The official tablet (and other useless electronics) thread!

[HAULN-SS]

I have my 4G windows phone. I am kind of getting tired of the lack of amazon mp3 app, and the pandora app on the phone is nice, but it doesnt integrate as nicely as my android did.

Does anyone know if I use my old android to tether to my winphone if that incurrs any other charges or something since it is phone to phone? I might have have the android available in my car/truck to use as an mp3/pandora player. I thought I remember hearing though that somehow tethering internet costs doll hairs?

edit: this is on verizon

[Evan]

I think if you're on tiered data you get free tethering since it all comes out of the same bucket, but verizon.com would probably be a better place to research that......

[Ken]

I have my 4G windows phone. I am kind of getting tired of the lack of amazon mp3 app, and the pandora app on the phone is nice, but it doesnt integrate as nicely as my android did.

Does anyone know if I use my old android to tether to my winphone if that incurrs any other charges or something since it is phone to phone? I might have have the android available in my car/truck to use as an mp3/pandora player. I thought I remember hearing though that somehow tethering internet costs doll hairs?

edit: this is on verizon

I read somewhere that Amazon was working on that, but who knows... really? I think the Pandora app is great, plus, no commercials.

I believe there was a ruling that carriers cannot charge you for tethering if you're on a limited plan because it would, in essence, be double charging you. Works on my phone without having to pay extra on ATT, I would imagine you're the same.

[HAULN-SS]

The pandora app itself is great - no problems there, but in my truck and the cadillac it doesnt work with the head-unit's built in pandora app (which gives you thumbup/down and your stations and shit on the touch screen)

[flintster55]

I use a app called PDA Net for tethering with my unlimited verizon data plan. I usually use the wifi hotspot feature instead of tethering because of the convenience factor but tethering works just fine as well. Never had a problem with verizon even using up to 10gb a month

[JustinG]

Our 5yr old harmony 550 was starting to show its age and give in to the abuse. Some buttons were getting hard to work with and not to mention the thing is a battery hog.

So we had some CC rewards points to use up and snagged the Logitech Harmony Smart Control.



I love the Logitech harmony line, this is my third. Awesome way to control all of your AV stuff if you haven't used one before.

This unit comes with a Control Box, remote, and a second IR blaster. You can also DL the Harmony app and use your android device or iOS device.

Comparing the included remote to the old 550.



This remote communicates with the control box via RF so if you have a cabinet you can hide all the av stuff out of site and still have control of your components. Just have to hook up the spare IR blaster to control the TV.

I don't have a cabinet so I just set it on top of the component stand I have.



So far so good, easy setup. For the price on Amazon, $99, I would recommend it. No fancy touchscreen or display on the remote, only takes a watch battery which they claim lasts a year. The app is cool, same functions as your normal remote but can also program favorites which are displayed by the channel icon on your screen. You can customize buttons on the screen too.

[Apoc]

We have a Harmony Touch, which Logitech was nice enough to send as a replacement for our five year old One that stopped taking a charge. IMO, it's a HUGE step backwards. The reason? The fast forward and play buttons are at the top, out of reach where the ergo has you naturally hold the remote. The One's buttons were much lower and more comfortable. Strangely, the DTV remote's buttons are up high and it doesn't have the same problem. With the XB1, we don't even use the Touch anymore... thankfully.

Touch is second from left, One is on its right.

[JustinG]

I think I love the new remote more due to its simplicity. Looking at the touch vs the basic remote that came with mine, I can see why the touch is sub par.

[Jake]

I have a Harmony 550 that I bought in college. Absolutely love it, but I agree with you Justin - it's starting to get worn out. Definitely will keep it for my bedroom (since I hardly ever use TV in there, but would be nice to combine TV + AppleTV remotes) when the time comes to replace it. Not sure what to replace it with yet, but what you got looks good.

My parents have some ballersauce Harmony that I helped them pick out years ago. It's got a color screen (but not touchscreen) and is more worn out than mine. Haven't bothered to look at replacements for them, but RF is a must as all their components are behind a closed cabinet door. Is this the cheapest RF option they sell?

[JustinG]

AFAIK Yes, they only have three remotes listed on their website now this one the touch and the ballersauce ultimate. Mine and the ultimate are both RF, but the ultimate has a touch screen remote and cost $275 on Amazon. Not sure if the "Touch" is RF, I don't think so.

I'm sure you can still get an older model harmony with the RF option.

[Ken]

This is pretty cool; https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/roc...-to-all-sp

Pretty much makes your stereo systems wireless and allows you to simultaneously play across all the devices that have a Rocki connected to it.

[RawrImAMonster]

This is pretty cool; https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/roc...-to-all-sp

Pretty much makes your stereo systems wireless and allows you to simultaneously play across all the devices that have a Rocki connected to it.

So essentially it's the same thing as a wireless stereo receiver except it can't power the speakers?

I guess the multi-room portability thing is it's main selling point.

[Ken]

This is pretty cool; https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/roc...-to-all-sp

Pretty much makes your stereo systems wireless and allows you to simultaneously play across all the devices that have a Rocki connected to it.

So essentially it's the same thing as a wireless stereo receiver except it can't power the speakers?

I guess the multi-room portability thing is it's main selling point.

I mean, yeah, you could spend hundreds of dollars on a new receiver if that is what you're getting at.

Or spend $49 to get the functionality of one and not spend hundreds of dollars?

EDIT: Also this isn't tied to some proprietary nonsense like airplay. It works on HTML5 so anything can connect.

[RawrImAMonster]

This is pretty cool; https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/roc...-to-all-sp

Pretty much makes your stereo systems wireless and allows you to simultaneously play across all the devices that have a Rocki connected to it.

So essentially it's the same thing as a wireless stereo receiver except it can't power the speakers?

I guess the multi-room portability thing is it's main selling point.

I mean, yeah, you could spend hundreds of dollars on a new receiver if that is what you're getting at.

Or spend $49 to get the functionality of one and not spend hundreds of dollars?

Because to use these you have to have one anyways? Those little rocks don't have built in amps. You can't just plug it up to speakers that aren't already powered by something else.

[Ken]

Well... yeah? I mean I assume your house already has a receiver and I would think 95% of people don't have wireless built in.

Yes, if you're in the market for a new receiver you may as well buy a wireless one. For the rest of the people however, this is a great solution I would think.

[Evan]

you dont have to buy a reciever the size of a cinder block to get an amp.

I like the idea. I have a couple of squeezeboxes along with mini tripath amps for this purpose in my house now, but they are out of production and arent particularly durable. Its not a new concept though, about 10 years ago mp3 wifi streamers were pretty common. they were the size of a dvd player though and were not controlled with your smartphone though (obviously)

My question is the implementation, the website is suspiciously vauge about what music you are actually playing. Does the app intercept and send all audio on your phone to the rocki, does it play pandora/slacker/webradio etc? or what it appears, is that it only plays local music files on your device, which is a deal killer.

[Ken]

That's a good point. The way I read it is that it will work like sonos does, the app can take from your local music and play internet radio. I think it mentioned somewhere that they got spotify licensing. Me personally, I prefer my local music anyway so I'm sold.

[Mike]

Mmm. We went from an awesome 5.1 system to a Vizio 5.1 soundbar in the new house. Highly recommended. Great bang for your buck and crazy minimal. I also hooked the cable up to the Xbox One so no more need for our Harmony. Less is better.

[WRXtranceformed]

Mmm. We went from an awesome 5.1 system to a Vizio 5.1 soundbar in the new house. Highly recommended. Great bang for your buck and crazy minimal. I also hooked the cable up to the Xbox One so no more need for our Harmony. Less is better.

I have the same exact soundbar in my man cave I think....with the wireless subwoofer and satellite speakers? Such a great setup, especially @ $200 shipped on black Friday Amazon sale.

[Mike]

Mmm. We went from an awesome 5.1 system to a Vizio 5.1 soundbar in the new house. Highly recommended. Great bang for your buck and crazy minimal. I also hooked the cable up to the Xbox One so no more need for our Harmony. Less is better.

I have the same exact soundbar in my man cave I think....with the wireless subwoofer and satellite speakers? Such a great setup, especially @ $200 shipped on black Friday Amazon sale.

Yep. I paid $245 open box at Best Buy. I needed it for the big game. No sales tax here so it is weird to go to store to buy things again.

Now I get to sell my old setup and profit.