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Etekcity Smart WiFi Light Switch review

REVIEW – We are smart home fanatics at our house.  We have almost every light in our house, including ceiling fans controlled by Amazon Alexa.  The few lights we don’t have under Alexa control are either lights we rarely use, or they are three-pole lights.  Three pole lights are lights that are controlled by two different light switches.  That means each switch has extra wires coming into it compared to a single pole switch.  Up until recently, there were no smart light switches available that handled three pole switches.  So when I was given the opportunity to review the Etekcity Smart Wifi Light Switch that can handle three poles, I jumped at it.  Let’s see how it works.

What is it?

Etekcity makes several smart products.  Two of which are smart switches.  One is for a standard single pole (ESWLO1) and the other for three pole switches (ESWLO3).  I received the ESWLO3.  Like I stated above, a three pole switch is a switch that can control a single light or lights along with another switch.

What’s in the box?

  • 1 x Safety Card – states that the device should only be used to control incandescent, LED, Halogen, and compact fluorescent lightbulbs.  You should only use the device indoors, and turn the power off while installing.  It also mentions contacting an electrician if you are in any way uncomfortable with installing the device.
  • 1 x Facebook group foldout card – asks you to join their Facebook group
  • 1 x Etekcitizen foldout card – will give you an extra year of warranty, free products, and exclusive deals if you join their Etekcitizen group.
  • 2 x packages of hardware to install two light switches
  • 2 x smart light switches including backplates.  I have one facing up and one facing down so you can see the wires coming into the back of the unit.
  • 1 x user manual

Hardware specs

The big thing to note about these switches is that they are specifically designed for three pole switches.  You have to have a neutral wire, ground wire, two traveler wires, and a hot wire in your box for this device to work.  Also note that even though they give you two switches, you only need to replace one of the two switches on a three-pole system for it to work.  So technically, you can replace two different three pole setups with a single box.

Setup

The first thing the instructions tell you to do is to separate the face plate from the main switch.  This was easily done in the picture above by just popping the switch out by pressing on it.

The picture above shows you the light switch I am replacing.  Its partner switch is part of another two switch bank that I did not feel like messing with.

I did not take pictures of the actual wiring.  There is a great video put out by Etekcity showing you how to install the switch.  I ran into two ‘issues’ when installing this switch.   My original switch had four wires coming out of it.  The two traveler wires, a ground wire, and the hot wire.   I had to dig into the back of the box to find the neutral wire already tied off to another neutral in the box.   So I ended up adding the new switch neutral wire to an already existing neutral wire pair to have a total of three neutral wires tied together.   The other issue was just the amount of wire I had to try and stuff back into the box.  I have large metal boxes for my switches, but I guess I have a bunch of extra wire coming into them.  I really had to stuff those wires back in order to get the large switch to fit flush into the box.   The video of the install you can find on YouTube here: Etekcity Three Pole Light Switch Install Video

The picture above shows the light switch installed. You just simply touch the power button area and the light will turn on or off.  You don’t feel any kind of switch movement.  It is a touch sensitive plate.  The WiFi indicator below helps you connect the switch to your WiFi and shows you if the switch is currently connected.

After installing the switch, the next thing I did was to install the Vesync app.  This is available for both Android and iOS.  In the screenshots above you can see the app first asked for an account or you can create an account.  I created one with my email address.  An email was sent to my account to verify it before I could continue further.   Once signed in, I was asked to add my first device.

As you can see from the screenshots above there are many products from Etekcity.  I chose switches and was then presented with two choices.  I chose the three-way switch.

The app then asks to make sure the switch is installed properly.  I tested this by being able to turn my lights off and on with the switch manually.  My next step was to press and hold down on the power button for five seconds.  After that period of time, the WiFi logo below started to blink on and off.

The app then instructed me to connect my phone’s WiFi to the switches WiFi.  You can see the Etekcity WiFi name in the screen shot above.  I connected my phone to that and went back to the app.

The next step which I won’t show, was me having to place my WiFi password into the app.  I was then presented with the screen above that did a count up to 100% as it connected to my WiFi.  Once connected I was able to rename the switch to whatever I wanted to.  I chose the word Breakfast since it controlled the lights in my breakfast area.

The first screenshot above shows the main control screen in the app for my breakfast switch.  The app has several nice features where you can set a schedule to turn the light off an on (great for when you are on a vacation) and a basic timer.  The other screenshot shows the device in my Amazon Alexa app.  I simply added Vesync as a skill and logged into my account.  I then searched for devices and it found it.   In Alexa, I could add the light to my group ‘all lights’ or any group I wished.

Performance

The switch has been performing flawlessly for how we use it.  I have not tried any of the scheduling features.  I did notice there is a firmware update, so I will be sure to update the switch when I get next to it again with my phone.

What I like

  • The app is really easy to use.
  • Setup of the app and getting it to recognize the switch was a breeze.
  • I like how the switch is just a touch panel and not a toggle switch.

What I’d change

  • Please try and not make the switch box so deep.  I realize it may have a lot of technology, but it makes it difficult to install with all the extra wires.

Final thoughts

I can highly recommend this switch for anyone looking to convert a three pole switch to a smart switch.  I have installed several other smart switches and it was very easy to set up app wise.  Like I stated earlier, I just wish the switch box were not so big.  People with small plastic switch boxes in their walls will not be able to use this switch because it will be too big with all the extra wires involved.

Price: $49.98
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Etekcity.

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Etekcity Smart WiFi Light Switch review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 9, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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Crane Bone Conduction Headphones review


REVIEW – Over the past year and a half, I have reviewed several Bluetooth earbuds with a wide range of results and conclusions. All of those earbuds were similar in design and function. Several years ago, I owned some bone conduction headphones, and while I loved the sound they produced, they were made of very rigid plastic, that would hurt to wear for an extended period. In addition, the rigid plastic meant very little flexibility, and eventually, they broke. Just recently, I got my hands on the Crane Bone Conduction Headphones. Since it has been years since my first experience, I want to believe that several design elements must have changed that would all but guarantee a different if not better experience. Let’s see!!

What is it?

The Crane Bone Conduction headphones allow you to listen to music and make calls without earbuds in your ears or anything heavy on your head and resolve the need to remove them whenever you need to hear other sounds or conversations. They also remain in place while you work out.

What’s in the box


1 x Crane Bone Conduction Headphones
1 x Micro USB Cable
2 x Ear Plugs
1 x User Guide

Design and features

Specifications
• Bluetooth: 5.0
• Weight: 26 grams
• Waterproof: IPX5
• Playtime: 4 hours playtime
• Receiving Sensitivity: 88dBm
• Frequency range: 20Hz-20KHz
• Mic: Anti-interference microphones, -42DB

Features

  • Built-in microphone with background noise reduction
  • On-bone detection (autoplay/pause)
  • Siri / Google assistant
  • Multipoint connection: Connect 2 devices simultaneously, you will never miss any calls from your devices
  • Controls: volume, play, pause, next song

These headphones have one set of controls on the right side of the neckband. They are volume up, volume down and the micro USB charging port. There is also a mic and the LED status indicator light.


On the right side earbud, there is the multi-function button that controls power on/off, answer/hang-up calls, the Bluetooth connection, and Siri communication.

On the left side earbud, there is a button that controls play/pause.

Performance

When I received these headphones, I was so excited to try them that I was hoping that they were already partially charged. Much to my delight, they powered on, and immediately entered pairing mode. Once I easily connected them to my iPhone, they showed an 80% charge which allowed me to start my testing right away. I placed them around my neck/head and on my ears as shown below.


I took some time to find my comfortable placement, and I started the music. I was immediately delighted. The headphones while not audiophile, do provide a well-balanced sound, and because of their design are very likely much better for preserving your hearing. I can still hear the ambient sound around me, but there is noise management capability that does not allow the ambient sound to adversely affect the listening experience. It is a very nice balance. Winner Gear also provides a pair of earplugs should you want to completely shut out all of the other sounds around you. The headband that connects the two earpieces is extremely flexible and so much so that they would not be easy to break. I was concerned that the material was so flexible that they would not properly stay in place and that they would easily fall off. I was wrong again. Not only do they stay in place, but they never fall off despite my vigorous movement to dislodge them. These will work great when working out.

Most of our readers that have followed my earbud reviews know that I always experience major issues when using them for phone calls. This is not the case with these and neither myself nor the person on the other end of the line experienced any quality issues. For me, this is fantastic. I also test Siri, and that was as easy as it could get. I love the autodetection feature that allows them to automatically stop/pause the music when removed and start the music when I put them back on.

The only other issues that I notice is that the Bluetooth connection does not have the range of several other devices I own. If there is no line of sight, it seems to be limited to about 15 ~ 20 feet. (This is with no line of sight but still open doors from one room to another). Also, the battery charge only allows 3 ~ 4 hours of playtime with the longevity being closer to 3 hours if played at high or maximum volume.

What I like

  • Build quality including that it is lightweight
  • Simple controls
  • Comfortable to wear
  • Nice sound if worn correctly – including phone calls
  • Flexibility
  • Ambient sound management capability
  • Auto-detection feature

What I’d change

  • Better playing time between charges
  • Stronger Bluetooth connection to enhance the range

Final thoughts

When I first removed these headphones from their packaging, I did not expect much from them. They felt way too flexible and quite different from the construction and design of the ones that I had previously tested years ago. However, my testing has made me a fan and quite unexpectedly they have become a fixture in my EDC bag. I take the railroad back and forth to work every day, and with conventional earbuds and headphones, I have frequently missed announcements that have left me scrambling to find out information when there has been a change or cancelation of service. With these headphones that is not an issue. For me, they provide more than adequate sound for non-audiophile, daily leisure listening, and no discomfort when wearing them for extended periods of time. My phone calls are always clear and the auto-detection feature is a winner. While they are not perfect, I give them a well done and two thumbs up!!

Price: $149
Where to buy: WinnerGear website
Sample: The sample for this review was provided by WinnerGear

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Crane Bone Conduction Headphones review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 9, 2019 at 8:00 am.

Note: If you are subscribed to this feed through FeedBurner, please switch to our native feed URL http://the-gadgeteer.com/feed/ in order to ensure continuous delivery.

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