ilumi Bluetooth Smartbulb: Add some color to your lights

When it comes to technology in our homes, one of the last things we probably think of is our light bulbs. I imagine that most people don’t even think about light bulbs at all until one goes out. However, there is an entire selection of bulbs that go far beyond simply lighting up our homes. Some of these light bulbs were created for pure fun while others are meant to add another level of security. Sitting right in the middle of those bulbs is the ilumi Bluetooth Smartbulb.

Design

The ilumi Bluetooth Smartbulb looks almost like any other light bulb except for the fact that it is built much sturdier. The body of the bulb is completely metal which gives the bulb a nice weight. The dome where the light shines through is made of translucent plastic, but even that feels sturdy. The overall feel of the ilumi Smartbulb is simple but elegant. It is understated and blends in, which is exactly what a light bulb should do.

That being said, the design does lend itself to some faults. While using the ilumi Smartbulb, it has gotten extremely hot due to the metal body. If something were to happen and you needed to remove the ilumi from a light socket, you will get burned if you attempt to hold it from the sides.

I am not sure if this problem would have been fixed with a plastic body, but I do know that the plastic dome does not get nearly as hot as the rest of the bulb. Even after sitting on my desk for 10 minutes after being taken out of my lamp, the ilumi is still too hot to touch. I would definitely recommend using ilumi Smartbulbs in places they will not be accidentally touched.

Setup

ilumi makes its bulbs extremely straightforward to set up. After downloading the ilumi app from the Play Store, all you need to do is create an account to get started. After putting your ilumi into a light fixture and turning on your phone’s Bluetooth, you should see your bulb appear in the menu.

From there, you can begin to customize your bulb to your liking. You can create Groups to control multiple bulbs at the same time, which can be useful if you have several ilumi Smartbulbs in one room. Once you have placed your bulbs into a group, you are ready to explore the numerous features in the ilumi app.

Features

The ilumi app is full of features, and we will touch briefly on the majority of them. Controlling your bulbs through Groups is a fairly straightforward process. After selecting the group you want to control, you are given a slider for brightness, several preselected color choices, and an RGB color wheel for fine tuning the color and tint of your lights.

Moving on from basic bulb control, there is a section labeled Experiences that contain several features for your ilumi. Rise and Shine is one of my favorite features because you can set it to begin at a certain time, and it will mimic a sunrise to gently wake you up from your sleep. You can change things like the time and days it is active, the duration of the sunrise, and even the type of sunrise.

Music Sync is one of those features that sounds super fun but is actually disappointing. In theory, activating it should cause your ilumi to pulse and change color to the music you are listening to. Unfortunately, I never found that to be the case. My ilumi always seemed to be confused by the music I listened to because it would never change with the beat. Perhaps the effect is best seen in a room with multiple bulbs at the same time, but I found it to be unusable with a single bulb.

Scene Scheduler is useful if you have a fairly structured schedule because it allows you to have your ilumi Smartbulbs change at certain times and on certain days. You can create different Scenes, which are basically preset settings for your ilumi, and schedule them to run at a certain time. This can be useful for those who return home at a specific time because they can have their lights turn on before they get home.

Vacation is one of the security features built into the ilumi app. Activating it will make you ilumi Smartbulbs turn on and off at random times to simulate you being home. This can be useful to ward off would be criminals or even just pesky neighborhood kids. If you are planning on taking advantage of this feature, I would recommend having several ilumi bulbs throughout your house because the effect is not convincing when only one light turns on and off.

Circadian is a feature meant to help you fall asleep easier. Having this feature enabled will cause your ilumi bulbs to change color throughout the day to mimic the Sun’s natural movement and color. In theory, this should help you get to sleep, but like many of the features in the app, it is probably more useful if you have more than one ilumi Smartbulb.

Torch, like Music Sense, should be an amazing feature but suffers from poor usability. Torch is meant to use your ilumi Smartbulbs as flashlights by turning them on as you get close to them. This way you can find your way around your house at night without having to turn on every light. Unfortunately, I found that it rarely worked with my single bulb. Perhaps it would have worked better with multiple ilumi bulbs, but I am skeptical.

Simon lets you play a fairly basic game of Simon Says with your ilumi Smartbulb. Even the hardest mode is not extremely challenging, but I imagine that children would have a blast playing it.

The last feature is called Shake, and it allows you to set times when shaking your phone will turn on certain ilumi Smartbulbs. I found this to be much more useful than Torch because I could just shake my phone (which is right next to my bed) if I needed to get out of bed at night, and my lamp would turn on.

Usage

I have been using the ilumi Smartbulb in the lamp in my room for a while now, and I have to say that it is a cool piece of technology. As far as being used for a light bulb, the ilumi is fairly average. It does not get extremely bright, but it is bright enough for most any task. The amount of colors to choose from is incredible and truly allows you to make your house your own.

Since the ilumi is controlled by Bluetooth instead of over WiFi, you are more limited in your ability to control it versus other smartbulbs like the Philips Hue. You must be in fairly close proximity to your bulbs to control them compared to being able to access WiFi connected ones from anywhere.

This limited reach also expands into the security side of smartbulbs. While the ilumi Smartbulb has a few security features such as Vacation mode, the fact that you cannot control your lights from far away means that you cannot activate this mode if you forgot before leaving your house. If the price of the ilumi Smartbulb were less than the price of comparable bulbs from the Philips Hue set, I could see a reason to purchase the ilumi bulbs over WiFi connected bulbs. However at a regular price of $60, I cannot see any reason to purchase an ilumi Smartbulb over a bulb controlled over WiFi.

Conclusion

Although the ilumi Bluetooth Smartbulb is a well-built bulb with several useful features, I believe that it is competing with better bulbs at its current price point. If you do not want to have your bulbs connected over WiFi, then I would strongly recommend the ilumi Smartbulbs. You can purchase the ilumi Bluetooth Smartbulb from Amazon on sale for only $45!

EC Technology Bluetooth 4.0 Speaker: Rock out on a budget (Review)

Overview

We all love getting things at a value and getting good quality out of it. EC Technology has worked tirelessly manufacturing products that provide its global customers with high quality products at budget friendly prices. They have stayed true to that core value with its Bluetooth speaker they offer in its Amazon store for just $24.99.

In the box

• Bluetooth speaker
• Instruction manual
• microUSB cable
• 3.5 mm audio cable

Design

The EC Tech Bluetooth speaker is one lustrous cubed device that measures in at three inches tall, with a width of two and a half inches wide, and is just heavy enough to feel like a paper weight. Yet, it’s still lightweight and still portable. The top of the speaker is made of black grated plastic, where the power button that also serves as an answer button rounds out the top. While playing music, the built in blue lights, flash making for one beautiful experience.

The body is made of a chrome like shiny plastic that you can see your reflection in. You can’t do your makeup in it, but it’s delightful to look at. The one downside is the speaker is a fingerprint magnet, but it doesn’t detract from its great looks.

Around the back is where the two skip buttons reside. If you long press them you control the volume. There is also a microUSB slot for charging, and located to the right of that is a 3.5 mm port for devices that don’t have Bluetooth.

Performance

The speaker volume is modest, the levels are balanced well, and they have an enhanced bass sound. To put it into perspective, one of my favorite songs to test with is Too Close by Next. In my book, a speaker sounds great if it can play my favorite song. The EC Tech Bluetooth speaker had me singing along with the song and it passed my sound test with flying colors. I wouldn’t recommend taking it to the lake on a Saturday, but setting it on your desk at work or perhaps next to your porch swing while reading a good book and drinking a glass of sweet tea would be perfect. It simply doesn’t have the power to be an outdoor speaker.

The EC Technology speaker has remarkable Bluetooth capabilities. You can go up to 30 feet away and through walls you can still reach the speaker. It does have a 3.5 mm audio cable input, but what’s the point if the Bluetooth doesn’t work? Since it has Bluetooth that means you can also make calls from your Android or iOS mobile device. On the receiving end you can hear clearly, however on the receiver’s end, they do have a hard time hearing me if I’m not right up on it.

This speaker has an acceptable battery life. You can easily get six to seven hours of play time, which is great for a work day. If you do need to recharge, it only takes about two hours and you’re ready to go again.

Conclusion

There are a lot of wireless speakers out there. It’s all about getting the biggest bang for your buck. EC Technology is dedicated to that very thing, and has provided a good product for a good price. It’s easy to operate, and easy to hook up. A satisfying bluetooth speaker for $25 is hard to beat.

Buy the EC Technology Bluetooth speaker 

Flamingo for Twitter: An alternative to the big names (Review)

Overview

The battle still rages to find the perfect Twitter app. The Play Store is flushed with them, however, it remains that there are only a few that dominate. And what’s crazy is that, at the bottom of that top contenders list, is where the official Twitter app lies. Now looking to push the official app even lower is Flamingo for Twitter from Sam Ruston, the creator of Weather Timeline.

Developer: Sam Ruston

Cost: $0.99

Review

Right out of the gate you can see that Flamingo has really embraced material design. It uses gestures to change from timeline, mentions, messages, and any other page you wish to add.

Once you click the traditional hamburger menu, you are given those exact same options plus an activity page, profile and your lists. Clicking the settings option opens the possibility of customizing several features to your liking, such as themes, navigation, fonts, and more.

The timeline is laid out in one nice solid color, with a short line dividing the tweets. That color will depend on your currently selected theme, but more on that later.

Once you click on a tweet, you are given all the options you expect from a Twitter app, like retweet, like, quote, etc. Also, when you click a link, it will open a built-in browser so you don’t have to leave the app. The app fully supports GIF playback, with the option of turning off autoplay in order to save your precious data allowance.

When composing a tweet, you have the option of adding your location, pictures, and GIFs, just like in many popular Twitter apps. What’s cool is that, if you have second thoughts about your tweet and don’t want to send it right now, you can save it to your drafts and send it later. It also has autofill when typing in a Twitter handle, which is always handy.

Direct Messages are the same as all apps, except it doesn’t give you the option to delete a conversation, which is a bummer.

Whether you want a preset theme, or really get in there and dig in, Flamingo has it. There are 12 different preset themes that you can choose from. These presets are so diverse that you probably won’t need to do more, but, if you want to, you can change the colors of everything from title text, links, header, and more.

You can also add more pages to the home screen, with content such as specific lists, search, and trends. This adds a lot to customization and really helps in making it your own.

You also have total control of your notifications. You can turn them off individually or all of them with one tap. If you wish to defer notifications to a later time in order to save battery, you can activate the Power Savings mode.

Finally, there are a few awesome features in the Advanced settings entry that I wanted to point out. The first up is turning on/off hover preview. This allows you to long press profile pictures to preview them. Also, Flamingo allows you have different themes for different accounts. This isn’t unique to them, but good nonetheless, especially for a first release.

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Conclusion

This is a solid first release by the famed developer Sam Ruston, but a tall order to compete with the likes of Fenix and Talon. I do think it’s better designed than the official app. The developer do needs to add scheduled tweets, as many people depend on this feature. While it is missing that, it does make up for it in price and other useful features. At only one dollar, it’s by far cheaper than the rest. I would suggest giving it a try.

Download and install Flamingo for Twitter from the Google Play Store.

Inateck’s Aries BH1101 Headphones: High-end look for under $20 (Review)

Great headphones for under $20 seem to be a rarity these days and buying them online seems like a shot in the dark. You don’t really know what you’re going to get. I just reviewed some headphones from Inateck that were some amazing sounding budget headphones. Well, I have another pair from them and this time its the Aries Dynamic Driver In-Ear Headphones. That’s such a mouth full that we are gonna call it by it’s model number, BH1101, and for $15.99, they didn’t disappoint.

In the Box

• BH1101 Headphones
• 3 Silicone Ear Tips
• Clothing Clip
• Carrying Case
• Airline Adapter
• Instruction Manual

Design

Just like before, Inateck makes some high-end looking headphones. The earbuds are made with an aluminium housing and the backs are topped with dark wood that really makes them pop. The four-and-a-half-foot cord is is wrapped in PU Aluminum Foil that prevents it from getting tangled easily. The package says the color is dark gray, but it looks to have a copperish tone to it, which looks amazing.

The inline microphone is encased in aluminium and has a durable button that answers and ends calls and doubles for play and pause for music. One quarter of the way down from the ear buds is an adjustment slider to snug the wires hanging from your ears up. This keeps things nice and tight. While at the bottom, the 3.5 mm connector is made from the same material as the microphone and earbuds making it tough.

To ensure the best possible fit, they have included three different sizes of ear tips (S,M,L). Made from silicone they are comfortable inside the ear. Although they don’t stay in my ear (if you have read any other headphone review from me, you know this is a problem I have) they don’t fall right out; it takes a little work. Inside the tips, they are color coded to make it easy to find matching pairs.

The case is made from a soft cloth that will ensure the protection of all your pieces and even has a compartment for all the small pieces so they don’t just tumble out when you open it. The overall design makes you feel like you got the better end of the deal.

Sound

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, sound is where it counts. Headphones can be beautiful and still sound crappy. These Hi-Fi headphones seem to focus more on mids and highs. That’s not to say that the bass isn’t there, it’s not just as prevalent. These headphones have a clear and crisp sound. They are great for pop music and podcasts, but you can still enjoy all types of music with them.

Let’s not forget the microphone. Sure it plays music, but that’s only half. I made a few calls, and on both ends, the sound was clear and every word was understandable without any stutters.

One more thing to touch on. People just hate when you blast your music through headphones so loud that they can here it. But Inateck’s headphones are designed so well that you can barely hear anything coming out no matter the volume. It makes being in public more pleasant for everyone.

Conclusion

I consider Inateck a trusted brand in the headphone market. It makes a product that is durable, with high-end style, and an amazing sound that keeps your bank account happy, as well. Add in the clothes clip to keep from the cord catching and an airline adapter all for $15.99 on Amazon and you can’t go wrong!

Buy Aries Dynamic Driver In-Ear Headphones BH1101

WHOOSH! It’s time to disinfect your staph and E. Coli infested gadgets (review)

We wash our hands. We brush our teeth. We put on clean underwear everyday. At least I hope most of us do these activities, because hygiene is vital in maintaining good health.

When you’re sick and need to visit a hospital, would you want to see a doctor who never washed his/her hands before they examined you? Or would you want your chef and waiter to use dirty hands while they handle your food? The answer is an obvious NO. There are laws that require hygiene standards to be met in situations like these, but its almost universal that no one really cleans their phones or other mobile devices.

When was the last time you cleaned your smartphone? When I say, “clean” I don’t mean simply wipe it off on your pants or shirt. I mean, when did you use a cleaning spray to remove the germs and microbes on it? Or when was the last time you cleaned your keyboard, portable speaker, mouse, or tablet? If the answer is never, you need to read on.

Let’s look at the facts

It’s time to list facts about the germs on your smartphone.

• 18% of phones are contaminated with staphylococcus (source: Journal of Applied Microbiology)
• 100% of phones are contaminated with with either single or mixed bacterial agents (source: NCBI)
• 16% of mobile phones are contaminated with fecal flora and E. Coli (source: Yahoo)
• 10X how many times your mobile phone is dirtier than a toilet seat (source: BBC)
• 30% of virus can be transferred from your mobile phone to your fingers (source:mashable)

What is Staph and E.Coli?

Staphylococcus: A group of bacteria that cause a multitude of diseases. Under a microscope, staphylococcus bacteria are round and bunched together. They can cause illness directly by infection or indirectly through products they make, such as the toxins responsible for food poisoning and toxic shock syndrome. The best-known member of the staphylococcus family is Staphylococcus aureus. Staphylococci are the main culprits in hospital-acquired infections, and they cause thousands of deaths every year. Also known as staph. – medicine.net

Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria normally live in the intestines of people and animals. Most E. coli are harmless and actually are an important part of a healthy human intestinal tract. However, some E. coli are pathogenic, meaning they can cause illness, either diarrhea or illness outside of the intestinal tract. The types of E. coli that can cause diarrhea can be transmitted through contaminated water or food, or through contact with animals or persons. – cdc.gov

Sure, anyone can pull out random facts from studies, right? Well go look up how dirty smartphones are at Google Scholar and look at how many scientists are actually doing scientific studies on that topic alone. (If you don’t believe me)

You can do the same search I did:

Goto Google Scholar to search scientific publications
Search “phones contaminated with staph”
Refine your search to 2016

You will find 463 studies and the vast majority of them all found smartphones to be extremely dirty.

Clean your smartphone and other devices with WHOOSH!

The facts speak for themselves.

Think about it. When was the last time you cleaned your smartphone?

I clean my smartphones a few times a week, and my latest favorite cleaner is WHOOSH! I like it because it is cheap at $7 for a 0.3 ounce bottle, and it comes with an ultra-soft anti-microbial cloth. I get about 30 uses from a one bottle, which means each clean costs just 23 cents. That is a cheap price to pay to remove E. Coli and Staph.

WHOOSH! is non-toxic, and ammonia and alcohol free. This is important to me because I have pets that I adore, and will not risk having poisons in my home. Also alcohol can strip off the manufacturers oleophobic coating that resists fingerprints.

It doesn’t get much simpler than WHOOSH! Simply spray your dirty displays with WHOOSH! and then wipe down with the included cloth. My iPad Pro 12″ needed a couple of sprays but was cleaned within seconds. What’s nice about WHOOSH is that it also leaves a nano coating that helps my displays resist microbes.

Conclusion

I am a Medicinal Chemist first and a writer second. The facts are real and supported by actual scientific publications. Smartphones really are nasty. Hospitals are requiring their staff to ensure their phones are cleaned, and some are banning them from the work floor altogether to help prevent serious outbreaks.

At just $7 a bottle, WHOOSH! is an investment that must be made especially if you work in environments that needed good hygiene.

• 3.7 Ounce WHOOSH! at Amazon for $15.97
• WHOOSH! Pocket 0.3 Oz – $7 at whoosh.com
• WHOOSH! Duo 0.3 Oz and 3.4 Oz $20 at whoosh.com

DDTank: An interesting, stylized take on the tank shooter genre (Review)

Overview

DDTank is a unique take on the tank combat genre, with a cutesy, anime-inspired art style, and RPG elements that make progression feel rewarding. It certainly isn’t a traditional military shooter.

Developer: Proficient City Limited

Cost: Free (with microtransactions)

Impressions

DDTank is a funky game. The art style is more reminiscent of a JRPG than a strategy shooter, but it works for me. The sprites are colorful and cute, and you have some decent customization options for your character as you progress through the missions. Clothing, faces, and hairstyles, as well as items and weapons all allow you to make a neat looking little character for you to play. Although the progression after the intro sequences is a bit slower than I’d like, you still get these items at a fairly rapid pace, so you’ll always have a fresh look for your character.

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Gameplay-wise, DDTank is a bit hit and miss for me. It isn’t terribly complex. Beyond some power-ups and super moves, the gameplay feels shallow. The shooting and aiming mechanics are a bit difficult to get used to as well; where you aim and where your projectile actually goes can sometimes be a bit off.

Also, enemies don’t seem to do significant damage to you unless you let the rounds drag on for a while, making the difficulty a bit too low for my taste. Perhaps this game is a bit more suited to a younger audience.

DDTank has a ton of modes as well, including a multiplayer arena and dozens of stages in the main campaign, to ensure that you’ll have something to do for a while. I would have liked to see some daily quests or maybe some challenge modes to try and add just a bit more to the game.

The developers could do a bit more to explain the controls and mechanics as well. The tutorials don’t really do enough to explain how exactly to aim, move, and fire. It’s up to you to trial and error your way to figuring it out for yourself.

Conclusion

I did have some fun playing DDTank, despite some drawbacks. The gameplay, while a bit shallow, does offer some interesting strategy, and some stages can get challenging. The amount of content and customization, along with the cute and fun art style, make this game a solid pick for kids or somebody looking for a different sort of game to occupy some time.

Download and install DDTank from the Google Play Store.

Cover-Up’s #WoodBack cases make your Nexus 6P look and feel awesome (Review)

I don’t love phone cases. I know most people are content with putting one on their phones and not really thinking about it ever again. I honestly wish that I was more like that because I’ve definitely screwed up more than one phone from not having a case on it, even though I baby my devices. The cases I do get interested in have to have a niche. They have to be interesting in some way. They have to make me want to keep them on the phone, rather than just becoming a part of it.

That’s why I absolutely love Cover-Up’s #WoodBack collection of cases. Not only do they look phenomenal, but they feel great in the hand too.

Protection

Let’s address protection first since that’s the reason you have a case in the first place. The #WoodBack cases aren’t military certified like UAG cases and they don’t make your phone water resistant like Lifeproof cases, but what they do offer is simple scratch and drop protection. I recently dropped my phone twice in two days. Once onto a driveway without a case and once onto a sidewalk with a #WoodBack case on. Without the case, I got scratched paint and dents. This phone is my baby (I should stop dropping my baby) and it hurts to see those scratches and dents on my phone.

The second fall, this time with the #WoodBack case securely on the phone, produced no ill effects. Not even for the case.

Your phone sits inside of a TPU case, that while thin, is pretty tough. There is some give in the case which helps disperse any shocks, but not enough that your phone is going to pop out of it. There’s also a bumpy texture on the sides of the case to help you grip the phone better. I owned a previous version of these cases that had smooth sides and it could be a bit slippery, but I haven’t had any issue holding onto my (rather large) Nexus 6P.

A slight lip comes up to protect your phone’s screen, but I really don’t know if it’s going to do anything to help it out in case of falls. It’s a bit too shallow to hold back your screen if it’s falling face down, but I think it will keep your screen from touching a surface if it’s just sitting on a table- which can help with scratches. I don’t have a tempered glass screen protector on my Nexus 6P, but I’d wager to say that if you have one on yours the #WoodBack case will come almost flush with the screen protector.

Look and Feel

The great thing about Cover-Up’s cases is the huge selection of different wood you have to choose from. Currently, for the Nexus 6P you can choose from 14 different styles of wood and designs. I am personally in love with the Blackened Ash wood and the Gold Lightning Bolt logo adds an awesome little bit of flair, without going over the top. The Elm Burl, Cherry, and Black Limba cases (pictured below) are also as beautiful in person as they are on the website.

One very appealing aspect of these cases is that no two are alike. The Elm Burl case I have pictured has some of the same characteristics as the press pictures on Cover-Up’s website, but it’s completely different in design. There are a ton of knots and distinctive features in my case that no-one else will duplicate on theirs. I love having a one-of-a-kind design on my phone.

I covered the bumpy sides earlier and that’s plays in rather heavily to how the cases feel in the hand. There’s no sliding around with this thing so my phone always feels secure in my hand. The bumps, on top of the size of the case, add almost no bulk either. The Nexus 6P is a humongous phone but the #WoodBack cases doesn’t make it feel any bigger. That’s a huge plus for me.

There are only a few minor negatives to these cases, and it’s really stretching. They are a bit deep. You can really tell how deep the case is when you’re putting your finger on the scanner on the back of the phone. I’ve not noticed any issues with getting a good read (in fact, it helps me center my finger on the scanner better) and the cutouts for the camera and flash are big enough so it doesn’t reflect back into the lens, so this is just a minor negative because it changes the feel of the phone.

Also, the case does cover the buttons on the phone and they can feel a bit mushy to press. The buttons don’t stick out very far so it’s easy to miss them unless you’re looking for them as you’re running your finger along the side of the case. It’s not a huge turn-off, but it will bother some people.

Conclusion

I think Cover-Up really hit it out of the park with the #WoodBack line. They aren’t the most protective of cases, but they’re on par with most cases out there. If you’re looking for something like an Otterbox, you probably weren’t looking at these cases anyway.

The wood backing of these phones look and feel absolutely fantastic. The fact that I will have my own unique design no matter what wood I choose is a huge selling point to me.

If you’re interested in picking up a #WoodBack case from Cover-Up, head over to its website or check out its listings on Amazon.

Bear Lock: Keep prying eyes away (Review)

Overview

Keep your apps as safe as Pooh keeps his honey pot. That’s what Bear Lock does: keeps prying eyes away.

Developer: Bear Lock Applock

Cost: Free

Setup

Setting up is relatively easy. Jasper, your guide in the app, will walk you through this. He will ask you to put in your name, set up a pattern lock and fingerprint (if you have a sensor), and your email.

Once the initial setup is complete, you are free to pick which apps you want to protect. You are given the choice between two lists: sensitive and all. Select which apps you want to protect and that’s it. You’re set up. To remove the protection, simply tap which app to remove the protection from and you’re good to go.

Review

Bear Lock is a neat app lock app. Say that five times fast. It does exactly what it says, locks your apps so no one else can get into them. Jasper will let you in only if you type the correct code. If you don’t have the code, he will eventually turn his back on you.

The fact that you can use both a pattern or finger lock is nice since some people (me in particular!) don’t like to use fingerprint locks. I would like to see them add a numerical unlock code in the future, but, for now, this will work. If you forget your code, don’t worry, there is also the option to be asked a security question or get an email sent.

Bear Lock also lets you theme the app. It may not be the most important feature in an app like this, but it’s a nice touch. The themes are limited to only changing the colors, but it’s still a welcomed feature. There isn’t too much more they could do in this area.

Conclusion

You can’t get much simpler than this app. I honestly believe you could get a six-year-old to set this up. The best part? It’s free. Zero dollars. I can’t find any in-app purchases anywhere and there are no ads of any sort. I’m kind of surprised about it. I wouldn’t be surprised if they added more features later for a premium. If you want a layer of extra security, and don’t want to spend any money, Bear Lock is for you.

Download and install Bear Lock from the Google Play Store.

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Honeywell Bluetooth Smart True HEPA Allergen Remover review

Every so often we get a chance to review products that fall outside the traditional scope of mobile accessories. Instead of Bluetooth speakers, mounts, or cables, we get to check out other items that tie in nicely with our smartphones. Today we’re reviewing the Honeywell Bluetooth Smart True HEPA Allergen Remover. Yes, an air purifier that can connect to your handset.

Now, before going much further, I’ll point out that I’ve not reviewed other air purifiers and allergen removers. To that end, you’ll find the following review will skew more toward the “every man” user and focus on the mobile-specific features.

First things first, this is a pretty sizable (about 20 inches tall) unit that sits on the floor or a medium-sized table. Big and black, it fits nicely with just about any decor and doesn’t draw much attention or distract from an environment. All of the buttons and controls are found at the top of the purifier. The purifier is constructed of plastic so it’s light and easy to move from room to room.

Upon taking it out of the box, you’ll be instructed to walk through a few steps with the Honeywell purifier. A plastic quick-start guide tells you the main settings, each with its own special use-case: germ (capture germs), general (everyday usage), and allergen (capture allergens). It’s not hard to get this one up and running at all as it is essentially plugging in and picking a setting.

The Smart Air Purifier comes with a pair of filters, one being an HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filter and a carbon pre-filter. The latter is designed to capture odor such as smoke. The HEPA filter should be replaced annually whereas the pre-filter is once per quarter. In terms of warranty, this guy comes with a five-year plan for parts and labor.

As a novice to these, it was hard to see the differences in the first few days of testing. The Honeywell also offers up a turbo setting for quick odor reduction or power cleaning while the VOC (volatile organic compounds) is more of an automatic setting that moves from one mode to another. I felt safest going this route, understanding it likely knew my environmental needs better than I did.

You’ll find there are some LED lights that can be dimmed or turned off. Should you find yourself using the purifier in the bedroom you may wish to disable the lights as they can be distracting. Do note that the Bluetooth light and power indicator do stay on; you’ll have to put up with those. There are indicator lights to notify you when it’s time to replace the filter, a nice touch for those of us who simply cannot remember to do so.

In terms of sound, I found the Honeywell purifier to be quiet and provide a calm and non-distracting white noise. Turn it on and you’ll pay attention to it for a few minutes, but it’s quickly forgotten or pushed out of mind. Switching modes doesn’t seem to do much in terms of obvious, discerned sounds. if anything, the allergen setting was the only one we noticed over others.

The Honeywell Smart Air Purifier is designed to handle areas of 310 square feet so it’s perfect for most rooms. We liked setting ours in the hallway and shutting off doors to select rooms. This way it would clean the upstairs, steps, and a few small rooms at once. After that we would shut those rooms and repeat the process downstairs.

All in all, we had to rely on the purifier and app to qualify or quantify its effect. But, I can personally attest that the allergen option was very helpful this spring. There’s something about the air come March and April that really does a number on me. Sleeping was much easier this year as I kept the Honeywell in the bedroom.

Whereas the Smart Air Purifier works just fine on its own, things get extra useful and interesting when pairing to a phone. Connected via Bluetooth, the purifier can pair with most Android and iOS devices. Connecting is done by pressing a button on the phone and holding down the Bluetooth button on the purifier. Pair it once and you’re all set.

The app was easy to navigate and looked better than we expected for an air purifier. It’s pretty easy to cut corners and deliver an ugly UI with functions tucked away. Instead, we found a pretty modern and intuitive interface with fairly obvious settings. Also handy was a reminder at the bottom for when you’ll want to replace the filter.

Tapping on the app results in immediate changes on the Honeywell unit; there’s no lag in adjusting settings. Moreover, there are additional settings that don’t come with the standard purifier experience. Log your zip code and you’ll find the app can detect the allergens in your area. Doing so will tell you how grass, mold, tree, and ragweed pollens are. It’s possible to set alerts for thresholds so you can be notified when a particular pollen gets high.

The mobile app also provides cleaning schedules so you can pick a day or time that you’d like the purifier to work. Want a turbo cleanse before getting home? Sure you do. Make it happen.

As someone who suffers through spring with allergies, the Honeywell Bluetooth Smart Air Purifier HPA250B has been a pleasant addition to the home. I’ve come to appreciate the mobile app more than I anticipated, too. I like the idea of knowing the pollen levels for specific types of allergies. Additionally, I enjoy being able to adjust modes from the phone and having a constant reminder of when filters need replaced is just an icing on the cake.

If you’re in the market for a standard air purifier and don’t necessarily want or need the Bluetooth functions, you can definitely find other options for less money. But, if you’re suffering from allergies, live with a smoker, or like the notion of connecting your home, you’ll definitely come to like this Honeywell purifier.  And if that’s not quite enough to convince you, don’t forget the five year warranty.

You can pick up a Honeywell Smart Air Purifier for about $250 through Best Buy. Currently, though, it’s on sale for $210. Amazon also has the unit going for about $208 as of the time of this review.