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BenQ ScreenBar Plus LED Lamp Review

REVIEW – At home, I do most of my “work” at my computer desk paying bills, sorting papers, and staying up late. Lighting up my workspace has always been a little tricky since the computer screens themselves give of light and can get in the way. The BenQ ScreenBar Plus is a lamp that sits atop your monitor in a way that gives off even illumination without getting in your way.

What is it?

The ScreenBar Plus is an LED lamp that doesn’t add glare to your monitors, yet provides an even pool of light in your work area. It’s dimmable and color temperature adjustable.

Hardware specs

  • USB powered
  • Color temperature adjustable between 2700K and 6500K
  • Auto-dimming
  • Fits on any monitor thickness from 0.4″ to 1.2″

What’s in the box?

You’ll find the LED tube, the monitor clip, and a round controller with USB cables.

There’s a warning sticker in the box too. I guess they really don’t want you to use a USB extension.

Design and features

The LED tube itself has tiny, individual LED lights all along the length of the assembly.

Note that there are actually two “colors” of LED lights. The lamp is able to adjust between the two.

The controller has a cord permanently attached to it. There’s a standard USB-A for power, and a micro USB for the lamp itself.

The bottom of the controller has a large, non-skid pad. It feels rubbery.

Here’s the monitor clip. The cylinder actually has a bit of weight to it to serve as a counterbalance to the LED bar.

There’s a cutout on the back for the micro USB cable. The cutout is larger than the port itself, which allows the entire LED tube to rotate up to 20 degrees.

Setup

All controls are on the round “puck”. The dial is like an encoder that rotates infinitely in either direction and has detents like a mouse wheel. Depending on what mode you’re in (Brightness or Hue adjust), twisting the dial will raise brightness or change the color temperature.

Pressing the center knob turns the lamp on or off. You can also plug the lamp into a USB port on your computer so it turns on or off with the computer. Either way, the lamp remembers the previous setting.

The Auto Dimmer button illuminates with a green ring. When pressed, the light sensor (top position) determines a suitable brightness level, and the color temperature goes right in the middle. I like to choose my own brightness and color temperature, so I don’t use this. Twisting the knob returns control back to manual.

Performance

I attached the light to the top of my mess of monitors. Here are some shots of the warmest (L) vs. coolest (R) color temperature settings.

I placed some random objects on my desk and tried again. Warmest (top) and coolest (bottom).

What I like

Fits out of the way on top of your monitor, yet minimal glare on your screens. Adjustable brightness and color temperature is easy with the remote knob.

What needs to be improved

I haven’t seen much use for the auto dimmer.

Final thoughts

I’ve been trying to figure out what kind of lamp works best for my desk. I can stop looking. The BenQ ScreenBar Plus is a bright idea!

Price: $129.00
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by BenQ.

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BenQ ScreenBar Plus LED Lamp Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 16, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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Julie’s favorite gear, Click and Grow garden, Netwon Mail, and more – Review updates

REVIEW – It’s time to check back on a handful of our past reviews and articles that have been updated with new info. This is our way of letting you how well the products that we review stand the test of time weeks, months, and even years after we first brought you our reviews. The updates can be found at the bottom of each review linked below.

Julie’s favorite gear

Click & Grow Smart Garden 9 review by Julie Strietelmeier

iLife A8 robotic vacuum cleaner review by Julie Strietelmeier

Jarvis Farley will give you inspiration to turn your home into a smart one by Julie Strietelmeier

Newton Mail review by Julie Strietelmeier

Master & Dynamic MW60 wireless and MW50 wireless headphones review by Bill Henderson

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Julie’s favorite gear, Click and Grow garden, Netwon Mail, and more – Review updates originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 15, 2018 at 11:33 am.

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YEVO Air Bluetooth earbuds review


REVIEW – Here we go again on my earbud journey. I won’t repeat my intro from this continuing series on my quest for the best earbuds for my individual taste, but I have another opportunity to keep going with these, so let’s have some fun.

What is it?

The YEVO Air Bluetooth earbuds are a pair of wireless, Bluetooth lightweight earbuds with the usual charging case. They are auto-pairing, and they perform the standard audio functions including phone functions.

What’s in the box



1 x YEVO Air Bluetooth earbuds
1 x Charging Case
1 x Micro USB Cable
3 x Pairs of Ear Tips
1 x Instruction Booklet

Design and features

The YEVO Air Bluetooth earbuds come in attractive packaging and are safely packaged. Once you remove them from the packaging, you will notice that they are fully charged and ready to go. They automatically go into the auto-pairing mode and appear in the list of available Bluetooth devices on your mobile device. Pairing is quick and easy, and I was able to use the Ear Tips that were pre-installed and get to listening right away. I can confirm that these as stated, the contemporary YEVO Air design is engineered to stay comfortably in your ears.

Specifications:

Bluetooth: 4.2
Speaker size: 6 mm
Sensitivity: 93±3 dB
Impedance: 16Ω±15%
Frequency range: 20Hz-20kHz
Earbud type: Hands-free with Microphone
Play Time: 14 hours with the charge case
Charging: Micro USB, 1.5 hours charging time
Compatibility: Compatible with Android, iOS, OSX, and Windows
Compatibility: Hands-free with Microphone

Performance

Using the earbuds: (MFB = Multifunction button on the surface of each earbud)
On Left or Right Earbud:
Power On and Pairing: Press MFB for 2 secs
Power off: Press MFB for 4 secs
Power on and Reset Bluetooth: Press MFB for 10 secs

On Right Earbud:
To answer a call/ end call/ switch call: Tap MFB once
To reject a call: Double tap MFB
To transfer a call: Press MFB for 2 secs
To play/pause music: Tap MFB once
Next track: Double tap MFB
Previous track: Triple tap MFB
To switch to the next song: Double tap MFB
Siri / Google Voice: Press MFB for 2 secs

On Left Earbud:
Volume up: Tap MFB once
Volume down: Tap MFB twice

When you take the earbuds out of the case, they automatically connect to each other and the process like with all other functions is confirmed by voice command. The LEDs then flash blue as a confirmation of connectivity and status. Placing them back in the charging case disconnects them from the Bluetooth connection. The only other LED is a red LED on the back of the case next to the micro USB charging port. It lights up when charging the case and until it is fully charged.


These earbuds perform very well. Once again like some of the others I have tested, the sound is very good and clear, and the Lows, Mids, and Highs are all present and well balanced. Also as with some of the other earbuds, the maximum volume has a limiter so that you are never in danger of turning the volume up too high and damaging your hearing. However, I do wish that they could go a bit louder (Personal preference). They are very pleasing to listen to, and these have the best Bluetooth connectivity of all of the earbuds that I have tested so far. They even remained connected most times when I was within those geographical high interference areas that I mention in all of my earbud reviews.
They work quite well for phone conversations for me. This is notable if you have been following my reviews and know of my history of having issues with the other party not hearing me clearly with almost every earbud I have tested. It is also great that these earbuds allow phone use with either earbud. They are comfortable and are the most lightweight and best fitting I have experienced so far.


One issue that really bothers me is that there is no magnetic connection between the earbuds and the case. A few times when I opened the case and it was not level and fully upright, the earbuds fell out or almost fell out.

What I like

  • The stability of the Bluetooth Connection
  • The overall balanced sound
  • The size and fit
  • The build quality

What can be improved

  • The earbuds need to have a magnetic connection with the charging case to prevent them from accidentally falling.

Final thoughts

To date, I have tested and reviewed several earbuds, and I must say that these  YEVO Air Bluetooth earbuds have earned a spot at the top of my list, or at least tied for first place. With all of the innovation going on these days with earbud design and capabilities, I have no doubt that its pole position will soon be challenged. However, until then, this solid performer will hang out with me every day. Well done!!

Price: $129
Where to buy: The Yevo Labs website.
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Yevo.

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YEVO Air Bluetooth earbuds review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 15, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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Sodastream Fizzi One Touch review

I used to be addicted to Diet Coke. But then I became sensitive to caffeine and had to cut out all caffeinated drinks. I took this problem and turned it into my motivation to stop drinking artificially sweetened drinks. But the problem is that I really missed fizzy drinks. For a while, I made my own using seltzer, stevia, and Cappella’s flavor drops. This worked fine but it meant that I needed to keep a supply of bottled seltzer. Then I switched to a SodaStream Crystal Sparkling Water Maker for on-demand fizzy drink goodness. I loved that machine. Well, except that I had problems getting consistent fizziness of my drinks. But those days are gone now that I’ve started using the SodaStream Fizzi One Touch. Let’s check it out.

What is it?

The SodaStream Fizzi One Touch is a table-top appliance that carbonates water with 3 levels of carbonation to choose from.

What’s in the box?

SodaStream Fizzi One Touch
60 liter co2 carbonator
1 liter BPA-free reusable source carbonating bottle
AC adapter

Design and features

The Fizzi One Touch looks similar to other SodaStream sparkling water makers. It’s a 5″ x 7 1/4″ x 17″ high gloss black plastic device with the SodaStream logo on the front.

The back of the One Touch pops off the back of the unit to reveal the holder for the CO2 cartridge.

Installing the cartridge takes just a few seconds. All you have to do is peel off the wrapper at the top and remove the cap. This reveals the connector.

Then you slide the cartridge in place and screw it into the receptacle.

The next step is to attach the AC adapter to the bottom of the unit and route the cable. This is the first SodaStream that I’ve used that requires power. The others that I’ve tried over the years were manual sparkling water makers that required me to press the button as many times as needed to carbonate the water. That’s where the Fizzi One Touch is so much better because it does all the work for you!

The Fizzi One Touch comes with one BPA-free 1 Liter plastic bottle. The bottle is clear with a chrome-covered cap and base. Printed on the bottom is a fill line that helps you fill the bottle to the appropriate level.

The One Touch has a nozzle that goes into the bottle to “inject” the carbonation into the water.

Around the nozzle is an automatic clamp that holds the top of the bottom when you insert it.

You might be wondering if you can fill the bottle with something other than water and the answer to that question is no. The SodaStream is designed to only carbonate water. Trying other liquids can result in a mess and/or ruining your SodaStream, so don’t try it.

The nozzle swivels out from the unit to allow you to angle the bottle into the clamp.

When the bottle is in place, you press the bottle back into the unit so it’s in an upright position and is ready for carbonation.

As I mentioned earlier, the SodaStream Fizzi One Touch is a powered carbonator. On the top of the unit are three buttons that light up in blue when the unit is active. The left button (one drop) is for light fizz, the middle button (two drops) is for medium fizz, and the right button (three drops) is for high fizz.

It takes one button press to wake up the unit at which point the buttons will light up. Then you can press the button you want for the desired amount of fizz. Then the Fizzi will carbonate the water in the attached bottle. As soon as the lights on the buttons go out, you can remove the bottle.

See it in action

Using the One Touch is pretty much effortless. I prefer to fill the bottle with water and put it in the fridge so it gets cold BEFORE I make my drinks. But that’s just because I don’t want to water down the flavor with melting ice.

I like my homemade flavored soda drinks to be very fizzy, so I always use the max fizz button. I’ve been VERY happy with the performance of the Fizzi One Touch. Each time the fizz level is exactly the same unlike other SodaStream that I’ve used that have different fizz levels based on how many times and how long you press the manual button. I much prefer the One Touch do the work to get it the same fizz level each and every time.

Time will tell if the CO2 cartridge in the One Touch actually ends up lasting longer or not as long as the cartridge in a manual sparkling water maker. From what I’ve read, one cartridge should be able to carbonate up to 60 liters. New cartridges cost about $15 when you trade in your old one at Best Buy, Walmart, Bed Bath and Beyond, etc.

What I like

  • Consistent results with one button press
  • Easy to use

What needs to be improved

  • A 2nd bottle would be nice

Final thoughts

I love the SodaStream Fizzi One Touch. It has removed the only pain point that I had from the previous SodaStream that I used but adding the one touch carbonation feature. The only way that I could be better would be to include an extra bottle but otherwise, it’s a definite keeper and popular gadget in our kitchen.

Price: $129.99
Where to buy: SodaStream and William Sonoma
Source: The sample for this review was provided by SodaStream.

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Sodastream Fizzi One Touch review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 14, 2018 at 12:46 pm.

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Posture Stand review


REVIEW – For folks like me and my wife who spend a lot of time working on a laptop or tablet, finding a comfortable position to do so is not always easy. Sometimes I work at night in bed or sitting on the floor or even the sofa. There are many companies that offer solutions for this type of working situation, and this device is just such a solution.

What is it?

The Posture Stand is an ergonomically designed stand that helps you to find the most comfortable and supportive position when working with your laptop or mobile device or even reading a book. It supports good posture and spinal alignment.

What’s in the box


1 x Posture Stand
1 x Accessory Rest
1 x Informational Booklet

Design and features

The Posture Stand is a great versatile mobile work platform that has the adjustability to adapt to your most comfortable work position. Whether you are sitting on the floor, or in bed, or sitting on the sofa, and whether you are using your laptop or tablet or just reading a book.




There is an accessory rest that can be attached to the end section of either side of the stand, and it can be used to place whatever accessory you choose within reason.


Each leg section of the stand can be adjusted incrementally up to 180 degrees in either direction. There is a metal locking ring that can be moved side to side to adjust and lock each section.


This stand is also versatile enough that it can be used as a side table or end table and can accommodate a lamp or ornament or maybe you just use it as a food tray as well and enjoy lunch.

What I like

  • The build quality
  • The flexibility and versatility
  • The ability to be folded away in a compact form when not in use

What can be improved

  • An accessory tray that can be mounted in more locations for better use

Final thoughts

The Posture Stand is a very convenient and versatile stand that works very well for me. I have found many uses beyond the use of mobile devices and reading that include a tray for eating while sitting on the floor or in bed, a display stand for taking pictures, etc. It is very sturdy and yet relatively lightweight. It is definitely a good product that will be continuously utilized in my household. In my opinion, it is a good value for the price.

Price: $74.99
Where to buy: Back Pain Help website.
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Back Pain Help.

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Posture Stand review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 14, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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