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T-Mobile adds Quibi to growing list of customer perks

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Short-form video streaming service Quibi, set to launch in a few days, has become the latest free perk for T-Mobile subscribers.

What’s Quibi?

Quibi is subscription-based ($4.99/month) service with mobile-first videos made for “in-between” moments throughout the day. Videos are short at just 10 minutes or less and features content from popular celebrities such as Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Lopez, Chance the Rapper, Lebron James, and Dwayne Johnson.

As for what sort of videos you’ll find at Quibi when it debuts, the library will consist of things to keep viewers entertained, inspired, and otherwise informed.

Not for Everyone

Unlike some of the other perks that T-Mobile offers its subscribers, the Quibi deal is limited to those with qualified plans. Here’s who T-Mobile says can get in on the deal:

Subscribers with two or more voice lines at…

  • Standard rates on Magenta and One plans
  • First Responder
  • Military
  • Magenta Plus 55 plans

In addition to the aforementioned customers, small business subscribers with up to 12 lines also qualify for the feature.

What Else?

Also just as important, anyone who wants to take advantage of the offer must do so before July 7. To sign up, they’ll need visit MyTmobile.com or use the T-Mobile app on their phone.

Customers also get early access to three bonus episodes of Jennifer Lopez’s new Thanks a Million series via the T-Mobile Tuesdays app until April 3.

After one year, T-Mobile will give its subscribers the choice between keeping Quibi or Netflix for free.

How medical alert devices can help Android users care for their parents

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EDITOR NOTE: This is a promoted post and should not be viewed as an editorial endorsement.

It’s natural to worry about our aging parents even under normal circumstances. And now, as the coronavirus outbreak adds more health concerns to the mix, while at the same time preventing us from visiting our elders in person, it’s no surprise that our concern for our parents would increase.

Even if we can’t be there in person for our parents, that doesn’t mean we have to leave them in the dark. Today, medical alert devices offer us assurance that those who need it can have direct, near-instantaneous access to medical health professionals if an emergency should arise.

And best yet, they easily sync up with Androids and other devices to keep us up-to-date and involved at all times, no matter where we are or how far a distance lays between us and our loved ones.

If you’re concerned about the health of your parents or grandparents and want to make sure they’re in the best of hands, here are some of the benefits of medical alert devices:

Fall-detection sensors

Most of today’s medical alert devices feature advanced sensors that will automatically alert an emergency contact when the wearer experiences a fall. The technology involved is impressive: they harness state-of-the-art technology such as matrices and algorithmic predicting technology to determine the event and severity of a fall, which immediately triggers a call to emergency services and contacts. These advanced sensors make it even easier to feel at peace knowing that your parents are in good and capable hands.

GPS Technology

You don’t need to be a worry-wart to obsess over the whereabouts of a sick or aging relative. It’s natural and common for everyone. But the last thing we want to do is constantly bother our relatives with calls and check-ins, which at best can be annoying and at worse insulting. Today’s best medical alert devices feature GPS technology that allows relatives and emergency contacts to know the whereabouts of the wearer, thus letting us breathe deep and allowing them their well-deserved independence.

Android-Friendly

Today’s medical alert devices tap into a wide network of people and devices that include smartphones and other devices. Smart technology has allowed emergency contacts to sync their phones and tablets with the wearer so that they can receive real-time updates, test functionality, and communicate with both the patient and their medical staff. Having an app directly on your Android can make you feel that much more connected to your loved ones and that much more in control no matter where you are or what you’re doing.

Fashionable pendants

Gone are the days of big, bulky medical alert pendants. As the technology has increased, so has the sensitivity to the wearer and their level of comfort. That means that today’s best medical alerts feature slim, sleek pendants that patients can wear with little to no burden. These are not only lightweight and easy to manage, but stylish as well, and many of them can double as a bracelet or pendant. Because nobody should have to compromise their own personal style.

EDITOR NOTE: This is a promoted post and should not be viewed as an editorial endorsement.

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Anker SoundCore Flare 2 speaker review

Andrew Allen
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Soundcore, as some readers may know, is Anker’s premium level audio branding. Over the past few years, the company has started pumping out some really great products that offer value-based awesome musical experiences. We were big fans of the original Flare last year and Anker has returned with the Soundcore Flare 2.

Design

The Soundcore Flare 2 doesn’t stray too far from the original. You have an angled-cylinder speaker with a nice fabric covering. There’s also a heft and sturdiness to the Flare 2 that signals it’s well-made.

I have no reservations taking this one just about anywhere. That’s a good thing because Anker wants this thing to be available everywhere you go. The Flare 2 is IPX7 waterproof and has a silicone anti-skid layer on the bottom. The canvas covering also makes it capable of taking a fall or being tossed in a bag without looking beat to hell.

There are no real standout features of the design other than the Soundcore logo on the bottom front of the Flare 2. Around the rear, you find the USB-C power port and a Bluetooth button for pairing multiple Flare speakers together.

Controls

The main controls of the Flare 2 are very familiar to anyone that’s used a Bluetooth speaker. They are located on the top of the Flare 2 in a traditional D-pad style layout. Here you’ll find a power button, volume up/down, LED illumination control, and a Soundcore logo for activating voice controls on the connected device.

Most of the controls are pretty self-explanatory. You press and hold the power button to turn the Flare 2 on and off. Pressing the volume up and down once will change the audio levels. Long-pressing the same will skip forward or to the previous track in your playlist.

The Soundcore and LED buttons are where things get a little interesting. Pressing the Soundcore button activates the voice assistant of your choice. Google Assistant, Bixby, and Siri are all supported.

The LED button controls the illuminated rings at the top and bottom of the Flare 2. Pressing the button once to turn the lighting effects on and single presses afterward will rotate through the color profiles. Press and hold the button for 2 seconds will turn off the LED options.

I personally don’t care much for audio light shows, but younger folks like my teenage daughter seem to enjoy it. While I consider it a gimmick, it’s nice to see Anker include it. I’m glad that I am able to turn the feature off.

Sound

Sound on the Soundcore Flare 2 speaker is really good. The 360-degree sound legitimately fills a room with a rich playback experience. You can even adjust the bass on the fly with the dedicated button on the back of the Flare 2.

And if you want to tweak the sound even more, you can always jump into the Soundcore mobile app. This gives you an on-demand equalizer and tutorials on how to use Anker’s audio branded devices.

Now, let’s talk about the best part of the Flare 2 speaker. You can sync multiple Flare 2 units together for stereo sound. You can actually daisy-chain up over 100 speakers together if you’re a true lunatic or have an endless supply of money.

To set this up you can pull up the tutorial on the Soundcore app, but you hold the Bluetooth button also found on the back of each speaker. This puts it in sync mode as the “master” speaker in the chain.

You then hold the same button on each sequential Flare 2. Once they are linked up, you get an extended, rich stereo experience. I know that the Flare 2 isn’t the only device that does this, but Anker really has an impressive iteration here with these.

Conclusion

The Soundcore Flare 2 by Anker offers a compelling Bluetooth speaker with good 360-degree sound, waterproofing, and the ability to create a stereo cluster for your music playback. The only thing I think is genuinely missing is Chromecast. I really wish Anker would offer another option with this feature.

You can snag a Flare 2 speaker, or 100 of them, at Amazon now for $80. I was truly impressed by this portable unit and I think you will be too.

Motorola Moto G Power, G Stylus now available to order

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Motorola on Wednesday confirmed that its Moto G Power and Moto G Stylus are now available for pre-order. Announced in early February, the two phones are expected to ship on April 16.

Although the two handsets look nearly identical, they differ in storage, battery, cameras, and stylus support. Of course they also vary in price, too.

The Moto G Power and Moto G Stylus both feature a 6.4-inch (2,300 x 1,080 pixel resolution) display with circular display cutouts for the front-facing camera.

The two phones are powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 processors with 4GB RAM. Additionally, they have rear fingerprint readers in the Motorola logo, microSD expansion card slots, USB Type-C ports, and headphone jacks.

The Motorola Moto G Power ($250) has 64GB internal storage, a 5,000mAh battery, and three cameras on the rear. Present are a main 16-megapixel sensor, a 2-megapixel macro, and 8-megapixel ultra-wide lens.

The Motorola Moto G Stylus ($300) swaps out some of that battery to allow for a stylus and extra storage. The battery is still generous at 4,000mAh; there is double the capacity at 128GB. As for cameras, there is a 48-megapixel, 2-megapixel macro, and 16-megapixel action camera.

Availability

The two phones will be sold unlocked at a variety of retailers, including Best Buy, B&H Photo, Walmart, and Amazon.

The Moto G Stylus will be available at Verizon, Metro by T-Mobile, Google Fi, Republic Wireless and Ting.

The Moto G Power will come to Verizon, U.S. Cellular, Consumer Cellular, Google Fi, Republic Wireless and Xfinity Mobile.

Planet Computers seeks crowdfunding for 5G-ready Astro Slide

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Planet Computers has taken to Indiegogo for its latest product, the 6.53-inch PDA-like Astro Slide. It’s powered by Android 10, features pretty robust hardware, and looks to sell for just over $500.

As you can see in photos, the Astro Slide has a sliding hinge mechanism that lets users flip up the display to reveal a physical keyboard. It’s a throwback to the early days of PDAs but with modern specifications.

Internally, there is a MediaTek Dimensity 1000 processor with support for 5G and Wi-Fi 6 connectivity, 6GB RAM, and 128GB storage. Additionally, a microSD expansion card slot allows for external media.

Rounding out details, the phone has a 48-megapixel rear camera, a pair of USB Type-C ports, 3.5mm headphone jack, and a 4,000mAh battery with wireless charging. The Astro Slide runs Android 10 but a future update promises to add dual-boot Linux capability.

As of today the Astro Slide is offered on Indiegogo where early-bird funders can get in line for the phone at just $537. Shipping, however, doesn’t look to be for nearly one year, which is tentatively scheduled for March 2021.

With nearly 40 days to go on the campaign, the Astro Slide 5G Transformer has already reached its goal more than three times over.

Sprint and T-Mobile officially one company

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T-Mobile on Wednesday officially completed its merger with Sprint, putting years of rumors, speculation, and regulatory processes to rest.

For customers there’s little that changes at the moment. The Sprint name will continue on as its own brand but it belongs to T-Mobile. Ultimately it will be merged into the larger brand but that’s a ways off. Sprint as a company is no longer trading on the stock exchange under its own symbol.

As part of the conditions during the regulatory approval process T-Mobile has committed to keeping its prices in place for at lest three years.

The two carriers had been making adjustments over the last few years, prepping for the merger. As such, most of the phones introduced over the last couple of generations are capable of accessing T-Mobile and Sprint networks. Sprint customers are also going to see expanded roaming on the T-Mobile network provided they have one of the newer models.

Although all major wireless service providers are fast at work deploying 5G in sub-6GHz and mmWave radio frequencies, the new T-Mobile will have an added advantage. Sprint’s unique band 41 (2.5GHz) is a bridge of sorts between the two and blends high speed with broad coverage.

According to T-Mobile, the newly merged experience will offer “14 times more capacity in the next six years” than it has today. Moreover, average 5G speeds will be up to 15 times faster than current LTE over the next six years.

By the time everything is fully deployed, T-Mobile plans to cover 99% of US population with 5G, with speeds in excess of 100Mbps to 90% of them.

T-Mobile also announced that Mike Sievert has replaced John Legere as the CEO of T-Mobile. The move comes about one month earlier than previously announced.

Read more about the merger at T-Mobile and Sprint.

SOTKA review

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We live in an interesting time. More specifically, we’re in a very interesting moment. What with the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the globe and all, we face new and difficult challenges.

Many of us are forced to work from home, or have been sent home with nothing to do. Some will take the time to get caught up on housework and chores. Others might start a new hobby or chase a passion. Then there are others who will use the time to get in shape or stay in shape.

We can’t leave the house to get in some time at the gym. Getting in a workout can prove challenging if you don’t have equipment. What’s more, there’s nobody around to ask about a particular routine or exercise.

How does one get started with working out alone? Consider SOTKA, the first “edufitness” app to show up in the Play Store. Designed for beginners or those out of shape and looking to get toned, it’s a free title that walks you through the process over 100 days.

Upon your first installation you’ll be greeted by a number of handy tutorials, descriptions, and videos. These will prove handy in helping you develop good form and habits. You’ll be asked to take before/after photos and set a couple of goals, but you can skip ahead and get started if you don’t feel ready to do those things.

The whole point of SOTKA is to educate you in your fitness journey. This includes reviewing your diet, help in planning meals, and answering your common questions. It’s the perfect companion to the stay-at-home lifestyle that keeps us all isolated.

You can’t really go any further in the experience than you’ve unlocked. That is to say you cannot jump ahead to day 60 and do the challenges and lessons.

There’s a strategic approach to SOTKA in that it doesn’t give you more than you’re ready to handle. Further, it’s a nice way to ensure you move at a smart pace and not one where you may assume you’re further along.

The first 49 days, for instance, help you get going with bodyweight exercises that don’t require any extra hardware or equipment. You’ll also come to understand proper breathing techniques, how to improve your flexibility, and other instrumental basics.

Once you’re halfway in you’ll get into more advanced exercises and begin to focus on muscles. The techniques start to ramp up and you’ll find new things to do on a regular basis. After all, you’ve developed the good habits and put the foundation in place. Now, you’ll build on those fundamentals.

In the final stretch (days 92-98) you’ll really dial things up with seven different routines. Each day is a little different, but nothing you can’t handle.

Given it could be a few months before things are back to normal, you could find yourself re-entering the real world a different person. It’s not just about bulking up or toning, but more of a smarter approach to life, including eating the right foods and doing the right things by your body.

SOTKA does a solid job of walking you through things, educating, and tracking progress. It’s not overly polished looking but that’s not why you use it. It’s helpful, keeps you accountable, and doesn’t get in your way. In other words, it’s the sort of gym partner you deserve.

We like the educational approach presented here because it’s not all in your face at one time. Instead, it’s presented to you piecemeal, and in a fairly organic order. We also appreciate that you can pick the time that best works for you with the gentle nudge that comes from a notification.

SOTKA is available as a free application in the Google Play Store.

Save 40% on a Crave PWR wireless iPhone case

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As a site that focuses on Android phones, it’s not often that you’ll see us cover iPhone deals and discounts. Sure, once in a while they’ll be included in the carrier stuff, but they’re largely left alone here. Today, though, we’re highlighting an accessory on sale in the AndroidGuys Deals Store.

Swing by our online store and you’ll find the Crave PWR Wireless iPhone Case on sale by some 40% off. Normally priced about $50, we’re offering it for just $29.99 right now.

What is the Crave PWR Wireless iPhone Case?

In short, it’s a protective case for your phone which adds an extra 3,000mAh worth of battery. It’s like having an extra battery with you, plus some.

As to which models we’ve got listed for the Crave PWR Wireless iPhone Case, there are three of them: iPhone 8, iPhone 8+, and iPhone X.

Features

  • Built-in 3,000mAh battery charges your iPhone twice its power
  • Allows access to lightning connection for headphones or data syncing cable
  • Wireless charging to power up your phone while it’s in your pocket
  • 3-stage LED indicator to quickly let you know remaining battery capacity
  • Heavy-duty, impact-absorbent silicone w/ raised bevel edge provides scratch, drop, & shock resistance

Where to Buy

The Crave PWR Wireless iPhone Case is listed in the AndroidGuys Deals Store under the gear and gadgets category. Save $20 or 40% today, whichever way you want to look at it. Pick yours up while it’s on sale!

Best Sellers

Earn Credits!

For every $25 you spend in the AG Deals Store you get $1 credit added to your account. And, if you refer the deal via social media or an email that results in a purchase, you’ll earn $10 credit in your account.

First Time Buying?

If this is your first time buying, you are also eligible for 10% discount! Just be sure to subscribe for email updates.

Free Stuff

Not looking to spend any money today? No worries. You can still visit the AndroidGuys section for freebies and pick something anyhow.

NUU Mobile X6 review

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Do you think your mom or dad has any idea what processor is in their phone? Can they tell you which version of Android it happens to run?

For every fan boy and phone enthusiast, we suspect there are numerous people who simply don’t care about the finer details. It’s these people who largely don’t need anything special in their handset.

A large segment of the US consumer buy phones priced $250 or lower. It’s a space that’s getting more crowded by the day, especially now that Samsung’s paying more attention to it.

One brand we’ve seen hang out here over the last few years is NUU Mobile. It operates with a relatively small portfolio, providing just a couple of unlocked models each year. Its latest, the X6, is a sub-$100 entry-level affair with a 5.71-inch display.

We’ve been fortunate enough to receive a review sample from NUU Mobile and have put it through the paces over the last few weeks. What follows are our thoughts, impressions, and early-look review of the NUU Mobile X6.

Note that this isn’t an exhaustive review with benchmark tests, head-to-head comparisons, or anything overly involved. Having only spent a couple of weeks with the phone, it’s not enough to qualify it as a full review. With that said, we’ve had enough time with it to form opinions.

What is the NUU Mobile X6?

A decidedly entry-level phone by early 2020 standards, the $100 unit is unlocked and ready for AT&T, T-Mobile, and other GSM carriers. Powered by Android 9 Pie, it’s just one software build behind the latest version of Android.

The phone draws strength from a quad-core MediaTek processor with 3GB RAM. Storage capacity, internally, is 32GB, but a microSD expansion card slot allows for external media, files, and apps.

With a 5.71-inch display, the X6 has a 13-megapixel rear camera and VGA camera on the back. On front is a 5-megapixel shooter.

Other specifications include a removable 2,800mAh battery, rear fingerprint reader, 3.5mm headphone jack, and Bluetooth 4.0.

First impressions

The phone looks quite nice at first glance, with a shiny rear shell that could pass for glass. That is until you touch it or remove it, which is when you feel the plastic. This backing, as we found out right away, is a fingerprint magnet. There’s no way around it –  you will get prints and smears on it.

The size of the phone calls to mind the Pixel 3a which, to me, is just right. My hands aren’t all that big so I enjoy a handset more when I can use it comfortably with one hand.

Included in the box with the phone are a protective case, screen protector, and (microUSB) charging cable. Additionally, it comes with a Mint Mobile SIM card with three months of service on the 5GB plan. That’s a fair amount of extras for a phone that runs less than $100.

How is the build quality of the NUU Mobile X6?

In short? As good as any other phone in the $100-$150 space. It doesn’t exactly feel cheap, but it does have a more “budget” in-hand feel. At least as compared to other phones.

Buttons have nice travel and feedback, and the handset does have a generally solid design. Giving the X6 a squeeze and a little twist, we didn’t find it to feel cheaply made. We can easily recall phones from a few years back which cost twice as much and felt twice as cheap.

What is it like using the NUU Mobile X6?

If your needs are minimal, you’ll find the NUU Mobile X6 handles your daily tasks with no problem. Those needs might be email, texting, occasional calls, social media, and the rare photo.

While this might not sound like you or your needs, there are plenty of people who fit this bill. For that type of person we think the X6 would be just fine.

When it comes to reviewing phones, one of the things we have to be aware of is the subconscious comparison to other devices.

For example, I use a Google 3a as my daily driver. It’s not exactly a flagship phone, but it does have more under the hood than what NUU Mobile puts forth here. I can sense some of the differences and where it might be slower or offer up the occasional stutter.

Typically, I’ll load a review phone up with a handful of apps and games, handing it over to other people. I will watch to see how they react, asking for their thoughts. More often than not, the consensus is that the phone performs just fine.

That’s what I found here with the X6, hearing that it works well, feels generally snappy, and is something that they’d consider using.

One of the chief complaints I have with the Nuu Mobile X6 might be the display. Not so much the resolution, which is fine for pretty much anyone, but in being able to see it when outdoors.

I took the phone to the park on a pretty sunny day and had a difficult time seeing the screen. And when it came time to taking photos, it was really hard to make out the subject.

I love to take pictures and am constantly whipping out my phone to do so. It was frustrating to try to grab a photo of something that was particularly well-lit and and struggle to focus.

As far as picture quality goes, I was okay with the results. They weren’t spectacular or anything, but given the price of the phone, I understood what I was getting into. I’ve seen plenty of people with much better cameras take much worse photos.

Who is the NUU Mobile X6 for?

First time smartphone users, younger children, and the older demographic are good candidates for the phone. Similarly, if you’re a prepaid buyer or MVNO subscriber, chances are pretty high that you’d be a decent fit.

If you don’t know the differences from one brand to the next, or one model to the next, you’re probably a no-frills user. You probably wouldn’t be able to pick apart different features or specifications. That said, you may be a good candidate for the NUU Mobile X6.

If you already have a phone that’s maybe just one or two years old, this would be a step down in terms of performance. And depending on how closely you pay attention, it could be noticeable.

Parting thoughts

I’ve enjoyed my time with the NUU Mobile X6, but do recognize that it’s not built for day-to-day needs. As such, there are plenty of people in my circle that I’d see being perfectly suited with one.

NUU Mobile doesn’t position the device as anything special or try to promote is as being a wanna-be flagship wrapped in budget clothing. It’s a no-frills device for a no-frills user.

Aesthetically speaking, I like the design of the X6, even if it does pick up oils and fingerprints all too easy. Also, it’s tough to argue against the price when you consider that it comes with a screen protector, protective case, and a trial to a prepaid phone service.

As an unlocked phone that’s priced right around $100, the NUU Mobile X6 pairs with AT&T, T-Mobile, and their respective brands.

Where can I buy the NUU Mobile X6?

You can learn more about the phone at the NUU Mobile website where it’s normally available to purchase. Unfortunately, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, production has been halted and is currently unavailable through the website. But, Amazon is still offering the phone and without delays. It’s available for just $99.99 right now.

Novostella offers smart lighting for budget buyers

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In the off chance you didn’t know it, smart homes are really cool. Ask around and you’ll surely understand that having a house with devices connected to one another is not just convenient, but really awesome.

There are plenty of ways to get started with a smart home, regardless of budget. You don’t have to begin with an appliance like a washing machine; you can start as small as a single speaker. Or a light bulb.

The connected and smart light space is an increasingly crowded one with all sorts of wonderful options. And while consumers might be tempted to first reach for familiar brands like GE or Philips, they’re far from your only options. Indeed, Novostella is one such company who offers an array of smart light products.

Our team was provided with a couple of sample units for review; we were sent a two-pack of 20W Smart LED Flood Lights and a three-pack of 13W (A19 E26) Smart LED Light Bulb. We’ve had them in place for about two weeks now, putting them through some of the normal day-to-day paces. What follows are some of our impressions and review of Novostella’s products.

Setup

We’ve had plenty of experience setting up smart devices, including other brands of lights. Our first instinct is to just skip the instruction manual and jump in, but that’s always wise. And we don’t recommend doing that here.

As a brand that we’ve not worked with before, we looked through the paperwork and installed the accompanying app. Going through the process wasn’t all that difficult but we didn’t stick directly to the app. Why? For starters, it’s not a Novostella app; it’s called Smart Life and doesn’t match up directly with products or models.

Skimming through, we recognized that it was going to revolve around powering on and off the lights in rather quick succession. For the flood lights it was a case of plugging in, unplugging, plugging in, etc. For the more traditional bulbs it was simply flicking the light switch on and off.

Doing that about three times prompted the lights to start flashing, signaling they were in pairing mode. From there, we did proceed with the “automatic” part of the app.

The app found each bulb easily and lets you identify them individually in the app. You can name them, add them to rooms, and do some basic configuration. If you don’t have Google Assistant or Alexa setup, you can control everything from here.

Usage

Once we had the bulbs named and grouped we went into the Google Home app and added them to the network. That’s as easy as logging in with the Smart Life credentials. You will need to set up the rooms and lights again, especially if you plan to use voice controls.

Inside the Smart Life app you can manage the lights, selecting specific colors and hues. You can turn them on and off individually, brighten, schedule automatic shutoff, and more.

We appreciate that there’s no extra hub or bridge to mess with, or purchase. Some of the earlier generations of lights, and a few that you can still buy today, do require extra hardware.

20W Smart LED Flood Lights

  • Wattage: 2-Pack 20W Smart RGBCW LED Flood Lights
  • Lumen: Max 2000LM, 80+CRI
  • Cord Length: 3.28ft/1.5m US Plug
  • Waterproof: IP66
  • Wireless Type: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz （not supprot 5GHz)
  • Lighting Color: RGBCW (RGB+Warm White+ Daylight White)
  • Working Temperature : -25℃ ～ 40℃
  • Input Voltage: 100-240V AC, 50/60Hz

It’s pretty easy to get accustomed to controlling lights by voice, or letting them work independently based on time of day or other conditions. Once we set up our lights we pretty much stopped using the Smart Life app. More often than not we let the bulbs turn on automatically and use a routine (Good night) to shut them off.

We’ll ask Google to adjust colors from incandescent to daylight or soft white; sometimes it’s by voice, others it’s in the Google Home app. Picking colors is done the same way, adjusting to crimson, chocolate, smitten, deep blue sky, or forest green, among dozens of others.

General Impressions

The traditional bulbs are currently found in a ceiling fan which we’ve left “physically” powered on at the switch. They’ll come on automatically at a set time, but we also ask Google to adjust them.

Having all three light a room from the top feels just as natural as any other bulbs, so long as you use something between white and yellow. Switching to colors is a little strange but it does look cool.

13W Smart LED Light Bulbs

  • Wattage: 13W (120W Equivalent)
  • Bulb type& Light Base: A19/E26
  • Input Voltage: 100-240V AC
  • Color Temperature: 2700K-6500K
  • Max Luminous flux: 1300lm
  • Beaming angle: 270 Degree
  • Protection Rating: P20
  • Color: RGB, Cool White, Warm White

If you’ve never added smart bulbs to your home, we suggest starting with lamps first. Having a few of them in one room looks cooler when you switch them up to different colors. The glow that comes from a lamp seems to work better than one from a ceiling fan, but that’s no fault of Novostella. Simply put, rooms show off color better when it’s glowing on a wall.

Although the flood lights we have are designed to withstand weather and the elements, we’ve kept them indoors for now. We’ve leaned them back on their base and have them glowing from the TV stand.

We wanted to get a feel for how well they work, how bright they are, and what sort of control we had on them before moving outdoors. With that said, we’re considering adding a few of these to the exterior of the home. They’re incredibly bright and look to be easy to screw into a base.

Perhaps we’ll tie them to a motion light and have them flash red at night if movement is detected in the back yard. Or maybe we’ll have them shine different colors for seasons, holidays, or events.

Conclusion

Prior to our review units we were not all that familiar with the Novostella brand. After spending a few weeks with its products, we’re more than willing to look to Novostella for future needs.

Aside from the two types of lights we tested there are other options available from Novostella, including light strips. Further, there are products which do not have the full color spectrum but just degrees of white light. Similarly, the flood lights come in different wattage and also in a traditional flood light bulb. All are priced affordably and none of them require extra hardware.

Setup could be a little easier but we don’t think people will have too much trouble. The accompanying instructions, Novostella website, and Amazon all have resources, too. Along the same lines, the app and instruction book have the occasional spelling error and wonkiness, but nothing here keeps us from recommending them.

Each product comes with a one year warranty but if you register on Novostella’s website, you can pick up an extra six months for free.

Availability

Learn more about Novostella products at its website where they’re available for purchase. You can also head to Amazon where they’re often discounted. As of today, the 2-pack of 20W Smart LED Flood Lights are $89.99, or about $45 each. The 3-pack LED bulbs are $69.99 ($20 off), or about $23 each.

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