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Sengled Element Color Plus Smart LED Bulb review

REVIEW – Who says you can’t do professional-style interior lighting on a reasonable budget? The Sengled Element Color Plus smart bulbs enable you to manage your interior lighting from your smartphone with complete control of color, warmth, and brightness. We’re already fans of the Sengled Element Smart Lighting system, and this addition makes it even better! So many colors to choose… let’s set the mood!

What is it?

It’s a new addition to the Sengled smart bulb family of products that offers 16 million customizable color options and tunable brightness levels.

Hardware specs

Bulbs:

  • 8.6 W, 60 hz
  • 4.3” by 2.4” (standard socket size)
  • 800 lumens, 2700 K Color Temperature
  • Dimmable with app
  • 200 degree beam angle
  • 25,000 hour lifetime

Hub:

  • 3.07” by 1.02”
  • 2.4 GHz
  • 120 foot range
  • 64 bulb management capacity

What’s in the box?

My test kit is the Smart LED Starter Kit. It contains two color bulbs, the hub (with power adaptor), and an Ethernet cable.

Design and features

Back in May, I reviewed the Sengled Element Classic Smart Bulb and found it to be an excellent way to get started with smart lighting in your home. Because Sengled’s product lineup is designed to work as an integrated system, the new Element Color Plus can be added to your existing setup or installed as a standalone system.

If you’re doing a standalone setup, the process exactly the same: you’ll load the app on your phone and follow the setup wizard to connect the hub to your network, then to connect your bulbs. Once you have everything loaded, you’ll identify the locations and light fixtures where you’ll place your bulbs. Check out my original review for a detailed breakdown of the process.

If you already have a Sengled setup installed, you have options. You can add the new hub as a second device controlled by your current app, or just add the bulbs to your existing hub. The app wizard walks you through the process either way, but we did find a neat trick that you can use if you’re just adding new bulbs to your current setup. Each bulb has a QR code on it so that you can scan it in the app and add it to your existing hub without keying in long access codes! Check out the screenshot below:

Once you have them added, you have all the same features for general lighting management that you do for plain white bulbs: adjusting brightness, monitoring power consumption, scheduling when the lights go on and off, etc. As I detailed in my previous review it’s all very intuitive and easy to use.

Here’s a bulb that we added to the system for my son’s bedroom. You can set general parameters for brightness and color temperature and manage to turn it on and off from the app:

You can also set schedules for when the light will be on, creating different events like the “Wake up time” shown below:

Color management is where the new fun begins. Tap the “color” setting, and you get a full-color palette to play with. You can also alter the whiteness setting to fit the mood:

There are 16 million possible color combinations along with the ability to tune your white light brightness & color temperatures from a soft candlelight (or nightlight) setting to full daylight (2000K-6500K). Color changes go into effect instantly and can be set as part of your scheduled events. Here are some examples of the difference when you tweak the color temperature and overall brightness:

Then we added some color. I chose a pink shade for this pic.

This is more of a green/cyan color:

As you start playing with combinations, you quickly realize that you can completely change the mood of the room with a few taps. Bright party lighting, subdued night lighting, fun colors for a child’s playroom, soft tones for that *ahem!* romantic dinner… the possibilities are endless.

You could also set up a room with multiple bulbs. We set up two bulbs in one lamp for this example. The lower bulb is set to “night light” mode, and the upper bulb for more of a daytime/wake up lighting. We also named them “Night light” and “Bedroom light” to set individual schedules for use:

We also paired the lights with Alexa. She recognizes the different light names so that you can use voice commands to manage the lighting such as “Alexa, turn the bedroom light on!” or “Alexa, make the night light green!” It will work with Google Assistant as well, although we did not try that with this test. Sengled provides a full list of third-party compatibility options on their website for more details.

Here’s the nice thing about the Sengled Element system: you don’t need to buy a full kit if you want to add to your existing network. Each Element hub has a range of 120 feet and can manage up to 64 bulbs, which gives you a lot of room to work with. Sengled now offers 4 bulb styles in the Element series (soft white, daylight, tunable white, and the color bulb we’re reviewing here) that are all fully compatible with the hub, enabling you to expand your setup as you like without buying new hardware. I like that flexibility.

What I like

  • Easy setup
  • Excellent app for managing, controlling, and scheduling lighting functions
  • Fully compatible with existing Element systems
  • Brilliant color options, with a range of brightness and tone
  • Extensible without adding new hardware

What needs to be improved

  • Check the full specs on Sengled’s website for compatibility with third-party network systems

Final thoughts

We’re fans of the Sengled Element Smart Lighting system, and the addition of the Element Color Plus adds even more options with brilliant color and brightness control. With a few clicks, you can paint any room in your house with colors and tones to match your mood and style. Not only is it easy to use, but its price point makes for a very affordable (and expandable) smart lighting solution for your home.

Price: The Color Plus Kit retails for $79.99, and includes two bulbs and a hub. You can buy additional color bulbs for $29.99 each. A four pack of color bulbs with a hub is also available for $139.99.
Where to buy: Check ’em out on the Sengled Element web page. You’ll also find them on Amazon.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Sengled.

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Sengled Element Color Plus Smart LED Bulb review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 1, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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Molecule cooling bed sheets review

REVIEW – You might be thinking.. did I see that correctly? Is that bedding? Every good Gadgeteer needs a good night sleep. It’s the middle of summer here in the Pacific Northwest, which means wonderful weather mixed with 90 degree days. The Molecule cooling bed sheet set intrigued me after the first heat wave we had (I do not have air conditioning!) and so I had to give it a try to see if these sheets would keep me cool and comfortable overnight.

What is it?

Molecule sheets are designed to keep you cool while you sleep by being breathable yet durable.

Bedding specs

The sheets come in Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, and California King sizes. The fitted sheet on all sizes is 15 inches deep.

What’s in the box?

You get a top sheet, fitted sheet, and one pillowcase with the twin sizes, but I have a queen size bed, so it came with two pillowcases.

Design and features

My first impressions were good from the moment I got the box. It was nicely packaged in a box that can be used to store it in the future. When I went to place the sheets on my bed, I worried that the 15-inch depth wouldn’t be enough. My bed has a good 3 inches of pillowtop and is quite thick. I was thrilled when they not only fit but fit easier and better than any other brand of sheet I’ve purchased.


The quality of the sheet set is also top notch. They held up well and did not shrink when washed. There is a soft smoothness to them that is similar to satin sheets but without the slipping and sliding. The stitching is well done all around and the pillowcase tucks around the pillow, making the overall appearance look neat and tidy. I really liked the powder blue color, though either the color or the fabric really emphasized the cat hair on my bed. It was especially noticeable since my cat preferred sleeping on these sheets rather than the soft fuzzy blanket on the bed.


Now, the reason she enjoyed sleeping on these sheets? They actually do what they claim, and do an excellent job of keeping you cool by using TENCEL Lyocell fibers weaved into the fabric. This makes the fabric breathable. I roast like an oven overnight and usually keep my room at around 65 to 68 degrees when possible. Without air conditioning, however, during hot days my room would get into the 80’s and drift down to the mid 70’s by bedtime. The first night of the heat wave, I slept comfortably and did not notice the heat in the room until I woke up. Since using the Molecule sheets on my bed, I have yet to feel sweaty during the night.

I waited an extra week to write this review; expecting at some point, perhaps as they were worn in, that the ability to keep cool would fade. It did not. We are in another heat wave now and after washing and sleeping on these sheets, it still feels like the first day I used them. They are still soft, still comfortable, and still cooling.

She always choses to lay on these sheets instead of the soft blanket.

What I like

  • Thick and well made, yet soft.
  • Keeps you cool at night.

What to consider before buying

  • They are expensive

Final thoughts

Between the heat that my computer generates and the heat waves without air conditioning, the Molecule sheets kept me sleeping comfortably and staying cool. They are a bit pricey, but if you sleep like you are in an oven and can afford them, they work very well and they should fit nearly every type of bed there is.

Price: $199 (Queen Size)
Where to buy: You can purchase these on the Molecule website and Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Molecule.

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Molecule cooling bed sheets review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 1, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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The Cable Wrangler keeps your cables where they belong

NEWS – If you’re like me, you probably have charging cables in every room of your house. The problem is that they never stay where you put them. They start out on your desktop or nightstand but usually end up on the floor or in a tangled mess. The Silk Cable Wrangler will keep those pesky cables where they belong.

The Cable Wrangler works using magnets that are attracted to your cable. Its powerful magnetic base lets your cords snap easily in place and stay neat and organized until the next time you need them.

If you have a cable that’s not attractive enough you can use the included magnetic collar.

Wrangler’s compact design makes it perfect for your desktop, nightstand or wherever cables need wrangling. And it’s kept in place using a hefty non-slip grip on the bottom.

The base is covered in an attractive woven material that is available in two colors, No. 2 Pencil Gray and Lightly Toasted Beige.

You can purchase the Cable Wrangler by itself for $19.99, with a 6ft lightning cable for $29.99 or with a cable and 2-port wall charger for $39.99 on Amazon.

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The Cable Wrangler keeps your cables where they belong originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 1, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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Back to school supplies – dorm room gear edition

ARTICLE – While recently asking my daughter for recommendations of gear needed for college-bound students, she mentioned some things to make life easier while living in a dorm room.  In a separate post, I discussed her ideas for in-room food and beverage prep.  In this article, we’ll talk about other gear that will give a little extra storage space, make movie nights more enjoyable, or make it easier to get some sleep and get up on time.

First up is a little pantry space for food.  The elfa Mesh Compact Fridge Cart fits under a dorm fridge and has three metal mesh drawers to store food, dishes, coffee, and the like.  It has a melamine top and four heavy-duty casters and is sturdy enough to hold most dorm fridges.  It adds storage space without taking up any extra floor space.  The elfa Mesh Compact Fridge Cart is available in platinum or white for $129.00, exclusively from The Container Store.

Rachel didn’t have one of these of her own, but a friend had a small projector for movie nights.  This particular projector from Amazon gets good reviews and is reasonably priced.  The AAXA Technologies P2-A Android LED Pico Projector is compatible with all HDMI devices and iPhone/Android phones; you’ll need to supply your own phone cables.  It has Bluetooth for external speakers, keyboard, and mouse and WiFi for streaming apps and smartphone/tablet mirroring.  It produces 130 LED Lumens and is rated for 30,000 hours.  It has Vibrant Color Technology and supports up to 1080p resolution; in low-light conditions, it can project up to a 100″ image.  The AAXA Technologies P2-A Android LED Pico Projector is $199.99 at Amazon.

Headphones or earphones are vital for listening to music without disturbing your roommate.  Noise-canceling headphones are the best if you can swing them because they will also block out all the noise coming from the hall when you need to study or even try to get some sleep.  Rachel has the Sony 1000XM2 Premium wireless noise-canceling headphones (that Santa brought her from Best Buy), but the Sony MDRXB950N1/B black noise-canceling extra bass wireless over-ear headphones are well-rated and are only $123.00 (reduced from $249) right now at Abt.

Rachel also recommended some sort of alarm clock.  She said she slept through the phone alarm a few times, so something that shook her awake might have been more successful.  The Shake N Wake vibrating alarm clock might have been more successful at waking her.  It’s worn on the wrist, and it even looks a bit like those home blood pressure monitors that are worn on the wrist.  It wakes you with vibrations, so it won’t disturb your roommate, or it would be good for grabbing a quick nap in the library or coffee shop.  If you need the sound, you can switch it to an audible alarm.  It’s $19.94 at Dormco.

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Back to school supplies – dorm room gear edition originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 1, 2018 at 8:00 am.

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Nixplay WiFi Cloud Frame review

REVIEW – Several years digital photo frames were a popular gift idea. I reviewed at least a dozen of them until their popularity grew stale. But what’s old is new again and today digital photo frames are making a comeback. One new frame that I’m going to show you today is the Nixplay WiFi Cloud Frame. Let’s take a look.

What is it?

The Nixplay WiFi Cloud Frame is a digital photo frame that can be used to view your favorite images. Nixplay makes a variety of frames but their  Cloud Frames are available in 15 and 18-inch screen sizes. I was sent the 18-inch version.

Hardware specs

Screen Resolution: 1366 x 768 pixels
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Brightness: 350 cd/m2
Supported Photo Format: JPEG / JPG / PNG
Supported Video Format: H.264 HD 720p
Speakers: 2 x (1.5W) Stereo Speakers, 3.5mm Stereo Headphone Input
Ports: USB Drive / SD / SDHC
Wireless: 802.11 b/g/n
Width: 18.4 inches (467mm)
Height: 11.4 inches (290mm)
Depth: 1.3 inches (33mm) – without stand, 4.5 inches (115mm) – with stand
Weight:2.72kg – without stand, 2.80kg – with stand

What’s in the box?

Nixplay WiFi Cloud Frame
Screw in stand
IR remote
AC adapter
Quick start guide

Design and features

This is the largest digital photo frame that I’ve reviewed and I have to say that if you’re going to buy a digital photo frame, go big or forget it. This 18-inch frame is big and well made. It has black 1-inch bezels on all sides to make it look like a picture frame.

The Nixplay has two sensors that are built into the lower part of the frame. In the lower left corner is the motion detection sensor and there’s also the IR sensor for the included remote control.

The remote control has a membrane style keypad with functions to control the photo slideshow and video playback.

The back of the Nixplay Cloud WiFi Frame has mounting slots to help you mount the frame on a wall in either landscape or portrait orientation.

There are also speakers built into the back of the frame and a set of control buttons in case you lose the IR remote control.

The back of the frame has an SD card slot and a USB port if you want to load your own images from flash memory. There’s also a 3.5mm headphone jack and the power port.

If you don’t want people messing with the ports, you can block them by using the included cover.

The port cover is secured by two screws.

If you don’t want to mount the Nixplay on a wall, you can attach the included stand which snaps into the back of the frame and is secured by a brass thumb screw.

I opted to do my testing of the frame with the stand. However, by using the stand, you can only use it in landscape orientation.

Loading your images and videos into the frame

To see slideshows of your favorite images and video, you can load them on an SD card, a USB flash drive, or you can connect the frame to your wireless network and then load images from a selection of social media sites like Dropbox, Facebook, Google Photos, Instagram, Flickr, and Verizon Cloud by using the Nixplay web app. Note that except for the Dropbox dynamic playlist, the other social media sites will not automatically sync new images to the frame. You will need to update the playlists when you add new images that you want to show up on the Nixplay frame. Don’t worry though, it’s as easy as dragging and dropping the images into the playlist from the Nixplay web app.

Another way to get images into the frame is by email. Each frame has an email address assigned to it once you create a Nixplay account. Images sent to the frame using this address will be added to a special playlist.

Last but not least, you can install the Nixplay app on your smartphone or tablet and send images from your device to the frame that way too.

Before you can use the frame, you’ll need to create a Nixplay account which is free and allows you to easily configure a variety of settings on the frame. The free account also allows you to create and modify playlists of up to 10GB of photos for up to 5 different Nixplay frames. If you need to manage more frames, Nixplay offers a Plus account where you’ll have 10 frames per account and 30GB of storage.

For example, if you load an album of photos from Instagram or Google Photos like I did, you can remove images that you don’t want to see or disable the playlist altogether.

Note that the images will be loaded on to the frame itself so that even if you log out of the Nixplay account or lose WiFi connectivity, the frame still continues to work.

Most nicer digital photo frames allow you to set a sleep schedule so that the frame goes into standby mode during the nighttime hours when no one would be seeing it anyway. The Nixplay will allow you to either have the screen turn off or it can display a clock during the sleep schedule hours. But that’s not all. The Nixplay WiFi Cloud Frame goes even one step further by implementing a motion sensor that will put the display in sleep mode when it senses that there’s no one in the room. I love this feature and have found that it works really well.

Another feature worth mentioning is that you can control your Nixplay frame with Alexa. You can ask it to play specific playlists just by using your voice. I don’t have an Amazon Echo set up to test this feature, but you can find out more about it by visiting the Nixplay site.

Display quality

A digital photo frame is only as good as the display quality right? Well, there’s nothing to worry about with the Nixplay because the glossy LED-backlit display is bright, crisp, and vibrant with excellent viewing angles so that you can see image details even if you’re not directly in front of the frame.

The frame has a 16:9 aspect ratio so images that you take with your phone will probably not fill the screen and you’ll send up seeing bands on the sides or the top and bottom of the screen. The cool thing is that Nixplay makes the color of the bands match the image on the screen.

This way the bands aren’t just white or black.

Here’s an example of a panoramic image that I took while on vacation in Three Rivers California. See how the Nixplay is showing top and bottom bands?

Here are some other examples. Click the pics to see the full image.



You’re probably wondering if there’s a way to fill the screen with the image to get rid of the bands and yes, there is. Actually, there are a few other ways to display your favorite pictures on the Nixplay frame.

You can set the images to fill the frame which Looks good as long as the subject of the image is in the center of the picture and is small enough that certain details don’t get cut off with the image fills the frame. See the image above, it’s an Instagram picture which is typically a square image. I’ve set the image to fill the screen.

And here’s the original image. See how the tops of the mailboxes are cut off when it’s using the fill display mode?

Here’s the snapshot display mode which shows each new image on top of the previous image.

And here’s the tile display mode which shows two images side by side. This mode works great for images that are up and down (portrait) instead of wide (landscape).

In addition to the multiple viewing styles, the frame also has 11 different transition styles when it loads a new image. You can specify the one you like best or just set it to random so it uses all of the styles.

What I like

  • Great display
  • Doesn’t require a paid subscription
  • SD card and USB readers
  • Alexa enabled
  • Motion sensor

What to consider before buying

  • Price

Final thoughts

As I mentioned in the opening paragraph of this review, I’ve reviewed at least a dozen digital photo frames in the last 2 decades, but the Nixplay is the first digital photo frame that has actually impressed me on all fronts. It makes my images look great and the built-in features like motion detection and sleep schedules make this an enjoyable digital photo frame to use.

Price: $279.99
Where to buy: Nixplay and Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Nixplay.

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Nixplay WiFi Cloud Frame review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 31, 2018 at 12:00 pm.

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