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Power Practical Luminoodle Color Bias Lighting review

Every once in a while, a gadget comes along that, at first glance at least, appears to be basically superfluous and unnecessary…but cool and fun, nonetheless. That was exactly what I thought when I first saw the Power Practical Luminoodle Color Bias Lighting. Heck, just the name “Luminoodle” had my attention. Truth be told, I’d actually been seeing these LED strips for a while and thought I might like to try one, so when Julie offered the Luminoodle to review, I was gleefully all over it. Let’s check it out! Gadget on!

Specs

  • LED rating: 50,000 hours
  • Light output: 450 Lumens
  • USB input: 5 Watts (5 Volts, 1 Amp)
  • 3M adhesive backing
  • 15 colors
  • Warranty: 1 year

Options

  • Small (1 meter) – $19.99
  • Medium (2 meters) – $24.99 (reviewed here)
  • Large (3 meters) – $29.99

Packaging

The Luminoodle arrived in a slim plastic zip-closure pouch with a tear-off opening.The back of the pouch depicted a brief explanation of installation configurations for the product inside.

Contents

  • 2-meter Luminoodle on a spool
  • Wireless remote
  • Luminoodle instruction booklet
  • Remote instruction booklet

Features & Functions

The Luminoodle wireless remote has multiple buttons used to control its various functions. The Luminoodle is powered by plugging it into a standard USB port.  Bonus: this is a reversible USB plug!The Luminoodle can be controlled with a simple in-line remote that includes three buttons, as shown above.  Above is a closeup of a segment of the Luminoodle’s ribbon cable.  The Luminoodle’s color illumination is driven by sets of RGB (Red Green Blue) LEDs.  NOTE: If for some reason you need to trim off the excess length of cable, the Luminoodle can be cut at any of the points where the “+GRB” copper connectors are located, as seen on the right side of the image above.As shown above, the Luminoodle utilizes some high-strength 3D tape to attach to the back of a TV, computer monitor or any other surface.


The wireless remote is powered by a single CR 2025 3V lithium battery.  The battery is simple to change; it fits into a small tray that slides into the bottom of the remote.The wireless remote is quite small and thin and very lightweight.Almost immediately upon opening the pouch, I just had to power up the Luminoodle.  Without even removing it from the spool, I plugged the Luminoodle into an iPad power adapter and cycled through its four primary colors: white (above) and red, blue and green (all below).  I literally giggled to myself—it was already pretty fun, and I hadn’t even installed it yet.



I began the installation process by turning my TV around so that I could access its rear.  My TV measures 55 inches diagonally, and the Luminoodle I was sent was 2 meters in length, so I figured it would wrap around most of the back of my TV, but probably not in a full loop.  Next, I carefully dusted the back of the TV to help the adhesive backing adhere better.  Then I used some masking tape to mock up where I would ultimately place the Luminoodle (see above image).  After a few adjustments to make it as symmetrical as I could, I was satisfied.

Once I was happy with the Luminoodle’s placement, I began peeling the red backing from the 3M tape, exposing its adhesive side, as shown above.  I quickly realized that this particular tape was actually a double-stick type and very grippy, which I saw as a good thing—I wouldn’t have to worry about the Luminoodle spontaneously falling off of my TV.  Also, it took me a few minutes to be able to peel the backing off without pulling the tape itself off of the ribbon cable, but once I got it started, it was fine.

The only challenging part about attaching the Luminoodle was the corners.  Because the Luminoodle is basically a flat ribbon cable, it was impossible to get it to form a curve shape.  Therefore, I had to improvise by putting a small fold or crimp in each of the two corners, as seen in the images above and below.  NOTE: In re-reviewing the instructions, maybe I didn’t do this correctly, but it seemed to work for me.

I am still a bit concerned that these corner crimps may result in a short-circuit over time, but considering that the Luminoodle on either side of the crimps is stationary and well-fixed as a result of the 3M adhesive tape, I don’t expect this to become an issue.
Above is a photo of the fully-installed Luminoodle.  This 2-meter long Luminoodle model ended up covering around 2/3 of the perimeter of the rear of my 55-inch diagonal TV, which I was happy with.  For TVs of different sizes, Luminoodle offers different lengths.

Above, another view of the installed Luminoodle.  I should note that taking the time to mock up the location with the masking tape actually made the final installation go very quickly.

Above, a photo of the Luminoodle’s reversible USB power connector plugged into the USB port on the back of my TV.  Because it is USB-powered, the Luminoodle can be plugged into not only a TV, as I’ve done here, but a USB port on a monitor, computer or even a wall USB adapter as I showed up above.  However, plugging the Luminoodle into a TV, monitor or computer allows it to power on and off whenever you use these devices.

Above, one more shot of the installed Luminoodle before I spun it back around.  Even BB-8 is anxious to see the Luminoodle in action.

Above and in the next several pics are a teaser to give an idea of just how much illumination the Luminoodle can output.







The Luminoodle has 14 different color modes plus white, warm white and cool white, and I’ve attempted to show a pic of each of them here (though I may have missed a few!).  In addition to being able to change colors, Luminoodle also has 10 dimmer levels, and I’ve shown the brightest of them here because the lowest level didn’t come through well on photos.  And finally, the Luminoodle also has 4 modes.  You can manually switch from color to color, you can have Luminoodle slowly cycle from color to color (or “Crossfade,” the mode I like best while watching TV), or you can have Luminoodle pulsate rapidly from color to color like a strobe light (party mode!), either in a single or all colors, and you can even control the speed.  The Power Practical folks tout Luminoodle’s ability to help reduce eye strain and dryness by providing a gentle ambient backlighting.  To me, this is at least a plausible concept but I have to say that I wasn’t really able to prove it either way.


Conclusion

OK, the Power Practical Luminoodle Color Bias Lighting is just plain fun.  It was easier to install than I expected (and even installation was kind of fun), and the wireless remote made it even more fun to cycle through its many colors, brightness levels, and modes.  I’m not completely sure about the claim of making my TV’s picture’s darks darker to reduce eye strain and dryness.  Maybe Luminoodle can help with that, maybe not.  All I know is, Luminoodle is easy to install and fun to use.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Power Practical. Please visit powerpractical.com for more info and Amazon to order.

 

Product Information

Price: $19.99 (1 meter), $24.99 (2 meters), $29.99 (3 meters)
Manufacturer: Power Practical
Retailer: Amazon
Requirements:
  • A USB port to power the Luminoodle itself
  • A single CR 2025 3V lithium battery to power the wireless remote
Pros:
  • FUN
  • Easy to install
  • Lots of colors and modes
Cons:
  • Can only be installed once

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Power Practical Luminoodle Color Bias Lighting review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 2, 2017 at 10:00 am.

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No more swallowing horse pills with Tespo’s Vitamin Dispenser

Nobody likes the feeling of swallowing a large pill, especially without a beverage. Well with Tespo’s new Vitamin Countertop Dispenser, your vitamin is your beverage. There are a variety of supplements to choose from including multivitamin pods for children, men, women, sleep aid, caffeine, and energy, focus with eye health support, menopause relief, hair, skin, and nails. 

Once you’ve selected your vitamin, just start the dispenser much like a Keurig and enjoy your healthy and delicious shot of vitamins. Recent studies have even shown that taking vitamins in a liquid form rather than pill or capsule form is more beneficial for digestion. Tespo’s vitamin pods are non-GMO and contain no sugar, net carbs, calories, or preservatives. Up to three pods can be stored in one dispenser, allowing quick and easy access for the family. For $99, you can receive one Vitamin Dispenser and a cup, power cord, and one Tespo-Go for on-the-go emergencies. The pods are sold separately, however.

You can pick up a Tespo Vitamin Countertop Dispenser on Amazon now.

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No more swallowing horse pills with Tespo’s Vitamin Dispenser originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 2, 2017 at 9:00 am.

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Samsung’s The Frame smartTV is an art installation for your home

Have you seen those HGTV home-decorating shows where one person in the couple refuses to have a TV in the living room or even in the family room?  I’ve never understood that mentality.  I love my TV, and I want to have it in the room with comfy chairs so I can be comfortable watching The Walking Dead or Supernatural.  I will admit that my 65″ TV with black bezel and a black stand isn’t the most beautiful accessory in my living room when it’s turned off, however.  With the Samsung The Frame 4K UHD smartTV, your TV can look like a framed piece of art when you aren’t watching programming. 

The Frame includes 100 pieces of art from ten different genres, so you can select the piece that best complements your decor for display when you aren’t using the TV.  To further the illusion of framed art, you can add (at extra cost) a walnut, beige, or white-painted frame to the TV’s black bezel.  And the Samsung No Gap Wall Mount (included with purchase) allows the TV to hang flush to the wall, just like a framed picture would.

And watching TV will be a pleasant experience, as well, with the exceptional picture quality afforded you with the 4K Ultra HD resolution, 4K HDR, and over 1 billion colors produced by The Frame.  The smartTV function allows you to access Netflix, YouTube, Amazon video, and other streaming services without requiring extra set-top boxes.  And the universal OneRemote will control the TV’s works of art, TV and video programming, and compatible connected devices.

I found the Samsung The Frame UN65LS003AFXZA LED 4K UHD smartTV (2017 model) at Amazon.  It’s available in a 55″ size for $1998 or a 65″ size for $2798.

 

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Samsung’s The Frame smartTV is an art installation for your home originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 2, 2017 at 8:00 am.

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Jaybird RUN True wireless sport headphones review

I find minimalistic running to be the best kind of running. Thankfully the days of the big, clunky, bright yellow Sony Sports Walkman are long behind us. We have come so far that headphone ports are even being phased out (like it or not), as are many types of cables and cords. I prefer running without wires or anything that weighs me down or jiggles around to distract me from pounding pavement, preferring truly wireless earbuds and music streaming from my smartwatch. In this case, Jaybird is joining the (quickly getting crowded) cordless earbud market, with their recently released RUN True Wireless Sport headphones. 

Note: Photos may be tapped or clicked for a larger image.

I have reviewed more than a few Jaybird Bluetooth earbuds over the years, all with decent, comfortable design and solid sound quality that continues to evolve and improve with each generation. The RUN True Wireless Sport headphones are Jaybird’s first completely cordless earbuds. Like previous Jaybird headsets, the RUN’s are noise-isolating earphones, designed to fit tightly/snugly in your ears blocking out a majority of the ambient sound.

The new RUN True wireless sport headphones feature all of the sport-centric features that you would expect from Jaybird, most importantly a sweat-proof/water-resistant minimalistic design. The RUN earbuds follow Jaybird’s familiar wing-tip design.

The earbuds are made of a black plastic with silver accents around the rim with Jaybird’s logo on the main face of each. The RUN’s have a double hydrophobic coating to prevent sweat or rain from killing them.

In the Box:

  • Jaybird RUN True Wireless Sport Headphones
  • Charging Case
  • Round Silicone Ear Tips S/M
  • Oval Silicone Ear Tips S/M
  • Secure-Fit Ear Fins 1/2/3/4
  • USB 2.0 Charging Cable
  • Carry Pouch

The Jaybird earbud case is not only for storage, loss prevention, and safe transport but is designed to charge the RUN True Sport headphones as well. The case has a microUSB port in the back for connecting to power. There are three LED’s on the front of the case that glow on and off while charging and solid green when fully charged. The center LED shows the status of the case’s internal battery and the side ones show the individual headphones. The case itself is a bit “plasticy” and not the best quality. The latch mechanism occasionally failed, popping open in my bag or pocket activating the earbuds which unbeknownst to me connected to my smartphone.

The RUN earbuds are inserted into their respective spots within the case where the five inductive charging points make contact.

By themselves, the earbuds are rated for four hours of playback on a single charge. The carrying case provides an additional eight hours or two more charging cycles for a total of 12 hours of playback before the trio has to be recharged. While I do not spend hours at a time marathon training, the RUN’s never died on me during a workout. They easily made it through an hour on the elliptical machine or 4-mile run. But in a pinch, a 5-minute charge gives an hour of play time.

Connectivity:

You can use the right earbud by itself or the pair depending on how situationally aware of the outside world you need/want to be. The main face (where the Jaybird logo is) of each earbud has a programmable button that by default: plays/pauses music (right ear) and activates Siri or Google Assistant (left ear). But you can change that to volume controls via the smartphone app.

The right/main earbud connects to your smartphone and the left/slave earbud connects to the right. After a few connectivity issues, I came to find out the two earbuds do not use Near-Field Magnetic Induction (like other well-known wireless earbuds do) to communicate, just Bluetooth.  This is what I believe to be the cause of them having trouble staying connected and in sync with each other. We live out in the sticks where interference shouldn’t be an issue as compared to the big city. The connection problems come and go randomly (fixable by turning the buds off & on) but overall the earbuds work as advertised.

Comfort and fit:

For the most part, the RUN True earbuds are comfortable with a relatively secure, wiggle-free fit. Jaybird includes a multitude of tips and wings to ensure the earbuds fit your ear without feeling loose or ever having to worry about them falling out during an epic workout. I’ve have tried various combinations of wings and tips and found the medium for both stays in my ears best. That said, they sit in my ears pretty well while running stairs, on my elliptical machine, walking around etc. Though I do need to adjust and reseat them every now and then while on the treadmill or out for a run due to sweat and up & down motion while running.

Sound Quality:

With a solid, sealed fit…the overall sound quality of the RUN’s is very good.

Jaybird engineers the RUN True wireless earbuds to work hand in hand with their MySound app, available on both iOS and Android. As with previous Jaybird headphones, the app allows you to customise the equalizer balance of the RUN earbuds, tweaking the sound profile to your liking. The app includes a multitude of preprogrammed sound curves and the ability to create personalized ones of your own. It is easy; you simply use your finger to tweak the equalizer curve, dragging the bass, mid, and treble settings however you prefer. Whichever profile you select or create is saved directly to the earbuds and stays set until you change it.

The RUN True wireless earbuds worked well with all the devices I paired them with, this included: iOS, Android, Tizen, and macOS.

In addition to Jet (black), the RUN True wireless earbuds are also available in Drift (white).

As the Jaybird website touts, the RUN True wireless earbuds are designed and built by runners for runners and in theory, I agree. Their form factor is ideal for minimalistic running without anything to distract you from the Zen of pounding pavement. They are comfortable and well fitted, stay securely in your ears, and are hardened against sweat and rain. The only real issue I have with them is the intermittent connectivity problems that can hopefully be fixed with future firmware updates…though no guarantees.

Source:  The samples for this review were provided by Jaybird. Please visit their site for more information and visit Amazon to order.

 

Product Information

Price: $179.99
Manufacturer: Jaybird
Retailer: Amazon
Pros:
  • Comfortable, secure fit
  • Good sound quality
  • Customizable sound profiles
  • Programmable buttons
Cons:
  • Just OK build quality
  • Connection issues
  • Phone conversations only in right earbud

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Jaybird RUN True wireless sport headphones review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 1, 2017 at 1:14 pm.

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Spoke Pencil Model 4 is a bespoke update to its predecessors

Way back in 2012, we posted a news article about the Spoke Pencil, which at the time was the first foray into Kickstarter campaigns for inventor, designer and maker, Brian Conti. Brian has since launched several brands and Kickstarter campaigns which all sprang from the success of his original Spoke Pencil. Brian has recently released Spoke Pencil Model 4, which retains many of the design elements of the original, but with some notable improvements: a new grip texture and shape (available in either 8.3 or 9.2 mm diameters), the ability to mix-and-match 5 grip materials/finishes and 5 barrel colors, and either 0.5, 0.7 or 0.9 mm diameter lead. Spoke Pencil Model 4 also comes with extra lead and erasers, as well as a little stand that allows you to store the pencil vertically. Price is $39.00 for a single Spoke Pencil Model 4. Visit the Spoke Pencil site for more info or to order.

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Spoke Pencil Model 4 is a bespoke update to its predecessors originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 1, 2017 at 11:22 am.

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