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Turtle Beach Elite Pro 2 gaming headphones + SuperAmp review


REVIEW – I have enjoyed my Turtle Beach Elite Pro gaming headset since I got my hands on them and have felt little desire to try to upgrade to another higher end pair, that is until the Turtle Beach Elite Pro 2 came out. They are made for the two gaming devices I use most; the PS4 and PC, and it was a great opportunity to see how much they’ve improved from the first generation.

What is it?

The Turtle Beach Elite Pro gaming headset is a pair of gaming headphones with a SuperAmp included to allow for an optimum gaming experience.

Hardware specs

  • Headphones
    Frequency: 12Hz – 20kHz
    50mm Nanoclear speakers
    Unidirectional microphone with TruSpeak technology
    Athletic fabric, leather, & cooling gel-infused memory foam build
  • SuperAmp
    Bluetooth compatible
    App-controlled
    Amplified DTS: Headphone X 7.1 surround sound support

What’s in the box?

In the box, you’ll find the Elite Pro 2 gaming headset, Elite SuperAmp, audio cable, optical cable, Mini USB power cable, quick start guide, and a Turtle Beach sticker.

Design and features

I have played too many hours to admit on the first pair of Turtle Beach Elite Pro headphones, and so I had high expectations for the newest version. I took out all of the components and quickly plugged in the SuperAmp using the same cord as the Turtle BeachElite Pro TAC, attached the microphone to the headphones, and plugged them in. They were ready to go very quickly. Next, I installed the Turtle Beach app and paired the SuperAmp to my iPhone via the Bluetooth button on the side of the SuperAmp. The app itself allows you to control the headphones just as if you had the Elite Pro TAC. I could change between several presets or customize it to my own liking. Lastly, I attached the Mini-USB and Optical cable to my PS4 for when I wanted to switch back and forth.

After countless hours, the padding on my old pair of headphones is still very good and quite comfortable. After using the new headphones, however, it would be very hard to return to the old ones. The gel memory foam cups are extremely comfortable and do not put much pressure at all on your head. They also claim to work well with glasses, though I do not wear glasses so I could not test that out.

They adjusted easily to my head to allow for maximum comfort. I could barely feel the band across the top of my head. They also were sturdy when pulled on and off and tossed onto the computer after each use. I loved that they stayed in place on my head and that I did not have to adjust the fit every time I used them. I noticed this happens often with my standard, cheaper headphones.

The microphone picked up the sound very well when talking. My friends had no problem hearing my voice and thought that the sound quality was better. When recording and playing back my voice, I had to agree; my voice came in clear and loud. One of the only flaws that I noticed in the design of the headphones came with the microphone. While I can remove the microphone entirely, it is not possible to move the microphone out of the way when not in use as the previous model.

Now let’s get to the sound quality. The first thing that I did was listen to music. I thought that the quality was very good overall. The highs were not as prominent as the mid and low ranges, but that’s fine with me. I could understand all the words clearly, hear the background beat to the music, and still get that nice bass sound. For playing music, they did well.

These are gaming headphones, so I was happy to try out different games to see how well they performed. My main game is Overwatch, and it is important to hear footsteps and gunfire around you when you are a healer. They were about on par with the previous model and definitely did an excellent job of letting me hear all there was around me. In Battlefield 1, I really loved hearing the boom of (my) grenades going off around me. The footsteps weren’t as prominent, though I could hear the gunfire very well and generally what direction the shots were coming from. These are the only two games that I play where having surround sound was very important. The sound quality on other games was just as good as listening to my music.

After using the headphones on my PC, I moved the SuperAmp over to the PS4 and tested out a few games there. The Mini-USB and Optical cables were both long enough to where I could sit comfortably on my bed and play. My PS4 recognized the headphones and switched over right away, and I was ready to go. The sound quality was similar to when using them on the PC. Since I always play with my TV speakers and not headphones, I could definitely hear the sound improvement. Now that I have used these headphones with my PS4, I will likely continue to plug them in whenever I play on the PlayStation and I seriously wonder why I went so long without using any headphones on my PS4.

What I liked

  • Extremely comfortable
  • Bluetooth capability
  • Versatile
  • Excellent microphone sound

What needs to be improved

  • The microphone doesn’t fold out of the way

Final thoughts

Overall, I absolutely loved the Turtle Beach Elite Pro 2 gaming headset and SuperAmp. The ear cushions are even more comfortable than the previous version and the sound quality is better as well. The only gripe I had about was the microphone sticking out all of the time, but not enough to switch back to the previous headset I was using. I would definitely recommend taking a look at the Turtle Beach Elite Pro 2 headset and SuperAmp if you are in the market for high quality gaming headphones.

Price: $249.95
Where to buy: Turtle Beach Website and Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Turtle Beach.

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Turtle Beach Elite Pro 2 gaming headphones + SuperAmp review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 5, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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AcuRite ATLAS Weather Station review

REVIEW – I have been considering getting a high-tech weather station for years now but never had the time/energy to do the product research and make it happen. As a bit of background, I have a degree in atmospheric science and am quite the data-nerd. So when Julie offered up the AcuRite ATLAS weather station, I quickly volunteered to check it out and see if it lives up to my hopes and dreams of collecting ultra-local meteorological data at our home.

What is it?

The ATLAS weather station is engineered to collect meteorological data in near real-time and wirelessly transmit it to you in a variety of ways. The ATLAS measures temperature, humidity, wind speed, wind direction, rainfall, UV index, and light intensity. The system transmits this data to either an optional HD touchscreen in your home or uploads it via the optional access point to the internet/cloud, making it viewable on your computer or smart device anywhere you happen to be.

Design and features

The AcuRite ATLAS is a compact, relatively well-made weather station that collects what I would consider pretty standard meteorological data. Its housing is made from a hard plastic designed to (obviously) withstand the outdoors.

  • ATLAS Weather Station
  • Wall/post mounting bracket
  • High Definition Touchscreen Display (optional $99.99)
  • AcuRite Access Point (optional $99.99)
  • Lightning Detector (optional $39.99)

Specifications:

Temperature Range -40 to 158° F
-40 to 70° C
Temperature Accuracy +/- 1° F
Humidity Range 1% – 99% RH
Humidity Accuracy +/- 2% RH
Wind Speed 0 – 160 mph; 0 – 257 km/h
Wind Direction 360°
Wind Direction Accuracy +/- 3°
Rain .01″ intervals (0.25 mm)
Rain Accuracy +/- 5%
UV Index 0 – 15 index
UV Accuracy +/- 1
Light Intensity to 120,000 Lumens
Data Reporting Temperature: 30 seconds
Humidity: 30 seconds
Wind Speed: 10 seconds
Wind Direction: 30 seconds
Rainfall: 30 seconds
UV Index: 30 seconds
Light Intensity: 30 seconds
Wireless Range 330 feet (100 meters) depending on home construction materials
Wireless Signal 433 MHz
Power 4 AA alkaline or lithium batteries

The ATLAS weather station is powered by four (4) AA batteries (not included). I thought it was odd AcuRite recommends standard alkaline or lithium batteries versus rechargeable ones. We do our best to only use rechargeables and don’t have any disposable batteries in the house. So I threw caution to the wind and used what we had… Thus far the weather station is no worse for the wear. Hopefully, they recommend non-rechargeable batteries only due to poor performance/endurance in the extreme temperatures. That said, I’ll most likely swap them out when I get the chance.

The battery compartment also has a port for the optional Lightning Detector module, pictured here on the left.

Before mounting the ATLAS weather station, foam surrounding the rain gauge must be removed allowing the plastic rocker to move freely. You definitely have to be careful to not damage or pinch the thin wires or small plastic connectors. The ATLAS is weather hardened but probably would not survive much, if any sort, of fall.

The plastic mount can be installed vertically or horizontally. An extension piece may be necessary to raise the ATLAS high enough away from whatever the mount is attached to. I used a 1 inch schedule 40 PVC pipe I had laying around the garage which worked surprisingly well. I may buy a longer piece to elevate the ALTAS even further above our roof but that may turn out to be unnecessary.

To accurately collect data, the ATLAS has to be level. Here you can see the integrated leveling bubble centered as prescribed (actually the easiest part of the install).

Once installed, you can barely tell the ATLAS is there collecting weather data unless you know where to look.

In addition to the AA batteries…when the sun is out, the ATLAS is also powered by three small solar panels built into the housing of the station. The solar cells measure about an inch and a half squared and there is one on the front and each side of the housing.

Here you can see the rain gauge intake and UV/light intensity sensor next to the leveling bubble.

The wind direction and speed sensors are mounted top, rear of the ATLAS. Both sensors move freely in the wind. As long as you face the ALTAS due South, you do not have to tweak any of the settings to receive accurate wind direction.

Optional Accessories:

The biggest and really only issue I have with the AcuRite weather station is that you have to also purchase one of their optional accessories to view/access your data (though they do sell package deals on Amazon).

High Definition Touchscreen Display

The high definition wireless touchscreen is clear and bright, though a bit top-heavy (I ultimately mounted it in my office). Displaying all the data in a well thought out layout. Like the smartphone app, the screen also enables you to dig deeper into the data for more thorough analysis. The system’s wireless range is approximately 300 feet depending on what the signal has to penetrate. The display has a built-in antenna that can be raised if need be. There is also a standard SD card slot if you want to capture the data for later review.

AcuRite Access Point

The AcuRite Access Point plugs into the ethernet port of your router and uploads the ATLAS met data to the myacurite.com website for viewing on your computer, tablet, and/or smartphone. The access point is dual powered via a microUSB plugged power source or three AA batteries as a temporary backup in case your power goes out. Though at that point, my guess is your internet modem and router would be without power limiting/killing your connectivity anyhow.

The AcuRite smartphone app does a pretty good job of displaying all the weather data collected by the ATLAS. You’re able to flip thru various data specific screens.

Or dive deeper into any one of the individual datasets to get a closer look as the weather changes over time. The app also enables you to download the data from the AcuRite server and set alerts for extreme conditions.

It is easy to tell at a glance the ambient conditions at your home or wherever you’ve installed the ALTAS. We live pretty far out in the sticks, so when I’m downtown or on travel, it’s great being able to check the app to see how (bad) the weather is at our place.

What I like

  • Provides real-time local weather data
  • Excellent list of sensors/data collected
  • Well made
  • Easy to setup
  • Solar and battery powered

What needs to be improved

  • Should include remote access in the box (vs as optional accessories)

Final thoughts

I really like the ATLAS weather station, it definitely meets my atmospheric scientist data-nerd needs.  AcuRite has done an excellent job creating a solid array of sensors in a compact, easy to install/setup design. The HD screen and smartphone app also do a solid job of displaying the meteorological data in an easy to read and understandable manner. That said, seeing the data on either, requires at least $100 more be invested to truly make the system usable. Though the ATLAS with all the accessories (screen, access point, and lightening module) shown here is currently available at Amazon for $261 as a package deal.

Price: ATLAS $149.99 / HD Touchscreen Display (optional $99.99) / Access Point (optional $99.99)
Where to buy: AcuRite.com or Amazon.com
Source: The sample of this product was provided by AcuRite.

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AcuRite ATLAS Weather Station review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 4, 2018 at 9:15 am.

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BlitzWolf BW-P3 power bank review

REVIEW – Until the day when quick-charging long-lasting battery technology is commercially available to power all of our consumer electronic gadgets, an external power bank is required necessity. Blitzwolf makes a version with Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0. Read on to see what I think!                                               

What is it?

The BlitzWolf BW-P3 power bank is a gadget that you can use to charge rechargeable devices.  The power bank contains batteries and circuitry to regulate power output. The circuitry ensures that the power delivered to each USB port is optimized to minimize the charging time required. Special circuitry, licensed by Qualcomm, is available to charge compatible devices as quickly as possible. 

What’s in the box?


BlitzWolf® BW-P3 QC3.0 Power Bank
Micro USB Charging Cable
User Manual
Warranty Card

Design and features

Specifications

 Brand  BlitzWolf®
 Model  BW-P3
 Capacity  9000mAh/33.3Wh
 Power  18W(two USB ports total)
 Input  5V/2A (max)
 Output 1  5V/2.4A (max)
 Output 2  5V/2.4A (non-Quick Charge,universal)
3.6-6.5V/3A,6.5-9V/2A,9-12V/1.5A (QC3.0)
 Charging time  5 hours (with 5V/2A Charger)
10 hours (with 5V/1A Charger)
 Size  102*61.5*21.3mm
 Weight  225g±5g
 Certification  CE,FCC,Qualcomm QC3.0

Unboxing

The power bank is made and ships from China. It took 18 days from the day I ordered it to arrive: 13 days from Shenzhen, China to Chicago, Illinois, USA, and another 4 days from Chicago to Massachusetts, USA.

The Package was well wrapped and the box inside didn’t show any signs of damage from the trip.

 

Design of the BlitzWolf® BW-P3 QC3.0 Power Bank

Weighing in at 221 grams and slightly larger than a deck of cards, the power pack has a substantial feel to it, indicative of a solid, well-crafted device. Its dimensions are perfect for large and small hands and make it easy to hold alongside a phone or tablet while charging. The dimensions are also perfect to hold 3 TR 18650 lithium batteries, which hold the charge for this unit. I purchased this six months ago, but the manufacturer is currently selling these units as a 10000 mAh capacity device. Since I charged the unit to 37 Wh I’m not sure if they changed the capacity inside or just changed the label on the case. TR 18650 batteries come in many capacities, so a change in the supplier may have allowed Blitzwolf to upgrade their product

The Aluminum shell does not feel like it will dent or buckle if pressed. The front and back end, fabricated from black plastic are inset into the aluminum frame and gives the device a well crafted and defined appearance. The power button is large yet it doesn’t rock in the frame; it’s another design specification and manufacturing touch which confirms that this is a well designed and constructed device.

The bottom of the unit is emblazoned with the Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 symbol and text.

The top of the unit has the BlitzWolf logo and 4 white LEDs to indicate remaining capacity and charging status.

The LEDs are quite bright and easy to see even in full sun. 

Performance

I monitored the power bank charging with a J7-t safety tester and also monitored the temperature of the battery pack with an infrared thermometer.

Charging

The power bank draws up to 8 W (5.2 V, 1.52 amps) while charging. It took 3:42 to charge 24 Wh. While charging the case temperature rose from 73°F to 82°F. The next time it was empty I charged the pack using the supplied cable and it took 5:21 to charge 37 Wh. So it appears that the unit does have the stated capacity of 33.3 Wh.

Discharging

I used the power bank to charge a completely dead iPhone 6. It took 3:51 to charge the iPhone 9.9 Wh. I observed the phone charging at 7 W after an hour, so some trickle charging occurring for most of that elapsed time. The iPhone has a 6.9 Wh battery so 3 Wh was lost as heat in the charging process.

I also used the power bank to charge a dead LeTV Le Eco Le Pro 3 using the QC port. The charging occurred at up to 18.5 W (7.4 V, 2.5 amps) but changed according to the battery charging circuit requirements. The power bank charged 17 Wh into the phone by Quick Charge before being completely drained. The temperature of the case was measured as high as 104°F but dropped to 101°F as the charging continued.

What I like

  • Easy to use
  • Compact
  • High Capacity
  • QC 3.0

What needs to be improved

  • Nothing

Final thoughts

I recommend this product for those who would like to be able to charge their devices quickly and also have a good looking and dependable device. The design and performance are exactly as advertised. 

Price: $42.89 often less with sales, coupons and volume discounts
Where to buy: Banggood
Source: The Blitzwolf sample for this review was purchased with my own funds.

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BlitzWolf BW-P3 power bank review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 3, 2018 at 2:30 pm.

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Scosche Boombottle MM Bluetooth speaker review


REVIEW – Over the past few years, portable Bluetooth speakers have taken the market by storm and there is a flood of new devices that readily available with various features and many at reasonable prices. The Scosche Boombottle speaker is another device fighting for a niche. Let’s see how it does.

What is it?

The Scosche Boombottle speaker is a waterproof wireless Bluetooth speaker with a magnetic mount to secure your mobile device and a tripod mount or magnetic mount that allows it to be mounted to a metal surface or on a tripod or a stand with a 1/4-20″ stud. It is available in black and gray camouflage.

What’s in the box


1 x Boombottle Speaker
1 x USB Type Charging Cable
1 x Large Mounting Metal Plate
1 x Extra Large Circular Mounting Metal Plate
1 x Carabiner Clip
1 x Protective Film Sticker
1 x User Manual

Design and features

Features
• Magnetically mount your device to the Boombottle MM Mobile Speaker while also magnetically mounting the Boombottle to most metal surfaces
• Built-in Bottle Opener
• Built-in Microphone for Hands-free Calling
• Unique Bottle Design Fits Into Water Bottle Cages and Cup Holders
• Rechargeable Battery for up to 12 Hours of Music Playback
• Dual-Pairing for True Stereo Sound
• IP67 Rated Waterproof / Dustproof Construction

The front of the speaker has the carry handle that can be used as is or with the Carabiner, and there is also a bottle opener at the top. In the middle, there is the rubber sealing door with embedded external buttons that from top to bottom are the volume up button, the multi-function button, and the volume down button. Below the control buttons, there is the LED Battery Level Indicator and the Bluetooth LED Status Indicator.


When you open the rubber sealing door, underneath there are the actual buttons that correspond with those embedded in the rubber cover along with the charging and auxiliary ports below the buttons.


Under the handle of the speaker, there is a bottle opener.


On the front of the speaker, there is a nice matte black speaker grille, with the brand name engraved below.


At the bottom of the speaker, there is as 1/4-20″ female mount that allows it to be mounted to a tripod or stand or any surface with a matching stud. The extra large round magnet mount can be attached to the bottom if you choose to mount the speaker magnetically.

Performance

Specifications

  • Bluetooth®: BT 4.2 AWRCP, A2DP
  • 30ft. Wireless Range
  • 2 x 45mm Speakers
  • Freq. Range: 80Hz – 18 KHz
  • 12W Power Output
  • 4000mAh Internal Battery
  • Size: 185mm (H) x 72mm (D)
  • Weight: 1.25lbs

This Bluetooth speaker looks and sounds great, and the build quality is second to none. It is easy to pair and operate and seems like it can take a beating. The magnetic base mount or the tripod mount are great options for versatility when choosing where and how to place the speaker. I am not a fan of the upper magnetic mount that is used to mount your phone, because you need to attach the magnetic mounting plate to your phone or phone case in order to safely secure the phone. I was able to get my phone to stay in place without the metal plate, but any amount of vibration caused it to start to slide off. The battery charge lasts a long time and more time than I would ever use this speaker for at any one time.


Pairing the speaker is very easy and the Bluetooth and charge level indicators are very visible.

The manufacturer includes the following short but helpful video on their website, showing how to pair one or two speakers:

What I like

  • That it is waterproof
  • The sound
  • The ability to carry it or mount it
  • The solid Bluetooth connection
  • The design
  • The battery life

What can be improved

Final thoughts

After testing quite a few Bluetooth speakers, I have become quite “picky” about what I like and what I classify as a desirable and usable feature versus a useless gimmick. I really like this Bluetooth speaker because of the build quality, the sound, the features, and the style. And, the fact that it is waterproof means that I have so much less to worry about when I am using it, especially outdoors. I really like it, and I think that many people looking for this type of device will like it as well. I definitely give it two thumbs up!!

Price: $129.99
Where to buy: Scosche website and Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Scosche.

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Scosche Boombottle MM Bluetooth speaker review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 3, 2018 at 11:17 am.

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Moodoo Smart Home Fragrance Diffuser review

REVIEW – The Moodoo Smart Home Fragrance Diffuser is a enables you to customize scents to your style and preference

What is it?

It’s a smart home aroma diffuser that enables you to customize your scentscapes to match your mood. And yes, “scentscapes” are a thing.

Hardware specs

  • Connects through 2.4 Ghz WiFi networks
  • IOS and Android compatible apps
  • Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT compatible
  • Fans with adjustable speeds designed for up to 600 square foot rooms
  • Available with EU or US adaptor
  • Built-in battery optional

What’s in the box?

I’m testing the Moodoo Starter Pack which comes with the base unit, adaptor, and three packs of scent “families.” The kit also includes a printed user guide.

Design and features

The Moodoo is designed to allow you to customize your scents through a programmable aroma diffuser. Four aroma pods are loaded into the device, which has an individual fan for each pod that controls the strength and intensity of the scent. This enables you to customize thousands of different aroma combinations to match your desired ambiance.

The unit is a black cube that measures 3.75″ by 4.5″ by 4.5″. The matt black finish is elegant and subdued, so you can park it anywhere in your house and it won’t clash with your decor.

Manual controls are all on the front face of the unit, including individual fan controls and a “volume” button to increase the intensity of the diffusion. The black rubberized buttons on the face allow for manual operation. You can order this unit with a battery if you like for full portability, or plug it in with the included adaptor. Options for a US or EU adaptor are included in the ordering process.

Setup

While the manual controls are a nice backup, we’re focusing on the excellent app in this review. It’s a well-designed, intuitive piece of software that enables full customization of the Moodoo’s capabilities. You’ll start by downloading the app to your Android or iOS compatible device and creating an account with Moodoo. Signing up with your Facebook or Google account saves the step of remembering another email/password combo:

With the iOS app, I was given the option to pair with Siri right out of the gate. I did not test full smarthome compatibility in this review, but it should be noted that Moodoo can also be set up with Alexa, Google Home, or IFTTT for full customization if that’s your preference.

I appreciate when apps like this provide straightforward setup instructions. No manual required… follow the onscreen prompts to get connected.

I did experience some issues with getting the WiFi pairing working properly, but that may be my network. I run a mesh network over my Verizon Fios-provided router, so some devices have trouble pairing. I don’t think this was an issue specific to the unit, however. I have seen that some Amazon reviewers have reported similar issues, however, so it’s something I’ll have to keep an eye on for future updates.

Once you have loaded & paired the app, you’ll crack the seal on the desired fragrance family and drop the pods in the 4 slots on the unit. The 4 pods in each family are designed to compliment each other as you create fragrance combinations. I’ve got the “Cozzzy” family loaded here, with fancy scent names like Orange Sunrise, Precious Spices, Granola Vanilla, and Midnight Thrill. The starter kit also contains the “Beach Party” and “Fresh Vibrations” families, for a total of 12 different pods in all.

Using the App

Here’s where the fun begins. When you load the pods and fire up the app, the app automatically recognizes which pod is in each slot. You can even switch slots or swap out pods from different fragrance families, and the app adjusts to the new configuration. No manual programming required.

Once loaded, you’ll be presented with a series of preset scent themes based on the pods in the unit at the time. These presets adjust the intensity of the scent from each pod. When I choose “Chai Sunset”, for example, Precious Spice becomes the dominant scent with a hint of Orange Sunrise and Golden Vanilla. The interface shows me the balance and intensity produced for each scent pod. A “volume” slider on the side enables be to increase the fan strength as desired for greater scent disbursement.

You can also determine pre-selected schedules for activating the Moodoo that include day, time, and duration of operation. These can be saved so that you can diffuse different scent combinations at different times of the day:

If you want to be an aroma alchemist, you have the ability to create completely new scent combinations. In the example below, I chose to emphasize the Orange Sunrise and Precious spices scents. Simple color-coordinated sliders allow me to choose the intensity of each scent pod in the mix:

Settling on a combination I liked, I had the option to give it a name and save it for future use:

Once it’s saved, it can be found in the favorites tab. A reference screen is also saved there so that I can make sure I load up the right combination of pods if I am mixing and matching between families. This saved scent combo is now available for on-demand use or scheduled events:

Beyond the basics, there are additional features in the Moodoo app that round out the capabilities nicely. You can run a “shuffle” mode like your music playlists that changes the scent combination every few minutes. There’s also an interval feature that turns the unit off periodically to extend the life of your scent pods, and sharing feature so that you can send customized scent combinations to friends.

All in all, the app is truly excellent. I love how Moodoo has adopted conventions from music apps here for a familiar-feeling interface. It’s clean, simple, and easy to learn. The simplicity of the app encourages experimentation, which adds to the fun factor.

Performance

So the app is great… but how does it smell? Pretty great, actually.

Agan Aroma, the maker of the Moodoo, has been in the fragrance business for over 35 years. They know a thing or two about fragrance design, and it shows (or smells) in the finished product. There’s a subtle sophistication to the aromas and combinations the Moodoo produces that’s unique and interesting, without overpowering you with cheap or kitschy smells. If you’re looking to add some high-end class and style to your home ambiance, you’ll be very happy with the Moodoo. The company is also continuing to produce new scent families, so you’ll never run out of interesting combinations to play with based on the season or mood.

While the kit states that the Moodoo is capable of diffusing a 600 square foot room, we found that placement of the unit it important to maximize coverage. We have an open floorplan on the first floor of our house, with a vaulted ceiling in the family room. I originally placed the Moodoo in a corner, and found that the vaulted ceiling worked against us as the scents kinda lifted up beyond our noses. Moving it to more central location solved that problem pretty quickly. If you’re in a smaller room or have lower ceilings, you’ll get great range out of this unit. For bigger areas, you may have to play with location. No matter how you set it up, keep in mind that the fans are not super strong. This does contribute to quiet operation, however, and you barely hear it when it is running.

The individual pods are rated for approximately 60 hours of diffusion at maximum “volume” (intensity) before tapping out. The scents are pretty potent, so we haven’t found the need to run the Moodoo all day to keep a consistent aroma. Assuming you’re not running the unit full-blast and make use of the timer and interval features, I believe you could get a couple of months out of a set of pods before having to replace them. It will depend on your own use, of course. We’ll have to see how this holds up over long term testing.

With that in mind, let’s talk about pricing. The starter kit begins at $139 (the Moodoo and one scent family), while the starter kit I tested retails for $189 (same base unit, three scent families). You can add the built-in battery for about $20. Pods are sold in 4-packs that retail for $29.95 each, and can be purchased in either a single scent or the pre-selected families. It’s a bit more pricey than you’re mall-store aromatics, so price shopping isn’t really what you’re here for. If you’re looking for unique scents and the ability to play DJ with your aromas, however, it’s a pretty neat alternative.

What I like

  • Excellent, intuitive interface
  • Unique fragrances
  • Endless opportunity for customization

What needs to be improved

  • Not as effective in large spaces
  • Pricey compared to some alternatives
  • Some reported Wifi connectivity issues

Final thoughts

I really like the concept of the Moodoo. The ability to customize your home aromas as a “scent DJ” is a brilliant & fun idea. The quality of the fragrances is excellent, and the app interface is extremely well executed. It is a bit more expensive than your typical aroma options. While I think the value is there relative to the quality of the product, you’ll just have to decide if it’s worth it.

Price: Starter kits begin at $139.00. Scent packs are $29.95 each for refills.
Where to buy: Check out Moodoo’s web site or their Amazon store.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Moodoo.

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Moodoo Smart Home Fragrance Diffuser review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 2, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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