tickets once. Goods however? They are currently 0 for 2 and I’ll just go stick with eBay if I can find a really good price.
A couple of years ago a pretty good deal on a CCTV DVR came across so I picked it up. It’s one of those where you have to supply the hard drive. Not a big deal as I had them in abundance at the time. Anyway, when it arrived it wouldn’t even power up. I had to ship it back and wait for it to get there to get my money back. At least with Amazon if you ship something back they credit the money to your account as soon as they receive the info that the shipping company has it, or that’s been my experience.
Anyhow, right now I really don’t have any extra money but a pretty awesome deal came across for a projector and screen. I read the reviews on the same on over at Amazon as well as a couple of AV forums I lurk at and they were pretty good. It was a great deal considering the screen (most likely a heavy cloth tarp) was included. I went ahead and put it on a credit card. I can always pay it later.
Said projector arrived today all by it’s lonesome. I’ve emailed Groupon waiting for a response but they don’t normally do any kind of swapping out or anything like they. They are really just the middle men in the deal. I figure they will offer a refund and then I need to decide if I want the refund or not. I can get it from Amazon for $20 less without the damn screen and just “borrow” one from they school or something.
Either way, that’ll most likely be the last thing I purchase through Groupon.
Updated 3/9 – Received an email overnight fro Groupon. Apparently most orders ship separately. That’s all the info I received so maybe I’ll get the screen soon.
3/10 – Received another update last night that the screen is definitely shipping and I should receive a tracking update soon. That makes me feel better but maybe they should put something in the receipt that says products may ship separately so assholes like me won’t get their panties in a wad.
So the wife worked her summer vacation in order to save enough money to get the living room floor replaced (and the kitchen shortly after hopefully.)
Anyway, back at the beginning of the month we finally ordered the hardwood (laminate flooring actually). Right around $1000 worth of floor. It’s been a fucking nightmare dealing with them from the get-go. I posted something on Twitter about it last night and they immediately responded with an email address to contact them with.
Here’s the email I just sent:
Hi, I posted a nasty tweet about Home Depot and Estes Express yesterday and it was recommended by Home Depot’s social folks that I send my contact information and order details to you.
My info is:
Richard Miles
some stuff like my address….If you call and don’t get an answer LEAVE A VOICEMAIL. I operated three 24 hour restaurants and can not always get to the phone but I will return the call.
My order number is ….
The issue is currently that my entire order was not received and I would like to receive the rest of it. I will go more into all of the details below.
I ordered 21 cases of laminate flooring the evening of October 3rd.
On October 6th I received an email that my order had shipped and the tracking number was …. I tracked it and no information was available for a couple of days when it updated to a projected delivery date of October 14th-15th. I took both days off of work so that I would be here and could receive the order. It never arrived.
On October 16th I received several emails from ….@homedepot.com that “the delivery team was not able to contact you with the number given, please contact this number to have your package from the home depot delivered” Her contact info was given as well. I received these emails at around a quarter after 1pm. I immediately called her back and left a voice mail with my contact information. I called back yet again shortly after 4pm and was told that she must have left for the day. I was put on hold for several minutes while the lady who answered the phone attempted to go ahead and schedule a delivery time. Up until that point I was not aware that I had to schedule a specific delivery time and was never made aware of that during the process. When she got back on the phone she said that I was scheduled for Monday the 19th between 12pm and 6pm. I took yet another day off work so that I could be there when the order arrived.
6pm Monday came and went and I called …. back again and left yet another voice mail. I then called the main online help number and asked to track a delivery. I was connected to a gentleman who looked up the tracking number and I was told that there was nothing about a delivery to my address scheduled. I was then told to call back the next day. I emailed …. The body of my email is below:
I need to find out when this delivery is going to happen. Other than the two emails you have sent nobody has attempted to contact me via email, text or phone. My original date of delivery according to the tracking information was to be Oct 14th or 15th. I took both days off work. When I received your email Friday the 16th I attempted to contact you at approximately 1pm and ended up leaving a voice mail. I called back again at 4pm and was told you had probably gone for the day but the lady I spoke with put me on hold to get in touch with someone else. When she came back on the line she said that my delivery would arrive today, October 19th, between 12pm and 6pm. Yet again I have taken another day off work to wait for six hours.
At 6pm I attempted to contact you again and once again went to voice mail, so I called back the main number and asked to track a delivery. I was connected with a gentleman who looked up the tracking number and told me there was nothing in the system about a delivery today and that I would just have to call back tomorrow. This is completely unacceptable and unprofessional.
I can’t afford to miss any more work and will have no days off until I leave town on the 28th. My delivery window is now anytime AFTER 4pm the next four days but they will need to contact me ahead of time so that I know it will be there.
Thanks for your consideration,
I called back twice on October 20th and was finally able to contact …. who set a delivery time for the 21st between 12pm-6pm.
The driver contacted me the morning of the 21st to let me know he would be there after 2pm and said that he would call me when he was about 30 minutes out. He did so. The product arrived, shrink-wrapped and on a pallet. I signed for it and he left. At that point we removed all of the shrink wrap and started carrying it to the house. There were unfortunately four rows of five cases each on the pallet, which I was not able to tell until we got the shrink wrap off.
I then called customer service again and was transferred to online customer service. I was put on hold while the gentleman I spoke with contacted Estes. When he finally came back on my line he said that whoever he spoke with at Estes had no idea what he was talking about and couldn’t help him. He was told to call back in the morning (of the 22nd.) because they would have to search the warehouse. The gentleman from the helpdesk also recommended that I call back today as well. I asked if they could just ship me another case of the missing flooring (about $43 worth if I recall correctly.) I was told that no, they couldn’t ship anything, that it had to be looked for first but that he could put me in the system to start a refund and that I could order another case. I told him no, I didn’t want to be put in for a refund and that I just wanted to flooring and that I would check back with Home Depot the next day.
Really? I just spent $1000.00 on flooring and you are going to quibble over a $43 case of flooring?
I called back this afternoon as soon as I arrived home from work. The lady I spoke with transferred me to online help, who then put me on hold while she contacted Estes. When she finally came back on the line I was told that the woman she had spoken with, …., was on her way out the door and that she would have to get everyone there to search the warehouse TOMORROW. I was given her email address and told to contact her directly tomorrow. So basically you guys are so worried about your $43 that instead of fixing my problem and then figuring out what happened you are going to make me wait while everyone searches the warehouse?
I’m in customer service and I am aware that things unfortunately do not always go as planned and people have awful experiences. It’s my job to correct those and do whatever it takes to make the customer happy. Sometimes you can’t make them happy but I do everything in my power to do so. The buck stops with me for everything to do with my product, my employees and anything else to do with my business. I do not allow my customers to be passed back and forth between my food suppliers, my corporate office and anyone else that I can pass the buck to. That’s just shitty customer service. I will say that the social media people with both companies were pretty quick about responding once I put this online. I appreciate it but unfortunately that seems to be the case with companies that aren’t interested in their customers. You have to go through the people that actually deal with customers daily.
At this point I don’t care how I get the wood. You can ship it via UPS, have Estes bring it to my house or have the local Home Depot manager put it in his car and drive his happy self over here. I don’t care.
Since I haven’t been able to get any sort of resolution I am sending this to Home Depot as well as Estes (who also contacted me via Twitter.) I am leaving town on Tuesday night so this has to be resolved prior to that. My next step if this isn’t successfully resolved prior is to contact Visa and dispute the entire $1017.44 transaction due to not receiving the product I paid for. Visa and Bank of America are OK, if not pretty good, at working with their customers to resolve issues. You are then welcome to come to my house and pick up the 20 cases I did receive and I’ll just go to Lowes.
Thank you for your time and I apologize for being so angry about the situation, but I am.
Richard Miles
My original draft of the email contained a considerable amount of profanity in it. Anyone that knows me would recognize it for being my normal happy demeanor lol. I decided that it wasn’t particularly professional and took the bad words out, leaving at least a little snark because I’m so pissed off right now. Three fucking weeks to get 21 cases of wood and still don’t have it. Fucking asshats.
Hopefully it’ll be taken care of pretty quickly. I shop at the local Home Depot often for work and home stuff and have never been anything but happy with them. Obviously it’s an entirely different set of ideals on the back-end than in their stores.
The Moto 360 isn’t exactly new any more and there are plenty of reviews from folks that have a lot more knowledge about the equipment and industry than I do but I wanted to share my impressions after 12 days with the watch.
First off, I really like my 360 and really want to love it but there are some niggling issues that are really irritating me. Some of them I can work around, others… Not so much.
First off, when I purchased my x-mas gift I ordered it with the metal band rather than leather. While I like the look and feel of leather I am very rough on my equipment so wanted something that would last so I spent the extra $50 damned dollars it cost for the metal band. I have the black on black by the way. Anyway, I have to say that was a complete fucking waste of $50 I could have spent elsewhere. Thanks Motorola! At 5’6? 175lbs I’m not a particularly large guy but the watchband, which is not adjustable at all, squeezes my fucking arm to death. Either my wrists are bigger than the norm or they are making the bands for little girls. I’ve solved that by purchasing a $20 metal mesh band from Amazon. Not only is it adjustable but it just feels and lays better against my arm. The band is the first issue and one that I didn’t come across when researching the Moto 360.
The second issue, and one I was completely aware of before hand, is the battery life. Smartwatches for the most part don’t have great battery life but due to the equipment that Motorola used it’s not as good as it could be. Even with the horrible battery life there are a couple of issues. If you use any of the third party animated or detailed watch faces battery drain is worse, to the point where it won’t last an entire work day for me. Not a huge deal as when I’m cooking I can’t wear a watch anyway. That’s where one of the bigger problems lies. Several times I’ve removed my watch and left it in my jacket, powering it down only to come back at 1pm to find it had powered itself back up and sitting at 10% power or less. That’s just plain horseshit. Since my Note 3 also supports wireless charging I went ahead and ordered a qi charger and will start keeping it with me. That will work but it’s definitely not a true solution.
The last big issue I’ve had is with software. I don’t know if it’s a problem with Google Hangouts or with Android Wear but since syncing up Hangouts has been crashing horribly when I receive notifications. It’ll crash 50+ (or more) times daily. I’m a very heavy hangouts user so this is my biggest annoyance. I tried turning off the hangouts notifications on my watch but that doesn’t seem to do any good. Apparently this isn’t an issued problem. Several other people I know have the same issues.
Ok, so those are the bad things. Overall, I still love the watch and there are a thousand little things I can and want to do with it. I’ll try and post some of them as I get everything set up.