In this video I’m going to show you the Kwikset Halo Select smart deadbolt lock. I’ll take you through the surprisingly easy installation with just a screwdriver, then I’ll look at all the things you can do with it, including locking your door from anywhere on the planet! I’ll wrap things up with both the pros and the cons and help you see if it’s right for your home.

A quick thank you to Kwikset for sponsoring this video. While they are paying for my time they haven’t told me what I have to say or what I can’t say about this lock, so these thoughts are all mine.

What is Kwikset Halo Select?

Kwikset Halo Select is a smart deadbolt that can be used to unlock your door in four ways: using an included key, with a numeric passcode, remotely with your smartphone, or hands-free with your preferred voice assistant.

With the ability to add hundreds of users, you can grant access to relatives, friends or tradespeople easily, including scheduling when those users are allowed to open the door.

With the Kwikset app, you can see who used the lock and when, great for checking on curfews, you can double check if the door is locked, and even get real time notifications about who’s accessing it.

All the features use Wi-Fi so the lock is visible and accessable from anywhere on earth. And with Matter support, that means you can plug the lock into a wider smart home set up too.

Unboxing/What you get

Let’s unbox the Halo Select Smart lock to see what you get inside.

The lock consists of two pieces; a keypad or outdoor touchscreen faceplate and an indoor thumb lock.

Kwikset has cleverly boxed the rest of the components into three separate kits which helps you keep everything straight during the installation process.

In box #1 you get an adjustable latch which should fit any standard door, plus AA batteries are included, as are screws.

Box #2 has a sensor magnet, screws and a strike plate, while Box #3 has a mounting plate, screws and a set of two physical keys, plus a smart key, which allows you to easily re-key the Halo Select lock to match existing locks you may already have at home.

Easy app

Not in the box but integral to the locks operation is the Kwikset app. Once you download the app and sign up for or sign into your account, the app will guide the installation, so get that started.

Installation: just a screwdriver

While it may seem like there’s a lot of intimidating and mysterious parts in the box, the Kwikset app is going to walk you through the entire process and since all you need is a screwdriver, it’s easy—it took me just 15 minutes.

One very important thing to note is that the only tool you need is a screwdriver. If you might consider using a power drill, don’t, because that can over-tighten things and potentially damage your new lock.

I’m going to cover the installation basics, but take note, this is not a detailed how to. You can also watch my video to see how easy it was.

The first step is going to be to remove your old lock, which should just come out by removing a few screws.

Next you’ll insert the deadbolt mechanism into the door and screw it in place. Then grab the faceplate and feed the Cable underneath the deadbolt, and through the dedicated opening in the bottom of the mounting plate. Next, secure the mounting plate at the back to the face plate in the front with the screws. A quick check using the physical keys should tell you if things are aligned correctly.

Then set the thumb screw or turn piece at the back, remove the cover from the interior portion of the lock and pull out the battery tray. Connect the cable into the back of the lock by sliding it into a small opening then you’ll fix the back of the lock to the door with two screws and just your screwdriver. Pop the batteries into the tray and click the battery pack into place. This should trigger the lock to power up and you’ll see a light come on.

There’s a small button inside the back of the cover below the battery pack which you’ll push and hold for three seconds to initiate Bluetooth pairing. Once that blue light is flashing, use the app to pair the lock to your phone. Once paired, the lock will initiate a calibration sequence which will check that the mechanism is opening and locking correctly.

Once that step is complete the app will prompt you to connect to your home Wi-Fi network so you can gain wider use of the lock through the app.

And that’s it – you are done and ready to use your lock… and I’m just going to pause for a second here and call out the fact that this lock, of the many I’ve tested over the years, is the absolute easiest one I’ve ever installed and connected. The instructions were super easy to follow and everything worked on the first try.

Next, the app will prompt you with a few choices for some settings.

For example you can have the lock automatically engage after a certain period of time, or if it detects your phone at a certain distance from the home.

You can also change settings where the lock will use audible alerts, or the indicator light is used.

There’s also another setting I highly recommend on smart locks called Secure Screen. With this setting enabled, the lock will add randomly generated digits you have to tap before you enter your access code. This is very helpful and smart because it prevents someone from potentially looking for fingerprints or smudges on the keypad of the lock and simply trying to input those digits to gain access.

Using Kwikset Halo smart lock

When it comes to using this lock, there’s actually not a lot to talk about because this is going to integrate incredibly easily into your life and routine.

With a bright LED backlit touchscreen it’s easy to see the keypad numbers day or night. The touchscreen is UV-, water- and humidity-resistant to keep your display clear and responsive —Great for those of us who live in extreme climates.

Even in just my first few uses of this lock, I can tell that the touchscreen is far more responsive than my old lock. Keying in the code works as quickly as I can type and the lock mechanism opens quite fast too.

I like the pin code simply for its ease of use and convenience, but of course the lock will also open with a quick tap on your smart phone. This works similarly quickly and allows you to provide remote entry anytime you need to, or to lock the door if you forgotten after you’ve already left the house. Of course you can always use the key if you’re old school like that.

For those folks who are prone to worrying about whether or not door is actually locked after they leave, a simple glance at the screen of the app will confirm your door’s status – no matter where in the city or the world you are. And if you did forget to lock it, just tap on the app to secure your home in an instant.

Smart Home Integration

Because this lock is smart, you can connect it to your preferred digital assistant for easy voice control. Using it with Amazon Alexa, Apple Home and Google Home, you can also create helpful automations or routines where you can say something like Hey G- Goodnight, and all your smart lights will turn off, the doors will lock automatically, and your alarm system will engage.

Add users easily

For people that travel a lot or anyone having cleaning or renovations done, adding users is simple and quick with the app. Just generate an access code yourself or ask the app to create a random one for you and you can issue codes to anyone you need. As I noted you can make these codes active only during certain times of day or days of the week if you want.

Matter integration

Bright even at night.

While we’re on the subject of smart homes, some folks will be glad to know that Kwisket Halo Select is Matter-enabled. Matter allows smart home devices to talk to each other even if they’re manufactured by different companies. You’ll be able to connect your Kwikset lock to other smart home devices and control them automatically through any compatible smart home platform including Apple HomeKit, Google Home, Alexa or Samsung SmartThings.

Plus, Matter uses a technology called Thread and is more reliable because devices can directly connect to each other. That means even if your internet goes down, you’ll still have control inside the house and your automations will still run.

Not all the features in the Kwikset app are currently available with Matter and features are dependent on the ecosystem you are connecting to. If you’re already using Matter and want to know more, Kwikset’s website can help guide you.

Intrusion detection and Door Ajar notifications

This lock has some additional features which can be extremely helpful during unexpected situations.

If you accidentally leave the door ajar, you can get notifications from the app to let you know.

Similarly, if someone is attempting to access the lock or bypass it, the app will send you an alert.

Overall thoughts: Kwikset Halo Select

Overall I have to say I’ve been pretty blown away Kwikset Halo Select. I’ve been using and reviewing smart locks for years, and the technology has obviously come along way in the last decade. But even in the last few years, I’ve still seen smart locks that are incredibly difficult to install, configure, and use. So I can say it without hesitation that Kwikset Halo Select has been the easiest lock to install, the quickest to configure and set up, and the best to use.

And above all it gives me major confidence that my home is secure.

Let’s go over both the pros and cons so you can see if this smart lock might be right for you.

On the pro side, the design is simple and should fit in with many aesthetics. The installation was absolutely dead simple and took me less than15 minutes. I really appreciate the fact this lock uses easily available double A batteries so they can be inexpensively and easily replaced.

The lock itself is incredibly responsive and the touchscreen reacts instantly. I love the option for secure screen where additional numbers are generated before you input your pin so a burglar won’t simply be able to look for fingerprints on your keypad to gain access. Plus with a host of other smart features like door ajar and intrusion notifications, this lock goes along way too making you feel safe.

And the app is incredibly intuitive and user-friendly and makes it easy to add or delete temporary or permanent users in seconds.

Plus with Matter integration, this lock is future proof and ready for the next generation of smart home devices.

So what are the potential downsides? I guess the biggest potential issue could be that at the moment, this lock is only available as a deadbolt, so if you were hoping to get a handle or a knob replaced, this wouldn’t work for that application. Some folks also might not like the idea of changing the batteries instead of recharging them. One thing I will give points to however is the battery life indicator which is visible front and centre on the app, so you’ll always know when you’re running low on juice.

In short, I personally have zero complaints about this lock, and it is now going to replace my old lock permanently because it checks the top four boxes for me which are easy to use, easy to install, highly customizable, and extraordinarily secure. For those reasons I can absolutely absolutely recommend Kwikset Halo Select smart lock for you.

Visit Kwikset.com or your favorite home improvement retailer to learn more or shop Halo Select on Amazon.

The post Kwikset Halo Select Smart Lock Full Review appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

In this review I’ll test them out here in my home and show you how they work, what they can do, and how they can make life a bit easier. I’ll also touch on improvements to this next generation model. I’ll wrap things up with the pros and cons and let you know if I think I can recommend this smart string light set for you.

I would like to thank Govee for supplying me with a set of String Lights 2 to review. While they have given me the lights at no cost they have not asked for, or received permission to have input into my content so you can consider these thoughts my own.

About Govee Christmas String Lights 2

The Govee Christmas String Lights 2 is a set of string lights specifically for your Christmas tree. This means you won’t get any special accessories like hooks, ties, or adhesives. Like ordinary Christmas lights, these Govee string lights use a green cable to blend with the holiday greenery and you could absolutely weave these in among a garland as well.

Because the lights use cool running LED bulbs, they don’t heat up making them incredibly safe for even real trees.

And if you use a white Christmas tree, you can pick the white wire version instead. That shouldn’t discourage you from using the Christmas lights for other occasions if you don’t mind buying extra accessories as the Govee app offers special light presets for other occasions like Easter.

Watch my FULL i-home review of Govee Christmas String Lights 2

Set up

Getting these lights set up and running is incredibly easy. Just plug them in and open the free Govee app and tap the plus sign in the top right corner to add the new light. It should recognize them right away and add them automatically to your app.

The app is going to be where you have full control over everything the lights can do. From applying simple single colors to adding moving light effects or even tying your lights in with every other light in your house, anything and everything is possible with these lights. At it’s very simplest you’ll never have to crawl under the tree again because you can simply tap to turn them on or off with the app, or set them up on a daily schedule so the lights will turn on and off all on their own. And of course because there is support for both Google and Alexa voice assistant, you can also ask your favourite digital butler to run the show for you.

New Features

While Govee continues to sell the older first-generation Christmas String Lights model, paying a bit more grants you some extra features with Christmas String Lights 2.

Extra Sizes

The first-gen version of the Govee Christmas String Lights was only available in 10-meter (33 feet) and 20-meter (66 feet) variants so if you want to decorate a tree taller than 2 meters, you’d have to buy a bundle which takes some extra steps to set up and uses an additional power socket. This newer second-gen version introduces 50-meter (164 feet) and 100-meter (328 feet) models for those larger trees— or even massive ones you might have outdoors, since, yes these are also outdoor rated.

Enhanced Durability

Govee made sure these lights can handle rougher weather conditions by redesigning both the lights and control box to meet the IP65 requirements. This translates to full waterproofing and dustproofing.

Integrated Chip

Govee made some internal improvements to the LED bulbs with each bulb featuring its own integrated chip as well as extra white LED beads allowing you to set the light color to a more natural warm white color. This opens up many new presets that utilize the white color. No matter what color or preset you pick, the overall performance and synchronization of the lights are better thanks to the finer control of each light through the IC chip.

Shape Mapping through Shape Camera

With less intelligent string lights, or even with Govee’s first generation model, if you weren’t careful about wrapping the lights around the tree precisely and evenly, or if you had a string that’s too long and you needed to just wind it in somehow, you could get a bit of an odd look.

Govee has solved this issue with what’s called Shape Mapping. Using the Govee app, it can intelligently analyze the entire tree through a video capture, which would pinpoint the location of each bulb on the tree- no matter where it ended up. Using the smarts integrated into this light and choosing a preset means that no matter what the effect is supposed to look like it will appear correct after you’ve completed Shape Mapping. So if you’ve got bands of light cycling around the tree, it’s always going to look smooth and even.

Here’s how to use it..

Open up the app and tap on the string lights. Then choose the settings gear in the top right. Scroll down until you see something called Shape Mapping or Lamp Bead Recognition and open that. It will have you capture a short video using the camera in the app and then it will save that information when it applies any preset lighting effect. It means almost any lighting colour or pattern that you apply to the tree will look correct… even if your wire wrapping is less than perfect.

AI Prompt

It seems like no product is safe from the clutches of AI, and the Govee Christmas Lights 2 is the latest victim. Certainly not a bad thing though, because you can chat with the app and ask recommendations for a lighting setup.

Custom Lighting Scenes Through AI

After you select your light, choose the AI prompt in the app to make text, image, and audio prompts to create some fancy scenes outside of the already diverse selection of presets. Just describe the type of effect you’re going for and let the AI bot figure it out.

Speaking of smart, these lights will also integrate into Govee’s AI-powered lighting synchronization, known as DreamView.

Coordination with other Govee lights

If you’re installing other Govee smart lights or holiday lights, it is possible to get them all working together on the same theme.

You can access this setting by choosing the Home tab at the top of the app and then scrolling down to DreamView, or there’s a second option; choose a light to start with, then select More, and scroll down to Sync All Lights, then select Go Create, and Create.

At the bottom you’ll first choose which lights you want to sync together. Then select the theme to apply. The app will start the show, and will tie it in with some music too if you want.

How do they look?

I think these lights look outstanding whether they are indoors or out. They are quite bright at full brightness and the extraordinary array of colors let you match any type of holiday decor. Whether you want simple single colors or a dancing light show, anything is possible.

If the AI features raise privacy concerns, you can still do things the old-fashioned way and choose from one of the 130+ lighting effects or make one yourself through the Govee app. Once you have familiarized yourself with some of the presets, you can switch to them on the fly via your Amazon Alexa-enabled or Google Assistant smart home product. You can also set timers to automate and trigger presets to your liking or have the lights synchronize to your favourite music beats.

Matter Support

Fans of the open Matter ecosystem rejoice! Govee is fully onboard with Matter allowing you to control the Govee Christmas Lights 2 through other ecosystems that support Matter like Apple Home.

Overall Thoughts: Govee Christmas String Lights 2

Overall, if you haven’t updated your holiday lights in a long time, now is definitely the best time to make an upgrade.

I’ll go over both the pros and potential cons so you can see if it might be a good choice for you.

On the pro side these lights are ultra easy to set up, and the app makes running and programming the lights incredibly easy. The fact that these lights will also coordinate with other newer Govee lights that you may have in your home means you can create a whole room or whole home display with just a few taps in the Govee app.

The lights are very bright or can be dimmed for a more subtle look, and they display thousands of colors. The Shape Mapping feature is absolutely genius for people like me who couldn’t wrap string lights straight around a tree even if you paid me. And the great thing about the Shape Mapping feature is that it’s incredibly easy even for a novice to use.

So what are the potential downsides? I think the biggest detractor for some might simply be the price. Getting this level of smart and coordination does come at a premium when compared to ordinary dumber Christmas string lights, but to some extent I think that’s expected.

Govee Christmas String Lights 2 starts at $129 USD / $179 CAD which is quite steep for mere Christmas lights. Fortunately, these products often go on sale so you might as well get them before the holiday season really kicks off. Both the internal and external improvements are worth the extra cost and the lights are impressively bright and vivid enough to use for other occasions too!

In short if you’re looking for a modern upgrade to your holiday home I can absolutely recommend Govee Christmas String Lights 2.

**A note about Affiliate Links: TechGadgetsCanada & TechGadgetsInternational is supported by our readers. Occasionally I will include affiliate links in my reviews. I do this partly for convenience of the reader (since I’ll almost always include a link to the company website or similar anyway) in case you want to read more or purchase, but I also may get a small commission from the click, which helps me keep the blog running. If you choose to use this link I thank you greatly for supporting the blog. There’s no obligation or cost to you for using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 

The post Govee Christmas String Lights 2: full in-home review appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

I’d like to say a huge thank you to Govee for sending me a light at no charge for this review. While they have supplied me with the products, they have not asked for or received permission to have any input into my content so you can consider these thoughts all my own.

Watch my full video review of Govee Star Light Projector here

What is the Govee Aurora Star Light Projector?

The name explains a lot in terms of what this light does, so let’s get to the how.

Packed into a plastic housing on a swivel base, Govee Star Light Projector uses lasers to project stars onto walls and ceilings. A secondary light source uses dual RGBW lamp beads and a specially made projection sphere allowing the Star Light Projector to display a serene blended aurora lighting effect that mimics the Northern Lights, or the Aurora Borealis.

Compared to cheaper star projectors, this $79.99 USD / $119.99 CAD Govee Projector has a sleek look that resembles a stage spotlight where you can pivot the head up or down to find the right angle for maximum aurora and star coverage.

Unboxing & Set up

The Aurora Star Light Projector is the only thing in the box save for a power cable.

The Star Light Projector lacks a built-in battery so you won’t be able to enjoy it during that rare power outage, but thanks to the USB-C port, a powerbank can easily remedy that! This also means you can connect the included USB-C cable to any 3A charging adapter or a device such as a laptop with a USB port to power it up. There is no AC plug included so you may need one of your own depending on where you’re going to place it.

Once you plug it in and give it some power, turn it on and then open the Govee app. Choose the plus sign in the top right corner and connect to your light. I was online in a matter of seconds.

While the app will give you complete remote control over your light and it’s settings, there are also physical buttons on the side of the Projector.

Buttons or app control

Things are kind of poorly marked so it’s difficult to tell what they do; but from left to right there’s power, a button which will adjust color, volume up and down, a button to choose different white noise sound effect, and a play/pause button which controls the audio. Particularly in a dark room it’s quite difficult to locate the button you may need, and for that reason I recommend sticking with the app.

Features

Although the Govee Star Light Projector doesn’t offer as many customization options as some other Govee light products, the Govee Star Light Projector does hide a few tricks that may justify its price tag depending on your preferences.

Beautiful Aurora Effects Out of the Box

There are a few dozen different themed lighting effects that act as presets. While some are meant to pair with specific white noise, you can also operate both the light and the white noise separately.

The aurora effect can cover an impressive 60 square meters or 650 square foot area making it suitable for a living room all while maintaining a small footprint. If you have kids who have trouble sleeping, this might just end up in the bedroom instead!

Many of the settings are customizable including the speed at which the light changes, and you can also open up a menu which allows you to dial the intensity of either the star effect or the aurora up or down, and even turn either one on or off according to your preference.

Full Spectrum Aurora Customization

The dual RGBW lamp is the component that really brings out the value of the Govee Star Light Projector as it is Govee’s forte in smart lighting. Once you connect the projector to the app, you can conveniently choose any of the pre-built 52 aurora scenes from the interface.

If you want to have a bit more control, you can customize or create your own scene by adding anywhere from 1-8 colors to your aurora. The aurora animation looks impressively fluid and the effect also morphs to the style of your choosing with four different switching methods, known as gradient, breathe, rainbow, and twinkle, all which offer differing levels of movement. This opens all sorts of color combinations and effects. You could think of the app as a special virtual paint palette, and the resulting aurora effect you can generate kind of like a giant mural.

Limited Star Projection Functionality

Unfortunately, Govee doesn’t offer the same level of customization for the LED star projection, and it would be nice to see this in future updates, given its price. Its main weakness is its inability to change the color of the stars and they aren’t even white; they are green. Since this is the first time I’ve ever owned a star projector I probably don’t know any better, and this doesn’t bother me.

You can adjust the stars’ brightness and alter their twinkling and orbiting patterns, but the projector does kind of lay them out in a grid-like pattern that is noticeable if you stare at them for a long time and think too hard about it. This makes the star projection effect look less natural.

Ambient Sound and White Noise Generator

You probably won’t notice it at first glance, but this star projector has a built-in speaker too, technically making this a Bluetooth speaker. Govee doesn’t offer any dedicated Bluetooth speaker lineup so as expected, the sound quality isn’t as good as any of the Bluetooth speakers I’ve reviewed.

The audio does sound incredibly tinny and rather hollow and on some of the presets it can sound down right fake. But if you don’t have a Bluetooth speaker or audio system in the room, this feature is a welcome extra as the Govee app lets you choose from various ambient sounds, like the Govee Night Light I reviewed last year.

The ambient noise options run the gamut from the natural to manmade; from things like bird song and rainforest sounds, to water running or a crackling fire, a ticking clock, a fan and a bunch more. There’s plenty of options to play with so you should be able to find something you like.

Auto Shut off

The Aurora Star Light Projector will shut itself off after four hours. You can disable this function or adjust the specific shut off time by going to the device settings page and adjusting the ‘Auto Off’.

Smart Home Integration with Matter Support

The Govee Star Light Projector has both built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz integration as the bulk of the projector’s features hide behind the Govee app. I recommend you use Wi-Fi for connecting as the projector can integrate with your smart home network complete with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and even Matter support!

Overall Thoughts: Govee Star Light Projector

Overall, the Govee Star Light Projector is a terrific aurora generator with the rest of the feature set feeling a bit tacked on. I’ll go over both the pros and cons so you can see if this might be right for your home.

On the pro side there’s no assembly required and it’s essentially plug and play with ultra easy set up in seconds. The Govee app makes adjusting every aspect of this light projector easy, and if you don’t happen to want to use the app the physical buttons on the side do allow for additional control.

The lighting effects are truly beautiful and magical and it goes a long way to creating a beautiful room. The effects can also be spread over a large area of the room making it feel even more immersive. I also like the fact it combines two different kinds of light with the colour wash Aurora effect and the LED starlight.

When it comes to the aspect of this light I enjoyed the least, the built-in speaker is a nice little extra if you don’t have a white noise machine, but I really hope future iterations of this product improve the audio quality, since it can sound quite artificial.

I also think there could be future customization of the star effects, with the option for more natural white or golden starlight as opposed to glowing green pinpoints.

Despite those few shortcomings, I don’t feel like either of those cons wrecks the light for me. I really loved my experience with the Govee Aurora Star Light Projector and I think it would make a great addition to your home also. Govee Aurora Star Light Projector sells for about $79.99 USD / $119.99 CAD and you can get it from Govee directly or any number of electronics retailers including Amazon, and if you’d like to pair this light with some other options, Govee has a lock on the smart light market right now with plenty of clever products!

**A note about Affiliate Links: TechGadgetsCanada & TechGadgetsInternational is supported by our readers. Occasionally I will include affiliate links in my reviews. I do this partly for convenience of the reader (since I’ll almost always include a link to the company website or similar anyway) in case you want to read more or purchase, but I also may get a small commission from the click, which helps me keep the blog running. If you choose to use this link I thank you greatly for supporting the blog. There’s no obligation or cost to you for using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 

The post Govee Aurora Star Light Projector: full in-home review appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

In this review, I’m going to install the longer 65-foot string kit at my home… I’ll show you how they go up, what you can do with them, and what they look like. I’ll wrap things up with the pros and the cons and let you know if I think these are a good holiday light choice for you. I’d also like to thank Govee for gifting me a set of lights. While they have sent them to me the company hasn’t asked for, or received permission to have any input into my review so you can consider these thoughts all mine.

Smart icicle lights are even better as you can apply different color schemes to suit the mood. Search around your favorite online marketplace and you’ll likely find all sorts of brands selling lights for under $40 USD. Recently, popular smart light manufacturer Govee made its debut with the category offering its own Govee Icicle Lights product with a rather high $139 USD / $189 CAD starting price. Have we entered the era of the Govee tax or does this product offer something special? I have all the details!

Watch my full hands-on review and installation of new Govee icicle lights

About the Govee Icicle Lights

The Govee Icicle Lights is Govee’s attempt at putting a premium spin on the icicle lights category. At the time of writing, Govee offers two variants of this product – the 32.8-foot H70D1 model priced at $139 USD / $189 CAD and the 65.6-foot HD70D2 version (which I have) offering twice as many lights for a modest price increase to $249 USD / $349 CAD.

What’s in the Box?

In the box, you get two strings of Govee Icicle Lights, which feature individual strands hanging from a central wire. There’s also a power pack which has a split connection, allowing you to connect two strings separately.

In addition to the icicle lights, you also get 45 clips with hooks on both sides. If you prefer installing on a handrail or fence, you can also use the 45 zip ties that come with the kit instead.

My 65.6-foot version comes with a second string of icicle lights along with twice as many clips and zip ties.

The way this will work is you’ll need to run each string off the central power. Here at my house I had to run the central power up the middle of the house, and then one string goes off to each side.

While this actually works quite well here at my house, it may be problematic for other installations. Particularly because you cannot connect the two sections of icicle lights to each other.

These lights come with two bags of plastic clips, which initially seem kind of thin and flimsy… let’s see what they’re like in practise.

Installing icicle lights is like setting up typical string lights in the sense that you’ll be hanging the wire from the clips, which will attach to your eaves. You could also use wide staples or clips and affix them to the soffits or the siding.

I found the clips can work in a couple of ways, and they actually fit my eaves perfectly, they hold very firmly and they stay in place.

Having hung lights from subpar clips in the past, I have to say I wasn’t expecting these included clips to be so strong, versatile and useful, so major extra points to Govee for that. Here at my house the clips just snap over the lip of my eavestroughs, then the wire is held by a hook at the bottom of the clip.

The light strings of various lengths dangle vertically on the wire vaguely resembling dangling icicles.

Every “icicle” contains an odd number of lights from 3-7 lights. Govee laid out the icicles in such a way that no neighboring lights are the same length so you get this repetitive 3, 5, 7, 5, 3 pattern.

One thing that did stand out to me right away is that in some cases, particularly on the shorter strands, the wires are bent and don’t quite hang straight. I’ll give this a day or two for everything to stretch out before I get worried and we’ll see how it displays.

App control

To get them set up you need the Govee app. Sign in to or sign up for an account, then choose the + in the upper corner to Add Light. Once you plug the string of lights in, the app should see it immediately and prompt you to add it, as it did for me. I’ve reviewed more than a dozen different Govee lights over the years and in each case set up takes just seconds.

The app is going to be your central command for changing the color of the lights, setting automated schedules, and even applying dozens of different animated effects and colour patterns.

How do Govee Icicle Lights look?

I have to say from the moment I switched these lights on I was pretty impressed. Starting with just basic colors, the lights look really good, they’re quite bright, and even if some of the strands are a bit bent or twisted, it doesn’t pose a problem at all on the overall lighting effect.

Switching to use some of Govee’s presets, it’s easy to get different colours and patterns cycling through the light. There’s plenty of holiday options to choose from as well as different animated color effects. Once they’re installed and it gets dark, you can sit in the comfort of your warm home and play around with different options. There’s also quite a few other ways to control your lights. In the Govee app a setting called Finger Sketch will let you choose the colors of each individual light strand and bulb so you can get incredibly granular with your color scheme and effect. Drawing patterns and seeing them brought to life through the vibrant lights is quite the experience.

Another setting called DIY lets you choose animated lighting effects that will change the colors of the lights automatically.

Custom Lighting Scenes Through AI

You can also use AI to create custom light scenes, and have the Govee bot create designs for you.

After you select your light, choose the AI prompt in the app to make text, image, and audio prompts to create some fancy scenes outside of the already diverse selection of presets. Last September Govee announced AIGC or Artificial Intelligence-generated Content so you can expect AI to play a huge role in future updates.

Govee calling their product “Icicle Lights” really tells just half the story which I find relieving considering the price. In fact, Govee launched these lights alongside some other smart lighting products kickstarting a new wave of innovation for the company.

Even in the realm of smart lights, you often get what you pay for and the Govee Icicle Lights is living proof of this fact. Try out any preset and you’ll notice just how precise each light turns on or turns off to adapt to your chosen preset. The secret behind the lights’ impressive performance is the independent chips each integrated for every individual lamp.

Coordination with other Govee lights

If you’re installing other Govee smart lights or holiday lights, it is possible to get them all working together on the same theme.

Choose a light to start with, then select More, and scroll down to Sync All Lights, then select Go Create, and Create. At the bottom you’ll first choose which lights you want to sync together. Then select the theme to apply. The app will start the show, and will tie it in with some music too if you want.

Weather resistance

One major downside of going cheap with your smart light investment is the higher chances of failure forcing you to buy another set. Thanks to the IP65 waterproof rating for both the string lights and control box, you can confidently hang these lights outside and not worry about the rough rainy or snowy periods.

I already have several Govee lights installed outdoors including the Outdoor Ground Lights, and the Flood Light. You can check those reviews out also, but I can confirm these have survived harsh weather so I have no doubt my new holiday lights will be just as robust.

Expanded Smart Home Support

The Govee Home app for Google Play and iOS continues to be the central hub for controlling all Govee products in your network. But if you don’t feel like using your phone, you may issue voice commands through Google Home or Alexa if you have a supported smart home product. Govee has not announced official iOS support just yet, but iOS does support Matter and so do these icicle lights as well.

Overall Thoughts: Govee Icicle Lights

Govee made the right call, in my opinion, to launch a premium icicle smart lights product. Even if you are skeptical with the company’s AI push, Govee does deserve credit for making a set of lights that is both tough, durable and has many layers of smarts and customization.

Let’s go over the pros and cons.

On the pro side, Govee Icicle Lights were far easier to install than I thought they would be, thanks both to the robust build quality of the strings, and the versatile durable clips that are included.

Connecting to the app was easy and gives you instant control over not just the colour and the effect but also automated timers too. Plus with the addition of different levels of smarts and artificial intelligence, you can go as deep as applying the specific colours you want to each individual lightbulb, or let the Govee bot do it for you. And you can sync all your lights together for a yard-wide holiday effect, or just a consistent colour theme.

Plus with IP65 weather rating and my previous knowledge that these lights have stood up to Canadian winters, I’m confident I’ll have them for a long time.

When it comes to the downsides, I do wonder about the split design of the power on the longer icicle kit, for some applications. While it worked quite well on my home, it may be limiting in some spaces. If you aren’t able to install from a central point of power and go off in two directions, you’d probably be better off choosing two of the shorter light kits. And since additional strings of icicle lights cannot be connected to each other, this could also limit your installation options.

In short though, I’m super impressed with how these look on my home and how well they integrate with other lights in my Govee system.

At the time of writing, Govee offers two variants of this product – the 32.8-foot H70D1 model priced at $139 USD / $189 CAD and the 65.6-foot HD70D2 version offering twice as many lights for a modest price increase to $249 USD / $349 CAD.

**A note about Affiliate Links: TechGadgetsCanada & TechGadgetsInternational is supported by our readers. Occasionally I will include affiliate links in my reviews. I do this partly for convenience of the reader (since I’ll almost always include a link to the company website or similar anyway) in case you want to read more or purchase, but I also may get a small commission from the click, which helps me keep the blog running. If you choose to use this link I thank you greatly for supporting the blog. There’s no obligation or cost to you for using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 

The post Govee Icicle Lights: Full review & how to install appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

Yeedi M12 PRO+

The Yeedi M12 PRO+ (see full review) is the robot vacuum that surprised me the most because it packs an incredible feature set along with the level of performance you’d normally expect from a vacuum costing over $1,000. Its impressive 11,000Pa suction power can take care of all sorts of dirty messes on hard floors and carpets. No need to worry about mopping afterwards either because the M12+ can mop your floors on the same cleaning run. The vacuum even has special sensors that tell it to lift the dual spinning mop heads when it approaches carpets. The Yeedi M12 PRO+ is truly a robot vacuum without compromise and is my top pick in this roundup if you have extra to spend.

Regular Price: $999USD, with discount, Current Price is $549.99. Amazon has this bot on sale, and you can find it here.

Watch the full video review

Yeedi M12 ULTRA PLUS

Powered by a brand-new high-speed motor Yeedi’s flagship M12 ULTRA PLUS delivers next-level cleaning efficiency, particularly on carpets where it’s ZeroTangle Anti-Tangle Technology and Dual Comb Teeth Arrays are great for homes with pets or long-haired humans. But with strong mopping capabilities to this is an ideal robot for homes with just as much hard flooring as carpeting. Yeedi’s TruEdge Adaptive Edge Mopping means precise edge cleaning and with OZMO TURBO 2.0 and Auto Small Tank Refill you can expect continuous water replenishment for optimized mopping and powering off of stubborn stains even if they’ve dried on. Plus the compact base station is ideal for smaller spaces.

Regular Price: $1099USD, with discount, Current Price is $619.99. Find M12 Ultra Plus on Amazon.

Yeedi C12 Combo

One of Yeedi’s newest offerings is this multi use kit which combines a capable robot vacuum with the helpful assistance of a built-in stick vacuum and mop that also doubles as a handheld. Everything empties into one bag central dust bin so there’s almost no maintenance required from you. This is a versatile kit which I have the chance to get hands on with recently so you can check out the full review here and find out why it’s ideal for not only automating much of your cleaning, but also being able to get into the spaces a robot vacuum just can’t go.

Regular Price: $899USD, with discount, Current Price is $559.99. Get C12 Combo at its lowest price yet on Amazon.

Watch the full video review

Yeedi C12 PRO PLUS

The Yeedi C12 PRO+ is a slightly toned-down version of the M12 PRO+ with 8,000Pa worth of suction power, but still powerful enough to deal with most heavy pile messes. While you must physically swap the vacuum bin with a mop bin to perform mopping duties, I still find the low price of this robot vacuum super competitive simply because most vacuums in this price range can’t mop at all! Read my full review of Yeedi C12 Pro Plus here.

Regular Price: $599USD, with discount, Current Price is $329.99.  Shop it on Amazon today!

Watch the full video review

Yeedi C12 PLUS

Yeedi specifically targeted the C12 PLUS robot vacuum to the super budget conscious while retaining almost all the power and features of the C12 PRO PLUS. As a vacuum, the C12 PLUS performs right up there with its superior C12 PRO PLUS sibling. The C12 PLUS retains the mopping function, but it lacks the OZMO PRO 2.0 mopping technology which I’ll explain in the Yeedi Innovations section. The package also comes with just one mopping pad instead of two. Go for this robot vacuum if mopping isn’t your major concern and you want a decent self-emptying station.

Regular Price: $479USD, with discount, Current Price is $299.99. Find C12 Plus on Amazon now.

Yeedi C12

The Yeedi C12 is a trip back to old days when docking stations only charged the robot vacuum. This means absolutely no extra bulk taking up space in the room, but also no automatic dumping ground convenience when the C12’s 0.4-liter dust box capacity fills up. The good news? The C12 retains several of the other innovations like the 8,000Pa suction power, ZeroTangle Technology, lidar navigation and mapping, and full compatibility with the Yeedi mobile app. This entry-level vacuum can mop as well, just in case your floor needs extra polish while you are away. Although the charging dock cannot wash or rinse the mopping pad, you may easily remove the pad and wash it yourself.

Regular Price: $399.99USD, with discount, Current Price is $169.99. Shop Yeedi C12 at its extraordinary price on Amazon.

Learn more about Yeedi tech innovations

What makes Yeedi several steps ahead of other budget brands are the technologies empowering the company’s vacuums. From finding a way to mop right to the edges of your floors, to all in one cleaning stations that are compact and extremely useful, to special OZMO mopping technology and zero tangle brushes, Yeedi is clearly at the forefront of the robot vacuum world. Learn a bit more about some of this extraordinary technology and where you can find it in the company’s products.

TruEdge Mopping (M12 Series Only)

The M12 Series features a mopping pad uniquely attached to an arm which can extend to reach spots its other stationary mopping pad can’t clean. This is useful for cleaning spills around corners and under baseboards.

All-in-One Station (M12 Series Only)

The Yeedi All-in-One Station features a unique modular design consisting of a dual chamber water tank for clean and dirty water and a dedicated compartment for the massive 3.4-liter dust bag. The station also doubles as a mop washer which uses hot water to dissolve grime and grease on the pads and hot air drying to get ready for the next mopping session.

OZMO Mega Mopping (C12 PRO PLUS Only)

Flat mopping pads have its limitations compared to the plushier spinning ones found in the M12 PRO+, but the C12 PRO PLUS model can still handle some messes thanks to the OZMO Mega Mopping System. OZMO Mega Mopping System works by vibrating the pad up to 480 times per minute, creating a scrubbing effect to help thoroughly clean stains.

Self-emptying Station (C12 COMBO, C12 PRO PLUS and C12 PLUS Only)

Yeedi’s Self-emptying station may not have the mop washing features or the large dustbin capacity, but it has a simpler, less bulky design. The dustbin doesn’t depend on bags either saving you the trouble of buying consumables.

ZeroTangle Vacuuming (All Models)

All vacuums use the same dual-bristle brush with ZeroTangle technology making any of the Yeedi vacuums decent for pet owners. The V-shaped brush design resembles other pricier vacuums that use a similar brush design.

Deep Clean Power (All Models)

The M12 ULTRA PLUS model may be the king of suction power with 11,800Pa, but the other vacuums are no slouch with 8,000Pa. Last year, I reviewed the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra and I was already impressed with its 6,000Pa suction power! Robot vacuums have gone a long way with deep cleaning power.

Learn more and compare Yeedi vacuum models

**A note about Affiliate Links: TechGadgetsCanada & TechGadgetsInternational is supported by our readers. Occasionally I will include affiliate links in my reviews. I do this partly for convenience of the reader (since I’ll almost always include a link to the company website or similar anyway) in case you want to read more or purchase, but I also may get a small commission from the click, which helps me keep the blog running. If you choose to use this link I thank you greatly for supporting the blog. There’s no obligation or cost to you for using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Unlock Up to 58% Off: Yeedi’s Best Robot Vacuums at Unbeatable Prices This Black Friday! appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

Tineco Floor One S5 Review: What’s so great?

The Tineco Floor One S5 is a fully cordless wet/dry stick vacuum and mop with some unique features that set it apart from other stick cleaning models. The Tineco S5 has a plush roller on the bottom that help it pull in and suck up dirt, debris and wet messes, while wiping up the floor surface too. The device comes with a docking station that will keep it charged and handy.

The S5 is adjustable; you can make the handle longer or shorter so you can use it easily no matter how tall or short you are – a nice touch. The mop and vacuum head has swivel steering, and a fairly comfortable round handgrip. The PRO mode also offers a dedicated suction mode for cleaning spilled liquids quickly.

If you’re comparing, the S5 improves on Tineco’s S3 version with updated soft brush rollers, larger water tanks, and the addition of an LCD display. Something called an iLoop sensor also means the S5 can adjust power cycles to provide a longer battery time. The updated brush head has also been redesigned to handle corners and baseboard areas better, getting in a bit closer than before.

Using Tineco Floor One S5

To use this device, you’ll fill a small water tank with fresh water. The tank looks kind of tiny, but the truth is this device isn’t using a lot of water and doesn’t need it. The added bonus of using only so much water is that the floor dries faster too.

The Tineco S5 will clean with just water or water and cleaning solution and you only need about half an ounce or a bottle cap of solution to boost your clean. Depending which mode you use, you need to choose the mode; the device starts in Solution mode by default; you can switch to water only mode by long pressing the auto/max button (which looks like a bunch of dots) for 3 seconds.

When you turn it on, you’ll notice it will pull; it’s powered and doesn’t take much work from you to clean deeply. Run it over your floors to get those rollers working.

With most messes, a single pass scrubbed up the dirt; including things like muddy dog paws.

Self cleaning vacuum

When you’ve finished cleaning, empty the dirty water tank—it’s a really good gauge of how dirty your floors were! A built-in pet hair strainer in the dirty water bin is designed to make hair removal quick and easy – so it doesn’t clog your plumbing, and I found it worked pretty well.

Worth pointing out: you really should empty the dirty water bin right away, to avoid a lingering funky stink. The roller cover also removes with a click and should be rinsed off too. With the cover off, you can also slide the roller brush off and give it a rinse and remove any tangled hair or fibres. (A spare roller brush is also handily included in the box.)

When emptied and rinsed, you can return the Floor One S5 to its docking station, which both charges the S5 as well as performs a self-cleaning cycle when you hit a button. It will automatically let you know when it needs a self cleaning cycle to keep dirt from building up inside, since it can auto-detect dirt and buildup; a voice prompt will tell you to begin a cleaning cycle by pressing the self-clean button, which has a water droplet on it. A full self-cleaning cycle takes about 2 minutes.

Smart Sensors – what do they do?

The vacuum uses something called an iLoop Smart Sensor that detects where dirt and debris are on the floor. As you move the vacuum across your floor, it shows you where you need to concentrate your effort; if the LED light on the screen is red, it’s seeing more dirt, so you should make a few more passes, if it’s blue, it’s not so bad. The Tineco S5 will also automatically adjust water and detergent flow, giving your more solution to clean bigger messes.

I didn’t really notice this feature. Particularly when I attacked a dried on red wine stain the lights didn’t seem to change. So I don’t know how much it’s seeing dirt, but even so it does a good job at powering it off the floor.

LED screen

The Tineco S5’s 2.1 inch LCD display will show you your cleaning status and dirt level, any alerts, and the remaining battery level, as well if you water tanks are empty or need refilling.

Noise level

Tineco claims the S5  is quiet, operating at a max 78-decibel level. The brushless motor and the soft brush roller, combined with the unit’s ability to alter the power level as needed, mean less time at higher noise levels. I’d say compared to a lot of other vacuum products, the Tineco S5 is pretty quiet, give all that’s going on.

Testing Tineco on various messes: how well does it clean?

I tried out the Tineco in various at-home situations. I used it simply as a vacuum, and on all my vacuums I try it out on fine flour, spills like rice or oats, and bigger debris like crackers.

While the vacuum does pick it all up, it does kind of form a wet mess inside the dirty water tank, and the internal filter gets full quickly. With that said, it does do a good job of keeping the debris from the water.

When it came to the floor mopping capabilities I was able to try it on muddy paw prints and damp fall dirt… Here the Tineco S5 shines; unlike some mopping robots that simply wipe, the spinning brushes underneath the Tineco S5 power dried messes off the floor. It was quite impressive! Similarly, it was able to clean up small spills, though I do advice you to empty the dirty water bin and run a cleaning cycle, particularly if you’re wiping up something like milk.

I used the S5 on tile, and hardwood and it did a great job on both. I didn’t find that it left the floors too damp or streaky either. I feel this device is best suited to use as a powerful mop, but it does also pick up dirt you’d otherwise need to vacuum first, so it is versatile.

Overall review: Tineco Floor One S5

Overall, I’m really happy with how this floor cleaner performs. It powers dried on dirt from both my tile and hardwood floors, and I love the versatility of the wet-dry performance here, since it means I don’t need to worry about vacuuming first, then mopping.

Downsides? It is not quite as maneuverable as some other stick vacuums and mops I’ve tried, and the internal debris filter is small so it struggles to clean up bigger lumpier messes.

Even so it works very well and we like using it, since it gives the floors in our dual-pet home a good, thorough cleaning. I can definitely recommend the Tineco Floor One S5 for your hard floors.

It sells for about $499USD/$629CAD and you can get it from Amazon.

The post Tineco Floor One S5 wet-dry vacuum & mop review appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

With an Ethernet connection port in this version, you can plug directly into your router for stabler streams without the need for an adapter, and now billed as having Ambient Mode, is this Streamer finally a worthy adversary for the decor-focused Samsung Frame TV?

What is Google TV Streamer?

Google TV Streamer is a device that connects to any TV, and using a Wi-Fi connection, it can open up streaming access for nearly any device, whether a smart TV or an older non-connected set. Once you have it connected, it gives you access to all the streaming channels on the market. With an included remote, it’s got instant control, or you can use a phone to run it too.

Watch my full hands-on video review of Google TV Streamer

In this review I’m going to try the TV streamer out here in my home for a few days and I’ll take a look at what’s new and improved in this iteration, what it can do, what the user interface is like and I’ll assess the other special features it has. I’ll wrap things up with the pros and the cons of this device and let you know if I think it’s a good TV streaming system for you. I would like to thank Google for gifting me a pre-release version so I could do my review ahead of its public launch. Well the company did provide the streamer to me at no cost, it did not ask for nor receive permission to have any input into this review. So you can consider these thoughts my own.

Google packed the device with hardware upgrades, like the Ethernet port, AI smarts, and other neat goodies too, meaning it’s a solid competitor for something like Apple TV and Roku Ultra.

Unboxing and set up

In the package you’re getting the TV box… although you probably can’t call this a box. The design leans heavily towards Google’s preference for more natural, pebbly shapes and textures, and features mega-curves and round edges.

A power cable and plug adapter, plus two colour-coordinated batteries round out the necessities, and there’s also the new remote control. Yes while batteries are included an HDMI cable is not, so make sure you’ve got your own. (Just remember to buy an HDMI 2.1 cable if you don’t have a spare to enjoy the full 4K HDR benefits).

Bigger than a Chromecast

Those who were big fans of the palm-sized, pebble shaped Chromecast dongle will find this device more challenging to place or hide, since it’s not going to dangle behind your TV, but I think Google actually did an incredible job at making this something that you won’t mind having sitting out in the open. I placed mine on top of my Sonos Sound bar, below the Samsung Frame TV and I think it disappears nicely into the room; it’s sculptural yet unobtrusive.

The New Voice Remote

Google redesigned the remote, making it slightly larger and altering the button layout, and apparently improved the ergonomics but the improvements are subtle at best and aren’t going to rock your Chromecast world.

The YouTube and Netflix buttons remain, but the smaller button with the star icon is now customizable allowing you to bind the button to any Google TV app or function you want. The built-in microphone allows you to give the streamer Google Assistant smart home commands as expected.

To get the Google TV Streamer set up, you’ll plug in the power and connect the HDMI cable to the streamer and your TV.

While we’re back here, let’s take a look at the ports: there’s the single HDMI connection, an Ethernet port, and USB-C power. A multipurpose button on the far left will reset the device or find your lost remote.

Once it boots up, the screen will begin to walk you through.

The first thing you will do is pair the remote.

I couldn’t quite get mine to pair the first few times I tried and ended up having to pop the batteries out and replace them. Once I did that the whole set up process advanced by itself. Not sure if this is simply a pre-release bug or a bigger issue but it was resolved quickly.

The rest of the set up process will involve connecting to your home’s Wi-Fi network and then enabling a handful of settings. I was set up in about five minutes.

As a quick aside if you prefer to use your television’s remote to control your Google TV streamer, you can. I didn’t even have to do anything to get this working; instantly my Samsung TV remote was connected and functioning too.

User Interface

Let’s take a look at the main screen…

If you’re familiar with Android TV interfaces, this will look somewhat familiar. The clean and uncluttered interface looks modern and is easy to follow.

At the top you have your core tabs which are self explanatory: For You, Movies, Shows, Apps, and Library.

The ‘For You’ tab may be of most interest, since this is where YouTube will make recommendations about things it thinks you’ll like, and also give you the opportunity to resume watching things you’ve already seen.

My recommendations were not extremely robust, but I also haven’t had time to let the TV streamer understand my watching habits just yet.

Apps

When it comes to apps and streaming services, pretty much every platform is available here and you can personalize what you see, and how easy it is to access. The interface is incredibly easy to use and understand, and you’ll also find things like free streaming TV options as well as live television too.

Google Home

One of the features I liked is the integration of Google Home into the streamer. You can set up a shortcut button to access this, or simply find it through settings. Either way it gives you access to your full suite of Google Home and smart home devices. It’s incredibly easy to make adjustments to lighting, or even call up any of your cameras onto the big screen and take a look around.

The new Google TV Streamer doubles as a wider smart home hub too, complete with Thread and Matter support. These newer smart home connection protocols might not matter yet (no pun intended) to every household, but they will become standard soon enough and mean your Google TV streamer is future proof for a while.

Ambient Mode

One of the features of Google TV streamer I was looking most forward to is what Google is calling Ambient Mode, which you could also refer to as the screensaver.

Google seemed to say it’s done some work to improve this, but as I was setting it up I have to say it looked suspiciously like the screensavers already available on Google smart screens.

AI Screensaver

One of the interesting options is the ability to use Google’s AI to create your own screensaver. You can either generate art completely from scratch, or use the Google assisted prompts to help you. This is certainly fun and can lead to both some very nice images, and some interesting misfires. But if you’re willing to stick with it you can probably get something you’ll like.

Google provides you with the option of using your own photos as a screensaver or using art or photography. I wanted to use some of the professional art and photography in hopes of matching the experience I currently get on my Samsung Frame TV.

While there are definitely some cool art works and prints, the effect is definitely more screensaver than Ambient Mode. The TV stays at its current brightness so it can look a bit unnatural in dimmer rooms.

There’s also no single touch button that can get you immediately into Ambient Mode. I went looking through the settings for the programmable favourite button, but there appears to be no option for this to trigger Ambient Mode.

In short while I had high hopes that the so-called Ambient Mode would be a nice way for the TV to fit into my space a little better, at this stage it’s little better than a screensaver and could use a few tweaks in my opinion to make it easier to access.

Find my Remote

Everybody’s misplaced the remote control for the TV at one time or another. It will never be a problem with the Google TV streamer. There are three ways to locate a lost Google remote:
1. Press and hold the button on the back of Google TV Streamer for <5 seconds and release to ring the remote.*
2. If you have Google Nest Speakers in the home, you can even trigger the remote to ring using your voice. Say “Hey Google, find my remote”.
3. You can also use the Google Home app. Tap on your Google TV Streamer inside the app you’ll get the menu options.

Customize the remote

A new customizable button on the remote lets you program your favourite app or channel for instant callback, or set it up to switch inputs or launch the Google Home panel with just one click.

Well this is a nice option, right now the programming options are limited to just those three things. As noted before you can’t program this button to launch Ambient Mode, or change your default audio settings for example.

What can I watch on Google TV Streamer?

Wondering what you’ll be able to watch or stream on this device? The answer is pretty much every streaming service that’s available can be found on Google TV. It also gives you access to free TV channels as well as live television options too.

Google Gemini (kinda) and Google Assistant

It will probably come as no surprise that the Google Assistant is built into your TV, which allows you to ask for channel changes, volume adjustments and info like weather, with just your voice. Google appears to be getting away from the familiar Google Assistant emblem, since on the remote if you want access to the assistant you’ll push the microphone button.

Google has also built in access to its new Gemini artificial intelligence assistant… kinda.

While Gemini will deliver AI-powered summaries for movies or TV, related content, and even a roundup of what people are saying about a show, it does not appear the dedicated Gemini assistant also known as Gemini Live is actually available on the TV streamer yet.

Here’s hoping that feature comes along down the road with a firmware update. In the meantime, it looks like using the microphone button as a way to invoke whatever assistant will be in your future makes the most sense for now.

Spec Bumps Across the Board

Google’s TV Streamer houses a more powerful MediaTek MT8696 processor which the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K uses as well. However, the Google TV Streamer has a greater surface area than any dongle so you can expect that quad-core CPU to do extended tasks without throttling. The streamer also features 4 GB worth of memory which is twice the RAM found in the old Chromecast with Google TV 4K. But what might that mean to you?

Original remote, left, and new.

Likely the ability to allow you to run more background apps without stuttering or buffering. With 32 GB of storage space, you can install more apps and games while having extra space for other media.

Connectivity Improvements

Google also added an Ethernet port to the Google TV Streamer which is something I haven’t seen in a Google streaming device since the Nexus Q released back in mid-2012!

With Gigabit speeds, you can reliably use Google TV Streamer as a Plex server. In addition to the usual Wi-Fi 802.11ac with 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz support, you also get Bluetooth 5.1 which offers better efficiency and range than the older Bluetooth 4 featured in the latest Chromecast dongles.

Connect Pixel Buds Pro 2 for private listening

That Bluetooth capability means you can link the streamer to a pair of Pixel Buds Pro and enjoy private spatial audio.

That’s very good news, but you can also pair your Google TV streamer to any Bluetooth enabled headphones you want, even Apple devices. I love this feature and was able to use the streamer with a variety of different headphones to enjoy a quiet movie night.

Casting call

Google’s Chromecast technology is still alive and well and with it, you can conveniently send Chrome tabs from your phone to the big screen along with any Android and iOS apps supporting Chromecast.

Photo and video sharing

You can also beam videos and photos to the TV via the Google Photos app or mirror your Chromebook’s screen.

One Remote capable

CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) allows for HDMI devices to be controlled with one remote control.

If you try to cast to a CEC supported TV while on a different source input (local TV channel, Cable, USB), source input will automatically switch to the HDMI port where the Chromecast is connected. Certain TVs will also power on (when powered off) when trying to cast to the Chromecast.

In order for this function to work, your Chromecast must be using a wall outlet for power and not plugged into a USB port on the TV.

Supported Media Formats

Like the Chromecast with Google TV 4K, the Google TV Streamer can handle up to 4K HDR at 60 frames per second with support for Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, and HLG. On the audio format side, you get Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, and Dolby Atmos technologies.

Overall Thoughts: Google TV Streamer

Overall the Google TV Streamer appears to be an outstanding device that will be ideal for anyone who needs to add streaming functionality to an older TV, or is looking for a portable option.

Let’s go over the pros and cons.

On the pro side this TV streamer is a beautiful device, and is certainly far more attractive than Apple’s hunk of black plastic. I would go so far as to say Google TV Streamer is the best looking streaming box on the market bar none. With 4K resolution you’re getting the best quality video, and the Ethernet port lets you set up a direct connection if you prefer.

It’s incredibly easy to set up, and easy to use, and the simple clutter free home screen makes it a joy to navigate. With all the streaming services you could want already built-in, you’ve got loads of entertainment options, and with Google Home interface at your fingertips, it’s easy to navigate your smart home too.

Plus with the option to connect any pair of headphones for private listening, this is an ideal streaming box for a family home when quiet is needed.

So what are the downsides?

I was incredibly disappointed with the so-called Ambient Mode. It’s really just the same screensaver you’ll get on any Google display. To be clear, it’s nice to have if you don’t have something like a Frame TV as I already do, but calling it Ambient Mode seems like an overreach.

Some users may also be disappointed at the bigger size and need for set-top or furniture placement. I also wished for more options to program that favourites button, and I’m surprised Gemini isn’t baked in here on release, though this might come down the road.

Google priced its TV streamer at $99 USD/$129CAD which is more expensive than the old Chromecast, but still a lot less than a 4K Ethernet Apple TV. And since Chromecast is still available as of this review going up, if you need the smaller dongle and don’t need the Ethernet connection, you can still get 4K video and save.

In short, there are a few shortcomings in this device that may give you pause before you add to cart, especially since there are cheaper streaming options out there—mainly from Roku, but as long as you know what you’re getting here, and what you aren’t—at least not yet— Google TV Streamer does the job and it looks a lot better doing it.

The post Google TV Streamer 4K 2024: full hands-on review appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

I’ll wrap things up with the pros and cons and I’ll let you know if I think I can recommend this smart lamp for you.

Philips Hue Iris light full in-home review

Philips Hue Smart Bulbs have been around for more than a decade, making the smart lighting ecosystem well worth investing in. However, even the most basic of smart bulbs carry a bit of a hefty premium compared to the competition. Even if you buy a bulb on its own, you can only control it via Bluetooth unless you have a Philips Hue Bridge which unlocks the full capabilities of the bulb and other Philips Hue lighting products in the household. Because of that high entry cost, several customers go for cheaper solutions that may even offer built-in Wi-Fi requiring no bridge at all. Any generic brand should suffice if you can control the light remotely or change the color, right?

Watch my FULL Philips Hue Iris video review

Philips is aware of those basic needs and the appeal of the budget segment. One approach to tackling it is by launching more stylish-looking products like the Philips Hue Iris. This unique-looking lamp could very well be the first Philips Hue building block to convince people to hop onboard the Philips Hue ecosystem. The model I have here is the Iris Copper Special Edition model which has a bit more of a premium flair compared to the regular models.

What is Philips Hue Iris?

The Philips Hue Iris is a spherical, dome-shaped table lamp that can provide ambient lighting to a smaller area.

It’s meant to sit on a surface or a floor at a slight angle, and to splash light upwards and out, onto a wall.

What’s in the Box?

Inside the Philips Hue Iris box, you get the lamp itself with the soft 2 meter fabric-wrapped cable permanently attached (unlike some other Philips Hue lights where the cable can be removed and the lamp battery powered). This light runs off AC power 24/7 and does not have any battery power or portability.

Design & Special Edition Differences

This light comes in several finishes; the basic options are black and white, and Philips has also introduced a special edition lineup which includes silver, gold, and rose-gold. Just don’t let product photos fool you, since the metallic finish is just coloured plastic and the light dome is also plastic and not glass. Fortunately, that also means the dome won’t shatter if you accidentally bump it off the desk. Since this is an object you’re going to look at from a distance and not really be touching a whole lot, it’s not going to be obvious that this is all plastic. In fact it looks legitimately like glass and metal, so kudos to Philips for creating a premium looking product without the breakables.

I chose the special edition rose gold finish for my home. The metallic special edition options do cost a bit more than the basic black-and-white, and will set you back about an extra $40 USD / $30 CAD. The special edition models sell for about $140 USD / $170 CAD.

Philips Hue Iris measures about eight inches tall and seven inches wide, making it a bit larger than its similar ambient lamp siblings, the Philips Bloom and Go.

Set up: Bluetooth or Wi-Fi

Getting these lights set up is incredibly easy. I’ve covered the Philips Hue lineup for many years and have never had an issue with setting up one of the lights.

This light is one of Philips Hue’s Bluetooth lighting line which technically means you can operate it without the Philips Hue bridge. While using Bluetooth only does limit some of the functions of the light, it does mean you can save a little bit of money by not purchasing the bridge.

Hue Bridge is definitely a must have piece of equipment particularly if you plan on building out your Smart home with Philips Hue Lighting. The Bridge connects to your home’s router or modem and is what will allow your lights to connect to Wi-Fi, and the Wi-Fi connection unlocks a lot more functionality in terms of scheduling, dimming ability and more. The bridge is not an inexpensive item usually retailing around $70 or so Canadian. Since I’ve had numerous Philips lights in my house for many years I already have the bridge.

To make the connection, you also need the Philips Hue app and to sign up for or sign into your account. Choose the option for adding a light and then follow the handful of steps which includes connecting your light to Wi-Fi. Because I already have an account and numerous lights in my ecosystem, I was set up in about three minutes.

Smart light

Smart lights are great because they give you way more flexibility with the lighting in your room. Not only can you change the brightness, but also the colour temperature of basic white light, making it warmer for cosy evenings in, or cooler for keeping you alert during the workday, but these lights also display a full array of colours as well. I love having different colour lights in the house and find that changing the colour of my smart lights can help a room feel warmer or cooler, or simply more festive.

Changing the colours on this light happens easily inside the Philips Hue app and you can save your favourite options. Using the app you can also set automatic timers, so your lights will turn on and off either with the sun or at prescribed times of day.

Of course this being a smart light you can also connect it to your preferred smart home digital assistant and use voice commands to make any adjustments also. I have connected my Hue lights to both Google and Alexa and both systems work flawlessly.

I will definitely say Philips makes this ultra easy to use inside the app. After using various Hue lights for over a decade I find this is one of the easiest to use and most reliable smart lighting systems on the market.

To really appreciate the lamp’s versatility you’ll want to play around with the positioning and settings.

Mood Boosting Ambience

The most common practice of angled ambient lamps is to shine them towards a wall like a spotlight and switch off the other lights to really see that mood uplifting soft color splash work its magic. That would make this light ideal for movie night.

Try out different colors and adjust the intensity to suit the mood or the movie! The lamp even works well in pairs where you can mix and match colors and angle them to the wall to create a unique effect while the lamps themselves serve as nice table décor.

I experimented with a few different placements in my home including in the living room where I splashed the light on the living room wall next to the sofa, as well as in my home office where I was able to get it to integrate into my background a little bit.

Something I will call out right away though is that the cone of lighting is quite small. This is not the type of light that is big enough or powerful enough to light up an entire wall. It’s more going to splash a little bit of accent colour over a small area, and in my home that area was really only about four or 5 square feet. In fact that’s another thing about this light; it’s going to be less about splashing the colour and more about turning the light into a beautiful colour shifting object itself.

The actual diameter of the light itself is far narrower than the overall size of this lamp would have you believe. There’s really only a 3 inch LED bulb inside here despite the fact the overall dome is about 8 inches wide. Because the back of the bulb is transparent it does cast a bit of a backwards glow also.

Brightness

Another thing to note about this light is that it is not incredibly bright. The Philips Hue Iris has a total output of 570 lumens and a warm to cool light color range of 2,000 to 6,500 degrees Kelvin, which is just a fancy way of saying it goes from pure white light to golden yellow light.

Even at 100% brightness it’s going to be more of an ambient or nightlight style of lamp as opposed to something you could use for dedicated task lighting.

Now well these may sound like a lot of complaints, they’re really not. I just want you to understand what you are getting with this light and how it works so that you can evaluate if it’s going to work in your space.

I actually quite love the design and think it’s beautiful and sculptural. And the ambient glow it offers is subtle. While I would certainly like a version of this light that I could use to splash across my room backdrop more effectively, that’s not what this is so it’s hard for me to complain about it.

Overall Thoughts: Philips Hue Iris Copper Special Edition Smart Table Lamp

Overall I am a big fan of the Philips Hue lineup. I’ve been using probably about 20 different Hue lights in my house for over a decade and they have been almost completely problem free. Let’s go over the pros and the cons of this light so you can see if it might be a good addition to your smart home.

On the pro side, Philips Hue Iris is a well-designed ambient lamp that can really boost the mood of any room. The Copper Special Edition makes for a great piece of sculptural light decor too. Yes, the lamp itself is an investment and you’ll likely want the Hue Bridge to unlock its full capabilities for a hefty price, but the convenience of a Bluetooth-only connection is still worthwhile.

I love the colour changing abilities and the scheduling means I can count on it to turn on and off all on its own. Also, even though it’s made of plastic, it doesn’t look like it and certainly doesn’t look cheap, and at the same time that plastic is going to make it potentially more durable for busy households. The light should last more than a decade thanks to its 25,000-hour bulb lifespan. I can confirm I have another Philips Hue lamp that I’ve already had for more than 10 years and it is still going strong, so I think that says a lot about these lights durability and longevity.

So what are the downsides? The lamp is not incredibly bright particularly for its size, and while it will splash ambient light on a wall or surface, the light does not cover a large area. This light would be more of an object or showpiece rather than a method of painting your room with light. Some folks also might find themselves disappointed at the plastic build and painted metallics.

I really like this light and think it looks fantastic in my room and is another great addition to my Philips Hue Smart home. For that reason I can definitely recommend it for you.

Philips Hue Iris Special Edition sells for about US$140 or C$170 while the basic black or white plastic versions go for $109USD/$139CAD, and you can purchase them from Philips or from Amazon and like I said I’m a big fan of the Hue lineup.

**A note about Affiliate Links: TechGadgetsCanada & TechGadgetsInternational is supported by our readers. Occasionally I will include affiliate links in my reviews. I do this partly for convenience of the reader (since I’ll almost always include a link to the company website or similar anyway) in case you want to read more or purchase, but I also may get a small commission from the click, which helps me keep the blog running. If you choose to use this link I thank you greatly for supporting the blog. There’s no obligation or cost to you for using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 

The post Philips Hue Iris light full in-home review appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

If you’re ready to add a wireless video doorbell to your home, there’s never been a better time. Video doorbells are generally easy to install and can add a new level of security and connectivity to your home since they can let you answer the bell from anywhere. In this video, I’m checking out the Abode Wireless Video Doorbell. I’ll show you what you get, take you through the set up and installation and then go over how it works, and if it might be a good option for your home.

I’d like to thank Abode for sponsoring this post. The company has paid me for my time here, they have not told me what I have to say or what I can’t say about their video doorbell and I got to test it out on my own terms so you can consider these thoughts my own.

How does it work? Abode Wireless Video Doorbell

Abode Wireless Video Doorbell is a rechargeable video doorbell that connects to your Wi-Fi network, allowing you remote access to your doorbell camera at any time.
The doorbell can serve as a building block for a bigger smart home network if you have other products like the Abode Smart Bulb since you control them via the same Abode app.

Watch my video about Abode Video Doorbell

What’s in the Box?

Inside the box, you get the doorbell unit itself along with a separate chime which you connect to your home’s Wi-Fi router, and it appears the chime almost acts as a wireless hub for the bell. Abode also includes an Ethernet cable which you must use to connect the chime to your router during the set up of the doorbell.

For mounting, Abode includes both a standard flat wall mount as well as a 30-degree angled wedge mount just in case you need to tilt the doorbell’s video camera to view around any obstacles.

Abode also provides the mounting screws and hex keys for installation as well as an included USB-C charging cable.

Set up & Installation

I was pleasantly surprised at how quick and easy the set up and installation process was. Like most modern video doorbells, installation involves downloading an app (the official Abode app for iOS and Google Play) which guides you through the setup process and offers some tips for different front door arrangements.

Your first steps will be to initiate the doorbell, and connect the chime to your Wi-Fi router using that Ethernet cable. I had these steps taken care of in just a couple of minutes with good guidance from the app. Once you have paired the chime with the doorbell, you can safely unplug the Ethernet cable, as the chime will still connect to the router wirelessly (if you want) and this is helpful in case you wish to position the chime further away from the router. One thing to note is that the Abode doorbell cannot operate without the chime.

If installing a video doorbell intimidates you and wires freak you out, the Abode Wireless Video Doorbell is an ideal choice because you don’t need to hard-wire it at all, thanks to the internal battery. You simply screw the mounting bracket to your door frame or siding and click the rechargeable doorbell unit into place.

It is definitely one of the quickest and easiest installations I’ve done, because I wasn’t limited to placing the doorbell only where my old wires are, I was able to get a much better angle to view my doorstep.

Recording & subscriptions

Abode Wireless Video Doorbell has a couple of different options when it comes to how you want to use it and what you want to pay for, or not pay for, and if you just have one camera, or multiple. Plans start at $6.99USD or $8.99CAD per month and you can check out Abode’s website to see exactly what you get with each tier. I will point out that some type of monthly fee for video recording and cloud storage is standard operating procedure with almost all video doorbells.

If you opt for one of the paid plans, you’ll get the ability to look at the camera live any time, and your events like doorbell rings or motion detection will be stored in the cloud for 10 days, plus you get more detailed notifications to your phone about what’s happening. You can also adjust the recording duration; from just a few seconds, up to 30 seconds.

You can opt not to pay any monthly fee at all if you prefer, and simply let the chime notify you about any visitors. You should also get a simplified or generic push notification to your smart phone (‘An event has occurred’) that lets you know something is happening, but it doesn’t provide more detail. Looking at the camera via a live view and talking to whoever is there is also possible with the free plan. The free plan does not save any recordings.

Possibly worth noting is the doorbell doesn’t record video 24/7, which would just be impractical with a battery powered device but you can use the app to customize which events you want to be notified about.

Using the Doorbell

When someone rings the bell, the chime will make an audible sound inside your house. This is great for anyone who’s not already using the app since it means you’ll never miss a visitor.

If you would like to also get notifications to your phone, or view past instances of motion or rings, that is one of the features that does require a subscription, as noted earlier.
Otherwise, the Doorbell lets you open the app and take a live look at any time, and even talk to people who are there.

Smart Home Support

You will also be able to get notifications and even a live view of your camera on Amazon Echo Show devices to. I enabled this feature and found it was super convenient to have my Show devices both verbally announce an audible ring, and pop the feed up on the screen for me.

The Abode Wireless Video Doorbell also integrates with Google Home devices too.

Abode Smart Detect

Whenever the doorbell detects activity, it can harness the Abode cloud to identify the subject.

Abode Smart Detect (which is part of the paid subscription tiers) can recognize people, pets, or packages. If you have other Abode products with a video camera like the Abode Cam 2, these devices can use this feature as well. After enabling the feature in the app (Settings Motion Settings>Smart Detect), you can customize the push notification settings for each subject which can be useful to reduce unnecessary notifications.

Video quality

Full HD or 1080p resolution is table stakes for doorbell cameras today; you won’t find much if anything out there in a higher resolution, so rest assured you’re going to get the clearest possible view, particularly if you are viewing from a phone or small smart home assistant, the full HD resolution is just fine.

The camera also uses Starlight technology, which offers good low-light performance in full color. If you want better contrast, you can use the doorbell’s infrared LEDs for black-and-white. The 160-degree field of view is ample for seeing people, package deliveries, or four-legged visitors if you take the time in finding the best mounting location.

Audio

Since the Abode wireless video doorbell has a built-in mic, visitors can engage in 2-way chat with you after pushing the doorbell’s button. The audio quality is good and more than enough to carry on simple interactions.

Battery Life

The Abode Video Doorbell is made to last about 3 months before you need to recharge it, which I’ve found is comparable to other video doorbells’ charging lifespan. Since I only had this doorbell in place for a couple of weeks, I won’t be able to weigh in on the battery life just yet.

The Abode app will send a notification when the doorbell is low on battery.

Weatherproof Housing

The Abode Wireless Video Doorbell looks and feels sleek and compact, but the company didn’t skimp on ruggedness. With an IP65 waterproof rating, the doorbell’s body offers full protection from dust and water, so you don’t have to worry about those harsher weather conditions. Abode says the doorbell can operate at temperatures from -4 to 113°F, or -20 to 45 C, and I would say that is industry standard across pretty much any video doorbell you’ll find.

Overall Review: Abode Wireless Video Doorbell

As a standalone product, the Abode Wireless Video Doorbell nails the essentials with a simple installation process and decent video quality.

Let’s assess the pros and potential cons so you can make the best decision about it for you.

On the pro side, you get industry standard HD resolution, and the ability to speak to visitors anytime the doorbell rings, as well as take a live look whenever you want. With support for both Alexa and Google devices, you can get notifications to your smart home speakers and screens too. The indoor chime is actually really nice for giving you audible alerts so you don’t always need your smart phone. And the option for different subscription plans including a free version means you can choose only the features you want. The fact that it is wireless and rechargeable means you can place it literally anywhere and it’s great for doors with no existing wiring. And because it’s rechargeable it’s much easier to use.

What are the potential downsides? Some folks may not like the options for the free and paid subscription plans, but I have found this is standard procedure for video doorbells and paying a nominal monthly fee is just something you’ll need to do if you go the video doorbell route. I did note a small delay in notifications but it’s usually only a second or two, and this small delay is quite common across most video doorbells. The only other potential downside could be that the battery itself is not removable so you will need to bring the entire unit inside to recharge, but that doesn’t really feel like a huge hardship.

In short, I found the Abode Wireless Video Doorbell was a good option particularly for areas with no existing doorbell wiring and it was easy to set up and easy to use. And as long as you’re aware of what the potential downsides could be, you should be quite happy with this device.

Abode Wireless Video Doorbell sells for about $99USD and you can get it through Abode’s website.

**A note about Affiliate Links: TechGadgetsCanada & TechGadgetsInternational is supported by our readers. Occasionally I will include affiliate links in my reviews. I do this partly for convenience of the reader (since I’ll almost always include a link to the company website or similar anyway) in case you want to read more or purchase, but I also may get a small commission from the click, which helps me keep the blog running. If you choose to use this link I thank you greatly for supporting the blog. There’s no obligation or cost to you for using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 

The post Abode Video Doorbell: What to know, how to install, pros & cons appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.