Thanks to the pandemic, a lot of us have had to adapt how we work and manage school work. Some of have transitioned to a home office while others are spending time on the go.
For those of us who were accustomed to a desktop office, one of the hardest things to deal with is going back to a single screen. Laptops or home PCs with one monitor can be a nuisance. It’s hard to replicate multi-monitor setups, especially if space is a concern.
The KYY Portable Monitor is here to ensure that you can add on a second screen without much hassle. Moreover, it won’t take a big bite out of your wallet, either. It’s a quick plug and play option that can handle almost any input you can throw at it.
The KYY Monitor is a sturdy 15.6 inch HD display with a host of inputs for all of you mobile computing needs. It includes a magnetic dust cover and screen protector along with an AC power cord and multiple connection cables for all of its different input types.
Features
Full 1080P FHD HDR IPS Diplay
USB-C powered with optional AC power plug
Multi input usage with 2 USB-C ports and 1 Mini-HDMI port
Ultra thin 0.3 inch profile that ways just 1.7lbs for easy storage and carrying
Impressions
It’s very easy to get this monitor connected and going. I was able to use as it as a second monitor on my laptop as well as a display for my Nintendo Switch connected to the dock. Thanks to its versatility and portability, it’s equal parts work and play.
The USB-C power works great when connected to the laptop. The build quality is good and for the size and thickness of the display it doesn’t feel fragile. I don’t have any worry throwing it in my bag, especially with the smart cover protecting the screen. Indeed, it goes everywhere my laptop goes, even if I don’t need it in the moment.
In use the color and brightness is good but the depth of the colors isn’t quite as rich as other portable monitors we’ve reviewed. While the KYY offers a wide 178 degree viewing window I did notice it can sometimes feel washed out at steeper angles.
We appreciate its flexibility and multiple inputs and for the fact that it also has its own speakers. They’re not the loudest or clearest you’ll come across but they’re not bad in a pinch.
The KYY monitor has a pair of USB Type-C ports and a Mini-HDMI port which makes it compatible with a whole range of devices. The top USB C port is for power which can come from any USB 3.1 port such as one on your laptop or wall charger.
The second USB port is is compatible with any device that uses USB Type-C video, including your recent smartphones. For older handsets, you’ll just need to locate a microUSB-to-Type-C cable.
The KYY Portable Monitor can be used to extend your laptop or Chromebook screen, giving you more windows and tabs to open or communication tools to run at one time. It can also be used to duplicate the screen which could be handy for people who may spend a lot of time turning a laptop back and forth to show off spreadsheets or reports.
Where to Buy
The KYY Portable Monitor can be purchased from Amazon for $179.99.
School is back in session for much of the world and that means things may have potentially changed for a vast number of families.
Have you found that you now need a computer in the home for school work? Or, has your employer advised that you’ll be working from home for the foreseeable future?
If it’s time for you to upgrade your home computer, but you don’t have the budget for something brand new, consider a refurbished model. Doing so gives you much more bang for your buck.
The Dell computer is a perfect option for high school students, college students, and families who may need to split time with another computer. There’s enough power to last casual users a few years of usage and buy time before needing to go all-in with a new model.
Refurbished Rating: This product is listed with a grade of “A.” However, it arrives in a near-mint condition and may have minimal to zero scuffing amounts on the case.
Order Yours!
Purchase your Dell OptiPlex 5040 for just $339.99 while supplies last!
Your smartphone is perhaps your most valuable possession. It is your link to every facet of your life, from social to work, from entertainment to creating memories. If you are looking to replace your smartphone, choosing the right one is essential. This is a device you want to keep for at least a couple of years, so you need to select wisely.
Smartphones can also be expensive, so picking a handset that meets your expectations is a good investment. Below you can read our complete smartphone buying guide, which walks you through the most important factors to consider when buying a new phone.
Before getting into the details, there are three important notes to make. Firstly, using smartphone comparison sites can help you find the device for you by organizing mobile phones based on your needs. Secondly, many smartphone buying guides focus on factors like performance, and while that is important, there are other more vital factors to consider.
Thirdly, if you are shopping in the flagship market, your considerations may change. In truth, most flagships are much of the same. Whether it is the top end Samsung, Apple, Huawei, or any other smartphone, you are guaranteed an excellent camera, amazing battery, stunning screen, and beefy battery.
Flagship shopping comes down to preference in areas such as design, or incremental benefits of one smartphone over another. When you drop below the flagships, to the mid-range and budget phones, that’s where it gets really interesting.
Below we will touch all the bases, starting with the most important factors:
How to Buy the Best Smartphone
Battery Life All the Way
We get it, battery life is hardly the most exciting metric when considering which smartphone to buy, but it may be the most important. The reality is the smartphone market is currently full of amazing devices. Even budget devices costing under $200 can provide solid performance and a decent screen appearance these days. What those low-end handsets do not always offer is a good battery or camera.
That is why we rank those factors highly. In terms of battery life, you should look for a device that delivers at least one full day of juice consistently. Remember, the size of the battery (mAh) does not always mean more battery life. That is because factors like screen power, performance, and operating system affect how the battery drains.
Camera Matters
Or if you are not a photographer, maybe it doesn’t. However, even if you are not that much into cameras, this is a smartphone component that can highlight which devices are better. Even for casual users, you will take a lot of photos with your smartphone camera… some of them will be important snaps of family members and other memories.
As you probably know, we are in the era of the multi-lens camera module on smartphones. Now even budget devices have more than one lens. You can find the primary lens that delivers the most megapixels, while also zoom lenses, wide-angle lenses, and portraits lenses. If you are especially interested in photography, the phones with the biggest selection of lenses and camera software features will be more appealing.
For those who just want a solid smartphone camera, you should look for features like optical image stabilization (OIS), HDR mode, 4K video shooting. Lower budget devices may lack some or all of these tools, but you can still find good cameras from companies like Samsung, Nokia, and Huawei.
Display Excellence
Screen technology is one area where smartphone manufacturers try to wow customers. Each year we are given increasing numbers such as megapixel count (PPI), brightness gains (LIT), and screen resolution increases (Ultra HD, 4K, etc.). When buying a new smartphone, you want a good combination of all those things.
After-all, you will spend 90% of your time on the device looking at the screen. If you can combine a solid PPI with good brightness and a high resolution, then you are likely to have a good screen experience. You do not have to pay flagship money either. Even a low-end device can have a good display, provided you buy a handset with at least 1080p (Full HD) resolution.
Budget handset maker BLU launched a new smartphone today aimed at the gaming crowd. The new BLU G91 PRO is an updated version of its previous G90 PRO from last year. As with last year’s model, the latest G91 PRO offers quite the bang for your buck.
In fact, at its current discounted price of $200 we called picking up the G91 PRO a “no-brainer” in our review. Just check out a quick rundown of the specs below.
850/900/1700/1900/2100MHz, (4G LTE Cat 7 Up to 300Mbps) FDD 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/13/17/28
Available Colors: Moonstone & Graphite
As you can see, the BLU G91 PRO offers more than enough to justify its $250 MSRP. It runs a speedy MediaTek processor with 6GB of RAM that will be more than enough for the apps you’ll throw at it day-to-day. On top of that, it’ll also be able to match the performance of other similarly priced phones and tackle some gaming.
Whether you’re gaming or watching videos, the BLU G91 PRO’s large 6.7-inch 2400 x 1080 display is sure to give you plenty of screen real estate. Pair that with the generously sized 5,000mAh battery, and you should be able to enjoy playing for hours before you need to charge back up. Speaking of which, the BLU G91 PRO supports 30W charging and 10W wireless Qi charging for when it’s time to top it off.
Like many other smartphones these days, the BLU G91 PRO also has plenty of cameras on it to tend to your photography needs. On the back, is a quad-camera setup with a 48MP main sensor, 5MP wide-angle camera, 2MP Macro lens, and a 2MP depth sensor. Around the front is a 16MP camera for all your selfie needs as well.
The BLU G91 PRO is available for purchase from Amazon starting today for $250 in Moonstone or Graphite color options. However, for a limited time, you can get it for $200, which makes this affordable phone an even better bargain.
When it comes to smartphones and their capabilities there is often very little that the typical user needs. For many, one might as well throw a dart at a board and let fate decide which model they end up. That is to say the entry-level and mid-range is usually up to the challenge for your average person.
As we move into the topic of what someone may want things change a bit. Some of us care about particular features such as reverse wireless charging, incredibly robust camera experiences, or water and dust resistance. Select few truly need to be on the bleeding edge of technology with phones that have high refresh rates and touch sampling rates or 2K resolution screens.
Ask your neighbor or co-worker what they desire in a phone and they’ll usually say something like “big screen” or “good battery”. Furthermore, they might ask for a lot of storage for apps and games, and maybe a headphone jack.
Despite what your wireless carrier might suggest, 5G connectivity is still a luxury that only few truly enjoy.
Miami-based BLU Products (BLU) is out with its latest phone, the G91 PRO, which happens to be targeted at just that sort of user. As the newest in the budget G Series of handset, it packs a hardware suite that meets the needs of the masses with a little bit of extra sprinkled in for good measure. And if you’re able to get it during it’s limited-time discount period, it’s a damn good deal.
We’ve had a review unit here at the office for the better part of a week and we’ve been using it as much as possible. In other words, it’s not quite a daily driver just yet as we’re splitting time among other phones. With that in mind, we have still formed an opinion on the G91 Pro and are ready to share it with you.
850/900/1700/1900/2100MHz, (4G LTE Cat 7 Up to 300Mbps) FDD 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/13/17/28
Available Colors: Moonstone & Graphite
Design
One of the first things we notice about the BLU G9 Pro is that it continues to carry forth the design language of its predecessors. If you don’t quite know what that means, it’s that it has a gently curved body with an eye-catching color and modern aesthetic. Taking things a step further, it also means a little more bezel around the screen and an ever-so-slightly thicker feel in hand.
Were I not constantly testing different phones this wouldn’t be as noticeable. Handing it to other people for a quick once-over, nobody has remarked about any sort of thickness or even seem to notice the frame around the display.
Our review unit was Moonstone which more or less feels like a soft and pearlescent sky blue that dances in the light. A Graphite version is also available however I wouldn’t trade this one away. It’s just enough color to stand out and it hints at a much pricier experience.
The display is big one, to be sure, coming in at 6.7-inches. Thankfully, it’s a 20:9 aspect ratio which means it’s thinner than it could have been. In fact, I might have been cool with something around 6.2-inches or so as it seems to fit smaller and medium hands at that ratio.
There’s a hole-punch cutout in the top center of the display for the front-facing camera. On the right hand side of the phone is where you locate the power button and volume rockers. On the left is a dedicated button for Google Assistant, the first time we’ve seen this in a BLU phone.
Around back you’ll locate a fingerprint reader in the center of the top third of the phone with the quad-camera array in the top left corner. The fingerprint reader is easy to locate as it’s in a natural spot for where your finger wants to sit; however; it does feel a tad small at first.
Performance
As someone who has come to use the Pixel A Series of phones as his daily driver, I am not one who needs much from my handset. With that said the 2.0 GHz quad-core MediaTek processor and 6GB RAM is more than adequate for my day-to-day usage.
I’ve found that pretty much every phone I ever review in its first few weeks is going to feel snappy. This is especially true if you aren’t loading all of your accounts or using it the device as your main phone. That is to say you really need to throw a lot at a handset like this if you want to see it slip up. And if that’s what you’re doing, you probably don’t want something like this anyhow.
I appreciate that BLU hasn’t done very much with the software, leaving things largely untouched. While it’s not a true bare-bones Android and Google experience, there’s very little in the way of bloatware or unwanted additions.
The BLU G91 PRO comes with a couple of extra apps, some of which may be on your list to install in the short term. Present in our review unit were Pandora, Candy Crush Soda, Dancing Road, Solitaire, TikTok, The Weather Channel and an FM Radio. A “Games Hub” icon opens the door to additional titles and the “News” app is a convenient way of keeping up with a wide range of topics.
Should you not want any of the included apps, you’re a long-press away from uninstalling them. But with as much storage as you get with the device, it’s not as if they’re eating up large amounts of space.
One of the things I often look for in testing out a new phone experience is whether I can customize things to my liking. Truth be told, stock Android has a lot to offer, but more and more handset makers are sprinkling in the right amount of extras. I do like it when OEMs leave the overall look and feel alone but add in features in the name of comfort and convenience.
BLU gives users plenty of options to tailor the UI, including deciding on whether they want soft buttons or gestures for navigation, how folders and icons should appear, and how to treat the various buttons.
I really like that the G91 PRO has a dedicated Google Assistant button on the left side of the phone. It’s a handy way of calling on the tool that I use quite often throughout my day. For what it’s worth, I’ve found it’s possible to disable the button but not reassign a different function or app to it.
Other settings under the “Intelligent Assistance” setting in the phone include lifting to wake, flipping to silence a call, three finger swiping for a screenshot or split screen, and double tapping power for the camera.
As far as gaming and daily usage is concerned, I’ve not seen any hiccups or stutters. Being transparent for a moment, I do look for them but not in a benchmark-testing or frames per second sort of way. Does the phone hang on me or close apps? Not at all. I think we’re well beyond that with today’s $200 phones.
Do I ever see anything that tells me the MediaTek chip can’t do what a Qualcomm one can? No. I suspect the target user doesn’t even know what either of those names mean, let alone how they perform.
Both the face unlock and fingerprint recognition worked well and took very little time to setup. I might appreciate a slightly larger fingerprint reader but that’s being a little nitpicky. Were there no facial recognition available I imagine it might be a more problematic situation. Finding the location is not hard, especially with the protective case on. It’s the overall amount of room to work with and the margin of space between the case and the ring that could get annoying.
Battery life has been great thus far, however I’ve not fully committed to the phone as my daily driver. I’m splitting time with another review unit but did lean more heavily into this one as the publication date approached. The 5,000mAh battery is bigger than what you’ll find in much pricier phones and the 30W quick charging is rather respectable.
Although it does have wireless charging capability, it does not support fast wireless nor does it have reverse charging. That is to say it cannot be used to charge up your earbuds by placing the case on the back. Do those matter? Not really, at least not to me.
Once I put a phone down on a wireless charger I don’t plan on picking it up for some time, usually the next morning. And as far as charging earbuds up on the go, that happens so little that I don’t even think about using a phone for a supplemental recharge.
The camera experience is a generally enjoyable one, particularly if you’re not comparing it to others. Seeing as how I use a Pixel phone as my main unit, I am spoiled with an incredibly intuitive app and excellent shots.
The BLU G91 PRO delivers right in line with my expectations. That is a simple of way of saying the “open the app and shoot” stuff results in good photos. Play around with the settings a bit, such as HDR or portrait, and you’ll find it slows down ever so slightly to capture higher quality images.
One area where I did see a bit of struggle was in taking lower lighting indoor pictures where the outside was bright. Even though I had some blinds in the window, the G91 PRO had difficulty showing anything but a white square. To be fair, this is fairly common in lower end and mid-range phones.
Similarly, it also proved to be a challenge for quick candid pictures outside as details would get lost. Think of tree leaves or bushes muddying together a bit.
While I do like having so many filters and AI capabilities available, I couldn’t help but wish things were easier to move between standard and wide angle shots. There’s a dial on the left and you can slide the setting but it would be helpful if I could more quickly tap between 1X, .6X or 4X. The same goes for switching to macro shooting; it’s tucked behind the “more” option where you’ll also find panorama, beauty, pro, night, and other modes. Oh, and as for the 108-megapixel shots, I don’t think it’s worth the roughly three seconds it takes to store 25MB images.
Getting back to the AI and filters, I like being able to compose my shot in real time as opposed to editing after the fact for social media. The G91 PRO makes it easy to capture interesting shots with a live look at how the color, lighting, and other variables will appear. I’ll continue to take more shots with the phone and update this review as my perception evolves.
It’s worth pointing out that the G91 PRO is a 4G handset and doesn’t have support for any 5G networks. At the time of its arrival (mid-2021) that matters little in the big scheme of things. We’re still looking at some time before we have the 5G coverage that blankets the country. Things are getting closer, but honestly, have you met someone who complains about being “stuck” with 4G?
Conclusion
I’ve enjoyed my short time with the BLU G91 PRO and look forward to spending the next few weeks getting more familiar with it.
Its look flies in the face of its low price point and the Moonstone is a fun color. In fact, while I do like having a protective case included in the box, it hides its beauty and makes for a thicker (and wonkier) in-hand experience.
It’s a great handset for a wide user base as it delivers on a number of important fronts. It has a large screen, really generous battery, and a software experience that’s no-frills and essentially the way Google intended. For a lot of people that’s the full list of requisite features.
As an unlocked phone that works with a number of GSM carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, etc), it’s an affordable alternative to the likes of Samsung’s Galaxy A series or Motorola’s G series of phones.
Availability
You can learn more about the BLU G91 PRO at the phone maker’s website where you can also read up on its other devices. If you’re looking to purchase one, you’ll end up at Amazon where it retails for $249.99.
A limited time launch promotion finds the phone at just $199.99, or $50 off. At its normal price it sits on the line between good and great but at the discounted price it lands in the area of “no-brainer”.
Throughout my day the one thing I find myself constantly doing is listening to music. No matter where I am, I’ve got something playing in my ear(s). However, this can sometimes be distracting or problematic. For starters, I occasionally need to hear co-workers who strike up a conversation. Then there are important noises or sounds that need to be heard.
I have a concern that earbuds/earphones block out sounds that are important or vital, such as a car honking, a siren, and someone trying to get your attention. And while ambient listening mode is nice for earbuds, that’s not always the best approach.
With Fauna’s Designer Smart Glasses one can listen to audio while being fully aware of their surroundings. Best of all, you can look stylish while doing so. Our friends at Fauna were gracious enough to provide us with a pair of its glasses so that we may bring you this review.
Features
Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity
Water resistant
Touch controls
Hands-free phone calls
Swap out lenses for prescription from optometrist or optician
Two-year warranty
Style
The Fauna Glasses I had the privilege of reviewing were the Spiro Transparent Brown Glasses. Let me tell you, these sunglasses truly are stylish and they are high quality, too.
The glass lens does a great job of blocking out the sun while not darkening out the rest of your surroundings. The glasses fit my average sized head very well and the speakers on the temples do not bulk out; they are only as thick as a pencil. The charging case of the glasses is a slick dark green and is about the size of a hotdog bun.
User Experience
Fauna’s smart glasses feature controls on the temples that can change the volume, control your phone’s voice assistant, and direct incoming phone calls.
To turn the volume up and down you must swipe left or right on the temple of the sunglasses, this changes the volume one notch per swipe.
The phone call feature on the glasses works great for receiving and declining calls without ever touching your phone. Furthermore, using your phones voice assistant, you can easily call specific people again without touching your phone.
In terms of connectivity the glasses use Bluetooth to connect to your phone, and truth be told, I did have some trouble getting the glasses to connect to my phone automatically. It only seemed to connect if I went into my phone’s Bluetooth setting and did it manually or used the force pairing tool located on the right temple of the glasses.
Audio quality
The glasses audio quality is different than anything I have experienced. It allows you to clearly hear what is going on around you while still being able to hear clear audio from the glasses. It’s worth noting that the audio from the glasses can be heard by others near you when the volume is maxed out. They’re much louder than anticipated.
The audio and microphone in the glasses work fantastic while on a phone call — you can hear the person on the phone clearly and they can hear you. The surround sound system on the glasses works well with a clear distinction of what side of the head the audio is coming from.
The audio and microphone in the glasses work fantastic while on a phone call — you can hear the person on the phone clearly and they can hear you. The surround sound system on the glasses works well with a clear distinction of what side of the head the audio is coming from.
To be clear, this is not anything close to the experience that you get from earbuds. At pretty much any price point you’re bound to end up with generally better audio. Earbuds tend to submerge you into the music or audio whereas the glasses allow for it, almost like an extra benefit. I think the smart glasses are much better for listening to music casually. Books, podcasts, sports, talk radio, phone calls, and other spoken formats do great here.
The glasses are very heavy on the treble but bass is at least present. It’s different than what I am accustomed to with earbuds and is not overly low or impactful. But, to be fair, the glasses do a decent job of representing lower levels.
via Fauna
Battery Life
The battery for the glasses and the included case is fantastic. The glasses lasts more than 10 hours away from its case. I have the sunglasses on from morning until night without them dying.
According to Fauna, the glasses provide up to four hours of continuous music and thus far I cannot argue against that. I find that the case will recharge the glasses once a day for up to a week. To recharge the case completely only takes a couple hours.
Final thoughts
If you’re trying to listen to audio in public, whether a phone call or music, the Fauna Smart Glasses are the best way to do it in style. The glasses had many unforeseen features that surprised me. In particular I was impressed with the vast number of controls right on the glasses and the tie-in to my phone’s voice assistant.
I’ve never liked the feel of ear buds and glasses. If you’ve ever had to do this for an extended period, you’ll know that the combination can be very hard on the ears, especially after long periods. I think the Faun Smart Glasses are a much better alternative should one find themselves wearing sunglasses for extended periods of time and needing to stay connected to audio or phone calls.
These are smart glasses which means they are glasses first with other benefits thrown in. As to what extent that really is, I was pleased with the overall package, and I think readers might be, too.
Where to Buy
Learn more about the Fauna Smart Glasses at the manufacturer’s website where you can also purchase them in a variety of designs. As a reminder, you can also take these to any optician to change the lenses to your prescription.
Google has been on a campaign of late to make Android Auto less an app and more of a background process. They’ve even gone so far as to announce that it will not be a standalone app for future versions of Android. Recently, we’ve seen that Google made the app icon for Android Auto for cars hidden in some versions of Android 10.
What Do We Want to Happen?
We want the Android Auto app to show up again.
Fortunately, there’s a way to bring it back to your launcher if you find it missing. This one’s a little confusing as it’s not visible on our OnePlus 7T but is visible on the Pixel 4 XL. Either way, we want to give you the directions to find the app level settings again for you to be able to edit the options you need when driving with Android Auto.
How to Get There
The good thing is this is possible even if you don’t have the Android Auto app readily available in your launcher. Follow the steps below to navigate the Android Settings app and locate the needed menus.
Open Settings app
Locate Apps & notifications and select it
Tap See all # of apps
Find and choose Android Auto from this list
Click Advanced at the bottom of the screen
Choose the final option of Additional settings in the app
Customize your Android Auto options from this menu
Safe Driving!
Success! You should now be in the settings options of your Android Auto experience. From here, you can modify things like using the latest UI options from the older versions. Or maybe you want to stop your audio apps from auto resuming the previous songs you played the last time you were driving (this is my personal favorite).
Looking ahead we anticipate that Android 12 will pretty much do away with Android Auto and the app we know. That’s not to say the features won’t be present; they’ll just be folded into the Google Assistant experience.
Google has shown a pretty decent dedication to improving Android Auto and you now have full access to it’s sometimes hidden settings.
Depending on who you ask, there are between 750 million and two billion people who use Excel around the globe. Surely, there’s something to the program besides just capturing and sorting data as a spreadsheet, right? How proficient are you in the ultra-popular app?
If you only thought Excel was used to hold numbers or creating formulas, you are way off the mark. Are you familiar with pivot tables, power queries, macros, or advanced scripting? If not, it’s time you figure some of that out. You could be hindering yourself from a serious pay raise or slowing your career growth.
Excel isn’t just used in banking or accounting firms, it’s everywhere. Indeed, it can be used for inventory tracking, flow charts, forecasting, creating forms, and so much more. When you’re ready to get serious about Excel and be proud to put it on your resume, head to the AG Deals Store for a 12-course online training bundle.
For a limited time the 2021 Ultimate Microsoft Excel Business Intelligence Certification Bundle is available for just $44.99, a massive discount of its normal price. Valued at $200 per course, the whole curriculum would run you thousands on your own.
Included in the bundle is more than 600 lesson on all things Excel. It’s broken down into various topics and yours to use at whatever pace works best. Take your time and boost your knowledge as a hobby, or go all-in and become a full-blown master in a matter of weeks. Regardless of the speed you take, you’ll come away with certifications to prove you know your stuff.
Topics Included
Master 75+ Excel Formula & Functions with Hands-On Demos
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Think Outside the Pie Chart & Explore Some of Excel’s Most Powerful Visualization Tools
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Don’t be left behind in the job market, or worse, stand in your own way. Increase your appeal for a potential job appointment or pay raise, or just boosting your earning potential. For only $44.99 you’ll get all 12 courses – that’s less than $4 per course– a small price to pay for a lifetime of knowledge.
As CES Innovation Awards Honoree at the 2020 annual CES trade event, the Ucam arrived as the first blockchain-powered home security camera, featuring end-to-end encryption. Today it can be yours with a discount of more than 20% off.
Rather than logging in to check your footage using a password, Ucam uses an impossible-to-crack secure blockchain login that’s bolstered by smart contracts. That’s a long way of saying that only you can define who can see the content, and for how long.
Video streams and clips are immediately encrypted by Ucam and can only be decrypted by devices authorized by you. Moreover, all of the footage captured by the Ucam is yours and not the property of its creator, IoTex. And that means they can’t sell it or leak it. And thanks to the blockchain, it cannot be hacked at any central location.
Ucam Features
100% Privacy. Nobody can access your Ucam device or videos except you and/or people authorized by you
Secure Blockchain Login. Replaces traditional passwords with an uncrackable blockchain-based private key that is owned exclusively by you
End-to-End Encryption. Your videos can only be decrpted and viewed by you and users authorized by you
Simple User Controls. Access real-time 1080P HD livestream and recorded videos anytime, anywhere
Latest Camera Features. Monitor your home on-the-go with motion detection alerts, night vision, two-way audio, and in-app pan/tilt/zoom
Ucam App. One-click setup to connect your Ucam device and monitor your home in minutes
Similar to other home security cameras, the Ucam provides real-time access to an HD (1080p) livestream as well as recorded videos. Controls are simple and intuitive and you can store the video in a variety of ways. Choose from an encrypted cloud for motion detection or via an SD card if you’re looking to have continuous recordings.
The mobile app provides updates on motion detection and also allows for the user to pan, tilt, and zoom the camera. Also it lets one speak through two-way audio and to see what’s going on, whether in broad daylight or night.
During the pandemic, most of us have become “trapped at home” and looking for ways to entertain ourselves and our families. Thankfully, there have still been plenty of new movies and TV shows to enjoy. In fact, this has lead many of us to upgrade our home theater equipment.
While a new TV or a soundbar might be one of the most obvious choices, one of the more interesting things to do is add a reactive bias lighting system to the mix. This is nothing new, Philips has been offering reactive bias lighting for many years now, starting with its Ambilight TVs, and later with the Philips Hue Play Bar and Philips Hue Play Sync HDMI Box.
Unfortunately, all of Philips solutions are way more expensive than what I am willing to pay for the experience. Imagine my delight when I found out that Govee offers a reactive bias lighting system for nearly half the price.
Even better, Govee was nice enough to send out its Flow Pro Light Bars for review, and let me tell you, it’s a game-changer.
Design
The Govee Flow Pro system consists of two light bars capable of displaying 16 million colors, a controller box, a power adapter, and a fisheye camera to detect the colors on your display.
The box also contains two light stands to hold the lights on your desk or TV stand, as well as two stands that can be used to affix the lights to the back of your TV.
Set up
Setting up the Govee Flow Pro Light Bars was quick and simple. While the light bars themselves can be placed in stands, I found that they look their best when attached to the back of the TV. Thankfully, Govee includes two sets of stands and it was easy to test this out and switch if I change my mind.
The Govee Light Bars have a cable coming out of each bar which converge into one singular USB-C connector that plugs into the controller box. The controller box is also where you’ll connect the power cable and the cable for the camera.
After you’ve placed the lights where you’d like them, you’ll need to attach the camera. Govee offers two different placements, either in the center on top of the TV or on the bottom. In my case, I found placing it on the bottom would be less distracting, but it would also cover up the remote sensor on the TV.
That’s why I decided to tape the camera to the center channel speaker beneath the TV. This is a less elegant solution than attaching it directly to the TV with the 3M adhesive on the camera mount–but I found it was the best for me–and it looks less distracting than having a camera attached to my TV.
Finally, you’ll need to install the Govee app and run through the setup to calibrate the camera and finish setting up the lights. Govee includes some orange rectangles to attach to your screen to calibrate the camera, but I found this video on YouTube made it much easier and without having to measure the center of my TV or stick anything to the screen.
User experience
As much as I’ve always wanted a color-changing bias lighting system, I was concerned that it would be too distracting. However, after trying it out for myself, I realized that’s not the case at all. Plus, if you do find it distracting, you can turn down the brightness or just set it to a boring single color like white.
Watching movies and TV with the Govee Flow Pro Light Bars was a new immersive experience. It made the content on the screen seem more interactive and brought it to life. Scenes with explosions filled my walls with dancing hues of orange and red, while dramatic moments where the screen goes dark and everything goes silent had more impact as the Govee lights blacked out the room.
It made watching my favorite movies feel new again; it’s not often you get a piece of equipment that makes such an impact. In fact, it enhances the experience so much that I can’t wait to watch all of my favorite movies again just to see them with the Govee Flow Pro Light Bars.
Now, as much as I love the Govee Flow Pro Light Bars, they are not perfect. Many movies consist of scenes that use a lot of black or white. Couple that with how the camera samples colors, the fact that it uses purple hues for black and pink hues for white, and you end up seeing purple and pink behind the screen for most movies and TV shows. I also found it oftentimes misinterpreted light yellow and skin tones as white, which means you end up seeing pink quite a bit.
The Flow Pro Light Bars were most impressive for animation or movies with vibrant colors. Otherwise, you get a heavy dose of purple and pink hues, but honestly, that’s still way better than no bias lighting or a strip of white LEDs behind the TV.
Finally, we get to one of the most important parts, how you power the light bars on and off. Govee integrates with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant which makes it so convenient to power the lights on or off with voice commands.
Since I also use the Logitech Harmony Companion with my TV, I was able to turn both the TV and Flow Pro Light Bars on or off with a single voice command, and it worked seamlessly.
Additionally, you can also use Govee’s app to control the lights or set timers.
App
I give Govee a lot of credit for its app, it is so polished and packed full of features without being overwhelming. It made setting up the lights and managing them simple as can be.
There was even a firmware upgrade after I first opened the app which enabled a new split lighting mode allowing the light bars to display different colors on the left and right. This was a complaint early on with the Govee Flow Pro Light Bars and it was fantastic to see the company add the feature with a firmware upgrade.
Beyond that, you can control the brightness, saturation, switch which light displays the left or right. It’s even easy to recalibrate the camera in case you move it or install the light bars on a different TV.
Then there are all the different modes to choose from such as music, color, scene, and creating your own DIY scenes.
Final thoughts
Going from having no backlight on my TV to one that reacts to what’s on the screen was a game-changer. The Govee Flow Pro Light Bars bring content on the screen to life, and trying to watch content without them now feels lifeless and dead.
Every time I put on a movie or TV show–whether it’s a brand new release or an old favorite–all I can think is, I can’t wait to see how the Govee lights look with this.
I always wanted to try out bias lighting but I never realized how much of a difference it would make, and with Govee you don’t have to empty your wallet to get this transformative experience. The Govee Flow Pro Light Bars sell for $80, and at the time of writing, there is also a $10 off coupon. Either way, this is much more affordable than the competing Philips products.
