MoT's WDF

Boourns wrote: ↑Fri Apr 30, 2021 11:12 am If you are heading back to the office and need some work attire, check out Banana Republic factory. Lots of stuff on sale, including extra 40% off clearance. The real magic happens, though with code TAKE50, which takes $50 off a $100 order *pre-extra percentage off*.

It's almost literally free clothes:


Make sure you chose free basic shipping (5-7 day) at checkout. It defaults to expedited for $7 extra.

Link: https://bananarepublicfactory.gapfactory.com/

Split-Time wrote: ↑Tue May 04, 2021 6:37 pm Wow. Who knew that Thomas Kinkade had 72 Star Wars items?

What's different?
There are some small differences, however. The Pixel Buds 2 were already relatively lightweight, but these are even a tad lighter -- Google says the Pixel Buds A are "about 20% lighter across the earbuds and the case" compared to the Pixel Buds 2. Along with Clearly White, they come in a new Dark Olive color and incorporate slightly different materials and aren't two-tone. The inside of the buds have a glossy, as opposed to matte, finish and its color matches the color of the outside of the buds. Additionally, the inside of the case also has a glossy finish and its color matches the color of the buds.

The other thing you'll notice is that the nozzle that you attach the ear tip to is now made of plastic instead of metal, which presumably is more durable. Also, the Pixel Buds A have two charging pins as opposed to three and they're missing a sensor. I was worried that meant they had no ear-detection feature (that's the feature where your music pauses when you pull the earbuds out and resumes when you put the buds back in), but it turns out that Google's engineers were able to optimize in-ear detection in the Buds A with one IR sensor, according to a spokesperson. So no issue there.

The case is the same -- it's nice and compact -- but unlike the Pixel Buds 2, the A-Series doesn't have wireless charging, just USB-C charging. These are also missing the swipe for volume control feature -- you can't run your finger across the bud to adjust volume, you now have to use the volume controls on the device you're streaming from or access Google Assistant by simply saying "Hey. Google," then tell it to raise or lower volume. For Android users Google Assistant is always-on, listening for your voice commands like Siri does with the AirPods, so you don't have to tap a button to access it (unless you turn off the feature).

Lastly, the A-Series doesn't have the Attention Alerts feature that detects certain ambient sounds, like a baby crying, dog barking or an emergency vehicle siren, and alerts you while you're wearing the buds. I have a feeling that not too many people bothered with that experimental feature, but a lot of people liked the swipe to control volume feature -- it's one of the Pixel Buds' signature features. Personally I can live without it for the price reduction.

Similar performance
Like the Pixel Buds 2, the Pixel Buds A are equipped with Bluetooth 5.0, but they're powered by a new chipset. When the Pixel Buds 2 first came out, there were widespread complaints that the wireless connectivity wasn't rock solid -- people were getting some dropouts -- and while subsequent firmware upgrades improved performance, Google appears to have addressed any connectivity issues with the A-Series. I had almost no dropouts during my testing time, although like every other true-wireless earbud these aren't completely infallible.

Spirit of the Watch wrote: ↑Thu Jun 03, 2021 3:35 pm Keurig K-Mini Basic Jonathan Adler Limited Edition Single-Serve K-Cup Pod Coffee Maker - White
Capture.PNG
https://www.target.com/p/keurig-k-mini- ... nk=sametab

ManOnTime wrote: ↑Thu Jun 03, 2021 3:39 pm

Spirit of the Watch wrote: ↑Thu Jun 03, 2021 3:35 pm Keurig K-Mini Basic Jonathan Adler Limited Edition Single-Serve K-Cup Pod Coffee Maker - White
Capture.PNG
https://www.target.com/p/keurig-k-mini- ... nk=sametab

That would be pretty cool if it came with the matching cup.