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Awair Glow C air quality monitor and smart plug review


REVIEW – Each day when I walk back and forth to take the railroad to and from work, it seems that there is a new building being constructed in the city. With all of the construction and materials and digging and trucks going back an forth, pollution seems to be at an all-time high. Since just about everyone in my family suffers at some level from allergies, any device that can help me to keep pollutants to a minimum in my home is of interest to me. Lets checkout the Awair Glow C to “C” if it gets an “A” or an “F”.

What is it?

The Awair Glow C monitors chemicals (VOCs), temperature, and humidity levels and provides real-time information on your air quality in the room it is installed in. When you plug in a “non-smart” humidifier or air purifier or fan into its built-in smart plug, it automatically turns the plugged-in device on/off to maintain the air quality in your space.

What’s in the box


1 x Awair Glow C
1 x Quick Start Guide

Design and features

Features

On the front of the Awair Glow C, there is the on/off touch switch, the sensor below the switch and the pass-through AC smart outlet.


On the back of the Awair, there is a vent and a 3-prong AC plug.

There is a vent on each side of the Awair.

On top of the Awair, there is a vent and the status LED.

Performance

This device is very easy to use. it is plug and play, and it begins to work as soon as you plug it into the AC outlet. It has a LED on top that uses colors to indicate the air quality level. It also can be controlled via smart devices.

The LED can also be used as a night light and the color can be customized via the app.

 

The device has an app that allows you to set up an account and to manage the functionality. It helps you to understand your air quality and track improvements in real-time. You also get notifications and tips via the app that include air quality and temperature updates, etc. One issue I had with the app was the amount and type of personal information it requests. In a time when data security is a big deal, information like date of birth and gender, etc should not be a part of the process regardless of whether it is voluntary or not. Here are some screenshots from the app:


















What I like

  • The compact size
  • The build quality
  • The pass-through AC on/off functionality

What I’d change

  • Remove the personal data information collection part of the app

Final thoughts

The Awair Glow C is a nice device that in some cases can be a key component for managing air pollutants especially for folks like me and my family who suffer a lot from allergies. However, it struggles to fit into my specific home environment because all of my humidifiers and air purifiers are smart devices, and my touch fans cannot be controlled just from the presence of AC power. The auto-triggered smart AC through-plug only works with non-smart devices that likely have hardware on/off switches that can be left on, or devices that can be triggered by the presence of AC power. Since it has a manual on/off switch for the AC outlet, it can still serve as a through-plug to extend access to the AC wall outlet that it occupies. I do suspect that for most consumers, the decision to purchase this device will be based on the capabilities of their existing humidifiers/air purifiers/fans. However, I do not want to overshadow the value of the useful information, notifications and alerts that this device provides even when used as a stand alone device. It also works great as a night light. In my opinion, there is enough overall value in it to make it quite useful.

Price: $79
Where to buy: Awair website and Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Awair.

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Awair Glow C air quality monitor and smart plug review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 23, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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EP Design Lab E.P.Light review

REVIEW – Lightbulbs have been around for years.  Thanks to Thomas Edison and his publicity and marketing genius, we are all familiar with the traditional, screw-in incandescent lightbulb. Of course, lately, incandescents have fallen out of favor due to their inherent energy inefficiency and have been all but replaced by LED bulbs.  These satisfy our basic lighting needs.  But…what if you have some decorative lighting requirements?   What if you’re looking to get something of a quirky, funky look without breaking the bank?  EP Design Lab might have the answer for you with their line of E.P.Light colorful resin bulbs with cool internal designs and colors.

What is it?

E.P.Lights are resin lightbulbs with LEDs in the base and various colors and design elements embedded in the resin.  Each bulb is unique.  EP Design Lab offers a wide variety of bulbs in several different color schemes and shapes. They are designed to screw into a standard Edison-style (E26 or E27) socket.

What’s in the box?

  • The bulb

Hardware specs

  • Light source type: LED
  • Wattage: 3W
  • Voltage: 95VAC-264VAC, 50/60Hz
  • Dimmable: No
  • Color temperature: 3000K (warm white)
  • Base: E27-E26 (Edison)
  • Lifespan: >100,000 hours
  • Operating temperature: -20 to +50 degrees Celcius, -4 to +122 Farenheight
  • Material: polyethylene
  • Weight: 5.3oz (Blue Hydrangea); 8.6oz (Nebula)
  • Dimensions: 4.33″L x 2.36″W (Blue Hydrangea); 5.75″L x 2.52″W (Nebula)

Design and features

I was sent two different bulbs.  The blue bulb is their Blue Hydrangea bulb.  It is a light blue color with a flower-like internal design in a standard bulb design.  The brown/orange bulb is their Nebula bulb. The color ranges from reddish-orange to yellow to blue, depending on where you look. It has a spacey, cool, swirly look to it. It comes in a water drop bulb design that is larger than a standard bulb.

The first thing I noticed was how heavy and solid the bulbs feel.  The fact that they are solid is due to the fact that they are solid polyethylene resin. They feel almost unbreakable, but I wasn’t about to test that.

One issue I had in testing these is that I don’t have many plain-old lamps sitting around.  Luckily, I do have an arc lamp in the living room that takes a standard screw-in bulb. The bulbs are really designed to be on display, so a lamp with a lampshade simply won’t do justice to these bulbs.

Let’s take a look at the bulbs themselves.

One cool feature is the three-dimentionality of the bulbs.  Depending on which side you look at, they take on very different looks.

Here’s a look at the Blue Hydrangea from a couple of different angles.

And, the Nebula:

Putting the bulbs in a lamp is where they really shine. (See what I did there?) 🙂

Blue Hydrangea

Nebula

These are not reading lights.  They are accent lights designed to provide nice, soft accent lighting on a desk, in a corner, or hanging from a pendant fixture.  The soft glow from the bulbs is quite pleasing.  They provide just the right amount of accent lighting without being too bright to look at directly and enjoy the visually interesting internal designs. With the wide variety of bulb shapes, internal designs, and colors available, almost anyone should be able to find a design that can fit into their decor.

EP Design Labs has a couple of tabletop bases available, but, alas, I was not sent one.  The first is a basic wood base to set on a table with the bulb screwed in, facing up.  The second base has LEDs in an exposed cup. You place the bulb upside down on the cup in the base and let the LEDs in the base light up the bulb.  I really like this as it leaves the bulb’s screw-in base exposed for a really funky, contemporary art look.

What I like

  • Well made
  • Visually very interesting
  • Wide variety of shapes, colors, and styles available

What I’d change

  • If I had to come up with something, I guess I’d say they are a little heavy

Final thoughts

I like these bulbs.  I can easily see these becoming part of our home decor. I wish that EP Design Labs had included a base for testing as well.  I might take a swing at making one myself, or perhaps just order one. My next step will be to find a final location for these in our home. Then, I will need to get a couple of smart plugs so I can schedule these to turn on each night. Having these provide a nice glow in our living room will certainly be a nice accent.

Price: $29.95
Where to buy: EP Design Lab
Source: The sample of this product was provided by EP Design Lab.

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EP Design Lab E.P.Light review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 21, 2019 at 10:00 am.

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Govee Wifi Smart Outdoor LED String Light review

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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Govee Wifi Smart Outdoor LED String Light review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 18, 2019 at 8:36 am.

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Govee TV LED Backlights review

REVIEW – My wife and I love our basement theater room and especially enjoy turning out all the lights and watching our movies like we’re actually in a theater. We had read over and over how LED back lighting made the viewing experience even better. A couple of years ago, we bought a strip light that stuck to the back of the TV and was USB powered, however, it frequently fell completely off the television, the stickers were just not strong enough and it also would not turn off with the TV and had to be plugged in every time. I definitely wanted an upgrade and then the Govee TV LED Backlights popped up for review.

What is it?

These are multi-color LED lights powered by either USB or power adapter – that connects to Alexa or Google applications for home control. It has a wired remote with push button controls as well. It uses 3M stickers on the backing to apply to the desired surface.

What’s in the box?

  • Power cord with controls
  • Adhesive Clips
  • Power adapter
  • Cleaning swap
  • User manual and install instructions
  • Reel of LED back lights

Design and features

It is a fairly simple design with the reel of LED lights designed to be taken off incrementally, the pull off tape removed and then applied to the desired surface. As I worked my way around the back of the TV, I also applied clips along the top of the screen to lessen the effect of gravity on the strips sticking, which was the downfall of our original lighting. Simply plug the lights into the USB adapter and then into the TV USB slot and you’re ready to go.

After downloading the app, you’re able to connect your phone to the corded remote, although the app is not required to use as all features can be accessed via the wired controller. There are three basic settings: Music, Color and Scenes. Music will change the color based on the ambient music in the room, color allows you to select the specific color, and Scenes is preloaded with 7 different colors for Movies, Dating, Candlelight, Romantic, Breathe, Blinking and Energetic settings. Brightness can be adjusted from 0 to 100%, however if using the USB port on the TV we have found you can only go up to 20% so you will need the included wall power adapter if you want to get the full 100% – however we actually enjoyed the quality at 20% and left it plugged into the TV USB port.

So here you can see the halo it provides behind the television. At first I thought this would be a distraction, however we both found over time that it lessens strain on the eyes and also makes it much easier to transition back to regular lighting once you’re done watching television. As you can see below, it doesn’t have a negative effect on viewing either, as we purposefully picked a rather dark scene from a recent show that we remembered being difficult to see during the first viewing:

Performance

Overall, the performance of the lighting was great. We were able to customize the color to best suit our viewing experience and should we ever have a party, we have built in lighting that will change with the music! Our previous lighting had one color and nothing more than an on/off setting. The strips have stayed adhered to the back of the television without a problem and the controls on the phone or the physical controller both work ideally. It is a bit frustrating that we can’t use it at full power via the USB port on the TV but it is easily remedied by the plug power adapter that is included with the unit. Finally, you can connect it to your smart phone via the company’s app and then also connect it to Google and/or Alexa for voice controls. It integrated nicely into our collection of smartphone controlled devices.

What I like

  • Strong adhesive – stays in place once installed
  • Customizable colors
  • Easy smartphone integration and controls – straight forward product with simple controls

What I would change

  • Honestly, this is the first product I’ve reviewed where I can’t really think of much to improve on. It does what I expect of it and I wouldn’t change a thing.

Final thoughts

I’m thoroughly impressed and delighted with the Govee TV Backlight, it has performed very well and met every expectation. Additionally, it comes at a very reasonable price at $21.99 via Amazon but keep an eye out as I believe they run promotions as well for even more value. I’m glad I was able to pick this item up, it has definitely made our theater room viewing experience better overall.

Price: $21.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Govee.

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Govee TV LED Backlights review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 5, 2019 at 8:00 am.

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Loftek LED light ball review

REVIEW – The Loftek LED ball is a versatile ambiance-creator, with multiple modes and color options to inspire anything from a high-charged dance party, to a romantic evening, to some quiet, personal meditation.

What is it?

It’s an 8-inch, waterproof, indoor/outdoor sphere-shaped light.

What’s in the box?

  • LED ball
  • Charger
  • Instruction manual
  • Remote control

Hardware specs

  • Weight: 1.2 pounds (lamp only)
  • IP Rating: IP65 (completely sealed against dust ingress and moderate water jets)
  • Power: 1.2W
  • Input: AC 100V-240V 50/60Hz
  • Output: DC 5V 1A
  • Battery capacity: 1100mAh
  • Work time: 6-12 hours (depending on brightness and color settings)
  • Charge time: 4 hours

Design and features

Setup

Setup was simple. Just charge it until the adapter light switches from red to green, and you’re good to go.

An orange tab clicks in and covers the charging port when you’re ready to use it, making it completely cordless when not powering up.

Controls

The remote control is easy to understand and fun to play with. You have 16 color options to choose from. The dark blue was my personal favorite!

You can also adjust the brightness with five levels of dimming, using the sunshine buttons in the upper left corner.

It features four different effects:

  • “Flash” made it quickly jump from color to color, in what I would consider a flashy, disco party style.
  • “Strobe” is exactly what you’d imagine, using only white light.
  • “Fade” makes it fade from color to color, and you can adjust the transition speed with the brightness button.
  • “Smooth” is similar to fade but makes a smooth transition instead of a fading transition.

Performance

We used ours only outside and in hot, humid, cool and even stormy conditions with no problems. We accidentally left it in the pool overnight with no ill effects. Clearly, it’s waterproof and weather-proof.

The battery life is amazing. We’ve used it well over 10 hours,  mostly on peak brightness, and it’s still going strong.

In the water, my teen and his buddies tossed it around a little, and it didn’t harm the light at all. But they quickly confirmed it’s not as fun to throw as a real ball and left it alone.

It does, however, look beautiful on or next to the water in every mode we tested. (These pictures don’t do it justice!)

My only minor complaint is that the remote control had a pretty short range. I could change it from across the width of my pool, but not length-wise and certainly not from the porch or inside the house.

What I like

  • Easily adjusts to your ideal mood, from partying to relaxing
  • Sleek, simple and durable
  • Long battery life

What needs to be improved

  • Longer range on the remote control

Final thoughts

It’s an attractive, easily adjustable indoor/outdoor light. Would be stunning for an outdoor wedding and fun for any nighttime backyard/pool party.

Price: $32.99
Where to buy: Loftek and Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Loftek

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Loftek LED light ball review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 12, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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