REVIEW – This is my second opportunity to review a Govee product, with my most recent review being their smart LED strip lighting that I used behind my TV. This time, I’m getting to show off the Wifi Smart Outdoor LED String Lights! As much as a fan as I was about the strip lighting, I will say it upfront that I really love these string lights!
What is it?
These are a 6 bulb, remote controlled, LED string light that is rated for outdoor use.
What’s in the box?
String Lights
Remote Control
Instruction Book & Govee brochure
Design and features
These lights are on a 24′ long string with 6 total bulbs. There is a standard electrical plug. Each bulb can be controlled individually, selected lights can be controlled together or all lights can be controlled at once via the Govee app – which was easy to set up this additional unit into my existing setup of lights from Govee. While it can be controlled via the app, the unit also comes with a remote control that comes in very handy. Since these are multi-color LED’s you can adjust the lights to any tone or color that you choose that best fits your situation or preference. Additionally, since it is rated for outdoor use, they can be kept up year-round as well.
Setup
Simply remove from the box, plugin and string them up as you desire. Follow the step-by-step instructions in the app to get it completely set up for Wifi use.
Performance
These lights put off a surprising intensity of light for their size and space between each bulb. They illuminate our back patio well, although I will be buying a second strand to connect to it in order to get the rest of the way around our railing. We use these nightly when we let our dogs out for the evening and they provide enough light that we can see them wherever they are at in the back yard as well as on evenings that we are out eating dinner or enjoying some wine. The remote and app make them easy to turn on/off as well as make any color adjustments that we would like. Finally, there is a setting that will allow the lights to “dance” to music that is being played so if you like that sort of thing while having a party, these lights are perfect for you!
What I like
Bright illuminating bulbs – that are still adjustable to lower brightness levels as needed.
Easy install and set-up
Can daisy-chain these together with additional units (up to 4 total) to accommodate larger areas.
What I Would Change
24′ and 6 bulbs sound like a lot, but once installed, it does feel a little short – I would like a couple more bulbs and maybe 30′ for optimal usage – but since you can chain 4 together, this detraction is negated a bit.
Price feels a little bit high at $50 per strand in my opinion, but the quality and functionality are there to balance out the price.
Final thoughts
Overall, I’m two thumbs on these lights, Govee is really doing a great job on these lights and I really like the ease of changing the colors, brightness and various modes/scenes that are pre-programmed in the smartphone app. And as I stated above, we will definitely be adding a second string to get it completely around the patio. For those looking for a quality outdoor LED lighting solution, I’d definitely recommend picking up a string or two or three of these lights!
Price: $49.99 Where to buy: Amazon (20% OFF code: HUC6522O + extra 20% Coupon on Amazon page expires: 08/20/2019 11:59 PM) Source: The sample of this product was provided by Govee.
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There are now several different game distribution platforms for PC gamers, from Steam to GOG to Epic Games. That’s not to mention the games you’ll buy and install from DVDs. With so many different methods of acquiring your games, keeping a vast PC game collection organized can be tricky. Thankfully, Launchbox exists to help you organize your game collection in one place, no matter the installation method. Related: Five Tools to See Your Steam Spending, Play-Time, and Achievement Stats What Is Launchbox? Launchbox started off life as a graphical interface for DOSBOX, an… Read more
Facetime is a very popular voice calling app for iPhone users, but since they don’t provide an Android version, what other apps could you use for video calling? Here are five apps that may meet your needs. 1. Google Duo Duo is a voice calling app from Google that is designed to run smoothly on both Android and iOS. It can be used when the two participants have different devices, unlike Facetime. There are rumors that there will soon be a version coming for use on the Web. Each person in the conversation has to be using the Duo app. It’s only for person-to-person… Read more
REVIEW – Love mobile gaming but hate the virtual controls? GameSir might have just the solution for you with their G6 iPhone Touchroller (an amalgam of Touchscreen and Controller). Does it score a victory royale or an epic fail? Read on!
What is it?
The GameSir G6 Touchroller is a hybrid game controller developed specifically for mobile games. It combines the advantages of an actual analog controller and touch screen control, so you can use the left controller to move or jump while focusing on the precise aiming on the right touch screen. It is only compatible with iPhone.
Maybe nabbing that victory royale on iOS will be a bit easier.
What’s in the box?
GameSir G6 Mobile Gaming Touchroller
Micro-USB Cable
User Manual
Hardware specs
Wireless Technology: Bluetooth 5.0
Working Platforms: iOS 9.0 or later only
Compatible Mobile Phone Size: length less than 6.57 in.
The left side has two shoulder buttons, a joystick, 4 buttons configured in a d-pad shape, and two additional buttons.
Design and features
The GameSir G6 Touchroller is a bit of an odd cookie.
Mobile game controllers aren’t a new concept and have been around for a few years in many iterations and sizes. I have a SteelSeries Nimbus that I break out to use with my iPhone every once in a while, offering a wireless control solution very similar to a PlayStation controller. GameSir’s G6 Touchroller tries to make the best of both worlds: external controllers and smart on-screen control schemes.
I’ll elaborate. If you’ve played Fortnite or PUBG or any good modern mobile game, chances are you’ve used the default touchscreen control interface. You know. All those little semi-transparent virtual buttons on the top, bottom and sides of the screen.
A lot of the major iOS game releases that rely on virtual controls are smartly positioned so your thumbs, while also holding on to your phone, can easily reach all the buttons necessary to play the game. It’s not a perfect setup, but it works in a pinch because it’s a mobile device, and the developer is doing the best they can.
Now, most games are controlled in the same way, with the left thumb moving your character and the right thumb performing actions like aiming, jumping and firing. So for most virtual controls, the on-screen movement is handled with a virtual joystick. This remains one of the most obnoxious methods of controlling your character… it’s just plain hard to get it right, since there are no physical borders for your thumb sliding around on the screen. It’s easy to move your thumb right off the edge of that virtual space, bringing your character to a halt.
The right thumb doesn’t have much of a problem, though, once it gains the muscle memory of knowing where to tap on the screen to perform an action. In most cases, it’s quite good.
The right side has only one shoulder button.
This is exactly the problem the Touchroller attempts to fix. It gives your left thumb the more traditional control setup of a console gaming system, while keeping your right thumb free to use the touch controls that are inherently good in many iOS games.
Getting the phone mounted in place is simple. The right side of the Touchroller extends to accommodate even the largest iPhone, the Max model. Just extend the side and slide your phone. There is a strong spring and grippy pads that keep the phone firmly in place.
This bit extends out and automatically springs back to hold the phone tightly in place.
I tested several games with the Touchroller… Fortnite (which I probably don’t have to explain), Grimvalor, a side-scrolling platformer, and Death Road to Canada, which controls sort of like an old-school isometric beat-em-up. All of these games feature virtual joysticks and buttons.
Each of these games recognized the controller immediately upon launch, although it took a lot of trial and error to see what buttons on the controller did what, but once I got used to the layout, I was up and running with much tighter control.
The joystick, probably the best feature, is smooth, and comparable to a gaming console. The buttons have a nice clickiness to them, especially the shoulder buttons, which feel more triggery, having a bit more travel than the face buttons. And there are plenty, provided you can figure out what they all do. They are programmable, as well, but that’s something I’ll address in the Weird Issue section.
Overall, the Touchroller feels good in my hands. I like that my hands don’t cover up as much of the screen, too. It’s more comfortable to hold for long stretches, and the phone never felt like it was going to pop out.
Let’s get to the oddities…
Some Weird Issues
One problem I ran into was with the initial setup. Pairing the Touchroller via Bluetooth was easy, but there’s an extra step detailed in the tiny instruction booklet that states “Press Y+power buttons simultaneously, the LED mode indicator light will flash pink and then remain lit.” You need to do this after pairing, so it’s almost like it needs to pair twice. Fortunately, you only have to do this once, but it’s a strange very important extra step.
This isn’t quite GameSir’s fault, but since the surface that the phone rests on is flat, the obnoxious camera bump on my XR made it sit a little off. Since the grips on the right side have such a low profile, using the Touchroller works better without a case on your phone.
Another oddity with this Touchroller is in the proprietary software. Using the G-Crux app, you are able to download control settings for specific games, or, if one does not exist, you can upload a screenshot into the app and map the controller buttons on top of the virtual controls, programming the physical buttons to correspond with the game’s controls. It’s pretty in-depth, and I imagine that once you get through mapping those buttons, it’ll work fine from that point, but I did not have the patience to try that.
Fortunately, you can search for what I’m assuming are user-made game controls and download them in the app. It’s a lot of setup. The games that I tested just sort of “worked.” I say sort of because even though they controlled well, there were buttons that went unused that could have been mapped to other virtual buttons. I didn’t feel the need to try to mess with that.
One last big caveat. With the launch iOS 13 literally a little over a month away, which promises compatibility with Xbox and PS4 controllers (I know right?!), it’s tough to recommend picking up an iPhone-specific controller if you’ve got a spare game system controller laying around. I’d wait to see how that pans out. Personally, I can’t wait to give that a try, because to me the PS4 controller is bonkers good.
What I like
makes controlling most games much easier
easier to hold the phone for long stretches
What I’d change
Initial setup and customization for specific games can be confusing
I found myself missing the right joystick in some FPS games
PS4 and Xbox controllers will soon be supported (sorry MFi manufacturers)
Final thoughts
Overall, I do like the G6 Touchroller, mostly because the games that I tested it with seem well-suited for it. Most modern games that use touch controls have the buttons smartly mapped onto the screen, and the addition of a physical stick and shoulder buttons to these touch controls enhances the controls a lot more than I would have thought.
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REVIEW – Looking for something unique in your next phone case? The Dairy may have you covered. They offer a whole range of unique case designs from artists around the world. And if you want to bring your own design like I did here, they’ll print it for you with a proprietary 3D printing process that embeds the design in the shell. It’s pretty neat. To the review!
What is it?
It’s a snap-on phone case that can be purchased with different unique designs, or you can bring your own.
Hardware specs
The Dairy has two styles of case, called Snap and Armored. The Snap case is a simple polycarbonate shell. Mine is the Armored case, which adds a TPU sleeve beneath the shell for extra protection.
Whether you choose a design from the site or bring your own, The Dairy uses a patented 3D printing technology to embed the design in the layers of polycarbonate for high resolution image quality and long-lasting endurance.
Design and features
I’m an artist and designer, so the products from The Dairy intrigued me right off the bat. They contract with artists and graphic designers around the world to create all kinds of interesting designs that you just don’t see on the street. Browse their web site and you’ll find everything from unique floral prints to graphic patterns and statement pieces.
Now if you prefer to create your own design, they offer a customization option that allows you to do your own thing. A set of pre-designed colors and backgrounds are available, to which you can add customized text. A preview mode and easy-to-use interface allows you to quickly tweak the design to your specifications.
But the thing that really intrigued me here was I could take one of my own designs and have it printed. So I uploaded one of my illustrations for testing using that “upload image” option to make it the background on the phone. I could have added text if I wanted, but I did the design to stand on it’s own. Check it out:
Here’s the really interesting thing about their printing process: this isn’t a sticker, or some sort of laser-printed top layer. It’s printed with a proprietary photo-quality 3D technology that embeds the artwork in the polycarbonate case. That means it won’t fade or scratch away over time. The result was truly stunning. You’ll see in the pictures below how the process captured every nuance and detail of my original illustration.
Now, all of this artsy goodness wouldn’t do without a phone case that actually works well, and The Dairy delivers here. Mine is the Armored case, which incorporates a TPU jacket with the polycarbonate sleeve for extra impact protection. Here’s a shot of that internal jacket:
The finished case is machined precisely for my iPhone XS Max. Here’s a shot showing the bottom ports:
The phone itself snaps snugly into place with a bit of an edge to protect the phone’s perimeter.
You’ll see that every port has that extra TPU jacketing too. Here’s the camera port:
The volume buttons are accommodated with TPU overlays that are integrated into the case, while the sound on/off switch is exposed. Functionality is crisp and precise right out of the box.
Here’s a super close-up of the printed work. I do my stuff in Procreate with a lot of digital painting & airbrushing effects. Check out how every shade and brush stroke is captured! You’ll get the same quality from the pre made designs or custom pieces. It’s really well finished.
Here’s the other cool bit: my finished custom phone case came in at a final price of $55. That’s pretty crazy given the quality of the finished piece!
What I like
Excellent quality and finishing.
Great selection of designs by artists worldwide.
Ability to customize with a simple online interface, including your own images or artwork.
What I’d change
Nothing that I see so far.
Final thoughts
I’ve been beating this case mercilessly for a month now, and I’m not seeing any obvious mars or scars. There are some scratches here and there (I did take it to the beach for a week), but nothing has negatively impacted the glossy finish. It’s really impressive for a simple iPhone case, especially one that you can rock with a unique design that represents your personal style. Highly recommended.
Price: Prices start at about $30 USD depending on phone style. My iPhone XS Max Armored case retails for about $55 USD. Where to buy: Visit The Dairy Web Site. Source: The sample of this product was provided by The Dairy.
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