Pros: Lightweight Good sound quality, bass Versatile Comfortable

Cons: No noise cancellation Builds up sweat Cord too long for PS4 comfort Cheap plastic

Overall Review: The headset is lightweight and surprisingly comfortable given the large size. The plastic build feels a little cheap, but that's part of what keeps the weight down. I found I could wear them for hours without feeling uncomfortable. They do feel a bit bulky when laying my head against a pillow, but didn't get in the way when wearing glasses -- never once did the headphones press the earpieces into my skin. They fit snugly without adding excess pressure against the skull. It's important to note that these are open back headphones; not designed for noise isolation. If you want to put these bad boys on and tune out the world, look elsewhere. Logically, SteelSeries made these open back with the PS4 in mind; designing them for people who want chat audio alone. This means you can put both earcups on and still hear the external audio (eg. game music and sound effects) put out by your TV or stereo speakers. Think of it as having chatting internal and gaming music/sound external. You can hear your buddy cursing in your ear after you got in a good headshot, but only have the sound of the sniper rifle available for outside ears. A good privacy feature without muting your 1000-watt sub-woofer (assuming you have one). That said, know that you can set them to pump in both chat AND game audio. This isn't set on the PS4 by default, however. You'll need to go into your settings and click on "Devices." From there, select "Audio Devices." Under "Output to Headphones" select "All Audio." Now you have full privacy with both chat and game audio, but keep in mind you will hear outside noises when the sound output is low. I found the audio cable to be a bit long for hooking into the PS4 controller. I'm a 6' man with pretty long arms, and there was still a fair amount of slack between my ears and my extended arms (where I hold the controller). This extra bit of slack in the cable was slightly annoying as it bunched up and got in the way. I'd have preferred the audio cable to be removable/replaceable so that I could swap it out with the exact length that suites me, but as it is the cable is permanently attached to the left ear-cup. In reality, this headset isn't limited to either the PS3 or PS4 gaming system. Any device with a standard audio jack can be hooked up. And since there's a mic, you can even use them with your smartphone for phone calls. I tested them on the PS4, Wii U, Laptop, Chromebook and smartphone (LG G4). The sound quality is actually pretty good as long as your device is setup with the right drivers. I had a laptop running Windows 10 and the audio it outputted was flat, but I fixed that by updating the drivers. There is deep bass (considering the open back) and somewhat crisp highs. I say somewhat crisp because I noticed a few notes that just don't hit it as clearly as Bose headphones I tried. That said, for the price range, the sound quality is quite good.

Pros: The ergonomic shape is nice

Cons: Takes the mouse several minutes before it works

Overall Review: Hooking up to a desktop: The lingering question I had on my mind regarding this mouse was: will it work on my desktop (Win7-64bit Home Premium)? Like most desktops, I don't have built-in wireless--the idea is that desktops tend to remain seated in one place, thus, as a best practice, it should be plugged directly into the network for better stability/speed. That said, I had previously purchased a Wireless USB Adapter (Zonet ZEW2546 802.11N Wireless USB Adapter to be exact) to access the hotspot on my Cellphone should my regular ISP (Internet provider) go down. With this in mind, I tried connecting the mouse via the adapter. It didn't work. I installed the software that came with the mouse and ran through the connection process. Initially, the mouse showed up on the list of available devices, but when trying to connect the software said it couldn't. The product description says, "This wireless mouse connects easily to computers with . . . built-in Wi-Fi." So my first thought was it won't work with adapters, but if you read further down to the compatibility list, it says it works with a "certified Wi-Fi network adapter." Either my adapter isn't "certified" or something else is going on. Either way, it didn't work for me. Hooking up to a laptop: On a Dell Inspiron 1545, running Windows 7-32bit Home Premium with built-in wireless, I was able to connect the mouse. The problem I noticed is that, on boot up, it takes the mouse several minutes before it works. My guess is that the wireless isn't a top priority on the list of services to load, since how many people need the wireless to work on the login screen? But, since this mouse uses Wi-Fi to connect, it takes the OS a bit before the mouse can be accessed, which is a slight pain for an input device. My general thoughts about the mouse itself: The ergonomic shape is nice, but limited to the right hand. Electronic strip scrollwheel isn't as smooth scrolling as a traditional wheel. It's weighted at the back--I prefer an equally weighted mouse from front to back for an even balance. My pinkyfinger rubs against the seam/lip, which is slightly annoying, but keep in mind that I have long fingers and large hands. At first, I thought this was a brilliant idea. Why not utilize the internal features of Wi-Fi to avoid having an annoying adapter sticking out? It would be great for older systems that doesn't have Bluetooth technology. But you need Win7 for it to work, and most laptops with Win7 are going have Bluetooth. That, and even if it doesn't, manufacturers are getting better at providing small adapters that don't get in the way like the old ones do. My advice? If you have a laptop: Go with Bluetooth first, if you don't have that, then maybe give this one a try. If you have a desktop: look elsewhere.

Pros: Elaborate settings Beautiful landscapes Impressive world scale Two main characters

Cons: Jumpy controls Buggy policemen Skills upgrades not share between characters Environmental bugs

Overall Review: As of this review, I’m about 20% through the game. My early impression was to compare the gameplay to Styx and Splinter Cell, but as I got further I thought of two other games it fits better: Far Cry (3 & 4) and inFAMOUS. As with inFAMOUS, you scale buildings, run across rooftops and liberate territories. You also earn skill points to level up your characters. Several of the game mechanics for character movement were very similar, such as climbing and jumping from high places. Now add in Far Cry where you search for treasure chests, enter restricted areas, disable alarms, free captives, craft items, commandeer vehicles (aka carriages), and execute a multitude of side missions. Also relative to Far Cry are the many quirks and bugs, such as water buckets moving on their own, characters missing the upper half of their body, and strange objects randomly floating across the screen. Similarly, the enemy goons all look the same with only a handful of repetitive character designs. That said, there are many of the plusses too, such as the elaborate settings, beautiful landscapes and impressive world scale. In the beginning, I made the mistake of tackling the story in a very guided manner. I ran through the tutorials and reached checkpoints as quickly as possible, passing by any obstacle in my way. Because of this, I didn’t get pulled into the settings or storyline. After a while, I realized I needed to tackle the game less like Uncharted and treat it more like Skyrim. Basically, I slowed down -- took my time, inspected buildings, listened to crowd dialogue, read wall posters, explored the historical characters and settings, checked character profiles and tackled more of the minute tasks such as searching for treasure chests and freeing children. Slowing down my pacing gave me a deeper level of enjoyment; the game become more about exploration than a guided tour. At times, the controls felt jumpy. For instance, occasionally I performed an execution where the camera panned away from my character and I could barely see what was going on. The need for combining keys for common actions messed me up in the beginning as well, and I more than once ended up jumping up a wall when I intended to leap at an enemy instead. But the longer I played the game, the better I got at the mechanics; and thus they were less of an issue. Unlike Far Cry and inFAMOUS, you switch between two different characters. This helps to keep the story fresh, but it also means you are leveling up two different people. A few times I swore I had already gotten such-and-such an ability, only to realize it was on the other character. Even though the leveling up isn’t shared between Evie and Jacob Frye, thankfully the items you purchase are (except for items like Jacob’s belt, which Evie doesn’t use). If you buy guns and brass knuckles, both can use them [assuming their level is high enough].

Pros: Schedules C, D, and E forms are back (was removed in 2014 version) Makes doing taxes easier Auto fills data from previous year

Cons: Costs money for what can technically be done for free Additional $20 efile fee

Overall Review: Last year (2014), TurboTax Deluxe got slammed with bad reviews. This was mainly due to the schedules C, D, and E forms that Intuit removed and forced people to upgrade to the more expensive Premier to get them back. Basically, these forms were for people who are self-employed, independent contractors, have non-investment capital gains or losses, or own real estate that was rented out to tenants. Intuit claimed the removal of the forms wasn’t to force Deluxe customers to upgrade to Premier, but to synchronize the desktop version with the online version. Regardless, customers viewed it as a bait and switch prompting over a thousand 1-star ratings. If that wasn’t enough, TurboTax stopped transmitting state returns for a time due to fraud concerns; criminals using stolen identity information to hijack refunds. The company tried to make up for all this by sending out several apology letters and offering free upgrades and rebates, but the damage was still done. This year, thankfully Intuit learned their lesson. They brought back Schedules C, D, and E to the TurboTax Deluxe version. According to Intuit’s website, the online version of Deluxe only supports schedule C (not D or E), but the download/CD version supports all three. A quick glance at the vendor’s product image also confirms all three (C, D, and E). If that wasn’t enough, I checked the software by going to Forms > Open Form and expanding the list. Schedules C, D, and E all came up. Whew! As for myself, I didn’t need any of those forms in 2014, so it wasn’t a problem for me. I have been using TurboTax since 2005 because it makes doing taxes much easier than printing and filling out forms manually. Sure, the direct-to-forms method is free, but TurboTax not only makes it easier and quicker, but it helps prevent mistakes (which could be way more costly down the line). I love how information is retained from the previous year and easily inserts into the new one. Work at the same place as 2014? You don’t have to mess around with retyping the 10 digit employer ID or the mailing address (that is assuming you used TurboTax in 2014). My biggest gripe, however, still remains: you are given one “free” state download, but still have to pay $20 to efile it. The Federal efile is free, but not so for state. To get around this issue I enter all my state information into TurboTax, but then print out the forms and snail mail them. Sure, I still have to pay for postage, but it’s quite a bit less. I have yet to receive all my W-2 and giving statements, but so far all the information I submitted into the desktop software has worked like a charm. 2014 data is transferred and easily comes up for reinsertion. The layout and process is nearly identical: same personal summary, refund amount status, information wizard, etc. -- there’s even the same blue bar design at the top of the screen. For me, I will gladly continue using TurboTax to help minimize the annoyance of this yearly cumbersome task.

Pros: Loud Good build quality Easy to use once setup

Cons: Limited music services Buggy software/app

Overall Review: This Bose SoundTouch provides a compact solution with modern connectivity to a variety of music libraries. But how does it hold up? ░░░░░ MUSIC SERVICES ░░░░░ I would have liked more music services offered, such as Rhapsody, Amz MP3/Prime, Google Play Music, Slacker and SoundCloud. As a workaround, you can connect your smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth and play those services through your device, but you can't connect to them directly on the Bose SoundTouch internal tools. This means you won't be able to assign these to buttons on the device for quick-play. Music services it does support: ❖ Internet Radio: Access a wide verity of internet radio stations that constantly stream (so, not skipping or adding songs, just listening as it is played) ❖ Deezer: Currently not available in the US for standard customers (as of 9/25/15), but you can sign up using your Bose's serial number. Current cost is $4.99 a month (then goes up to $9.99). There is no free plan. ❖ iHeartRadio: Free access to live radio stations coast-to-coast ❖ Pandora: Offers free and paid (removes ads, better quality, etc.) access to music stations ❖ Spotify: Offers free (shuffle only +ads) and paid ($9.99/mo - access to individual songs) subscriptions You can also add music that is on your own home network using your computer's iTunes or Windows Media Player. Additionally, there is the ability to add a network attached storage NAS drive. I added my music through the Windows Media Player and created some playlists. ░░░░░ SOUND QUALITY ░░░░░ Bose makes the statement that they strive to reproduce the musical sounds as closely as possible to those of the original performance, and that, while manufactured "flashy" sounds may be initially attractive to the novice, they are not real and enduring. By "flashy" they are likely meaning equipment that increases the richness of the base and crispness of the high notes. I agree that they are staying true to this statement. You don't get really deep or punchy bass nor do you get really crisp notes, but for the size of the unit you do get pretty balanced sound. There's no rumbling walls, but the sound is smooth and pleasing. If you put the speaker in ░░░░░ DEVICE USABILITY ░░░░░ While setting up the device initially takes a bit of time -- installing software/apps, connecting to Wi-Fi, creating and signing into accounts, assigning the one-touch buttons -- using the device is actually quite simple. My wife, who is less tech savvy than I am, was thrilled when I showed her that all she needs to do to start playing her Pandora station was to press the #1 button. And #2 for Disney station for our daughter. She hates the complicated setups I have used before, such as having to turn the TV on, then the Blu-Ray player, then navigate to the music menu, then select the music service, then wait for it to log on, and then navigate to her music list. Bose really took out the complication when it comes to everyday use. Very simple,

Pros: High quality sound Deep bass High notes are clear and crisp Long cord Comfortable

Cons: Not the best noise canceling Cord NOT removable/replaceable

Overall Review: These are closed back headphones, which is expected for studio style -- helps keep outside noises out. That said, I found they didn't block external noises as much as other headphones I've tested. This may or may not be good for your situation; if you need to talk to others while wearing them, it's good, if you need absolute quiet in a noisy environment, it's bad. The cord length is nice and long; easily reaches to my recording device. Plus the coil at the bottom can be stretched out for an even greater distance. This is good because the audio cable is NOT removable/replaceable; it is permanently attached to the left ear-cup. I prefer to have the option to remove it, but in my case, I find it is a good length. Should you wish for a shorter cord, you are best looking elsewhere. The leather ear pads are comfortable. I found I could wear them for hours without feeling uncomfortable. The ear cups didn't get in the way when wearing glasses -- never once did the headphones press the earpieces into my skin. They fit snugly without adding excess pressure against the skull. What impressed me most with these headphones is the sound quality. The bass is rich and thick and the high notes are clear and crisp. I've tested a lot of headphones, and these stand out toward the top on sound quality. Impressive considering the low price range. Overall, these are nice studio headphones. I use them in my home studio for doing voice-over acting and they fit the bill well. I would have liked a bit more noise cancellation, but the sound quality makes up for that in my case.