Tag Archives: smart home gadget

Govee Floor Lamp Pro Review: Elevate Your Space with Lights and Sounds

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PROS:


  • Handsome minimalist design with a fabric-covered base

  • Built-in speaker in the RGB-lit base

  • Bright and colorful lights that can sync to music

  • Includes a magnetic remote control

CONS:


  • Speaker output quality is average

  • Matter support still unavailable

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

The Govee Floor Lamp Pro delivers a breathtaking audiovisual experience that syncs to the music while also standing proudly as a design object when the lights are off.

Most of us probably presume that lamps either hang from ceilings, stick to walls, or stand on tables. While elevated lighting is indeed necessary to provide illumination in the darkness, every inch of your room or house definitely deserves a bit of light, especially when it adds a splash of color as well. As far as ambient lighting products go, the tall, stick-like figures known as RGB floor lamps are probably the least known or appreciated. Govee might very well be changing that perception with its new Floor Lamp Pro which not only brings pro-level features deserving of its name but also looks quite sleek and elegant standing anywhere in the room, even when all its lights are turned off.

Designer: Govee

Click Here to Buy Now: $219.99.

Aesthetics

Govee has dozens of designs for different kinds of lighting solutions, but if there’s one trait they share it’s that they shine best when the lights are on, figuratively and literally. When they’re off, they tend to look unimpressive, at least for those that aren’t hidden behind TVs or stuck to wall corners. Floor lamps, however, are always visible and are, therefore, designed to be seen. Fortunately, the Govee Floor Lamp Pro is something that you’ll love seeing even if there’s no light show taking place.

Available in black and gray color options, the Govee Floor Lamp Pro’s dark silhouette cuts a rather striking figure whether it’s standing in a corner or placed somewhere in the middle of the room. The floor lamp’s shape is pretty simple: a tall, thin rod standing on top of a cylindrical base. On closer inspection, you will realize that the rod is made of sturdy aluminum that slightly wraps around a white silicone LED light strip. You’ll hardly see this color contrast unless you intentionally turn the light strip into view, which is actually easy to do since you can rotate the rod 360 degrees.

The can-shaped base is covered with a fabric-like material reminiscent of those found wrapped around smart speakers. That association isn’t by accident as the Floor Lamp Pro, unlike Govee’s other lights, actually comes with a built-in Bluetooth speaker. This makes the product an all-in-one light and sound system, one of the extremely few floor lamps with such a feature. The bottom of the base itself isn’t covered by this soft material as it exposes the base’s own RGB lights, yet another defining feature of this new Govee Floor Lamp Pro.

Although you can expect the Govee Floor Lamp Pro to be a dazzling sight once the psychedelic lights start to dance, what sets this design apart is how it still catches your eyes once the show is over. Unless you’re familiar with these kinds of RGB floor lamps, you might actually mistake it as some modern design object meant to add some minimalist elegance to your room. This pretty much means that the Floor Lamp Pro provides value all the time, even when you’re not actively using its bright lights.

Ergonomics

Just like any Govee product, setting up the Floor Lamp Pro is practically a breeze. Given the rod’s 67-inch height, you shouldn’t be surprised that it comes in four pieces that you can quickly join and screw together in a snap. You slip in the silicone light strip and install the rod into the base, easily connecting the wires to finally finish the process. It can be done in around 10 minutes, depending on how well-versed you are at assembling things.

You won’t be handling the Govee Floor Lamp Pro most of the time, at least not directly, which is probably for the best. After all, it’s meant to stand in a corner of the room and stay there until the next time you redecorate. And even when you do need to control it, you won’t be able to do it on the lamp itself anyway because it lacks any form of physical control. Instead, you will be operating the lamp remotely, mostly through your smartphone.

Surprisingly, Govee ships a Bluetooth-enabled remote control with the Floor Lamp Pro, which gives you quick and instant access to some of the most basic and important functions. Instead of fiddling with the app to turn down the volume, you can simply press down the button on the remote to save you the trouble and the stress. And to make sure you don’t lose that small remote, you can magnetically stick it to the lamp’s metal rod until you next need its services.

The Govee Floor Lamp Pro isn’t exactly lightweight at 7.3lbs (3.3kg), but that’s fine since you’re unlikely to move it around anyway. One trick that it does have is that you can turn the rod around, making it trivial to customize the lighting experience from bouncing off walls to directly shining the light in your direction. All in all, this Govee product is just as easy to set up just like its siblings, though there is definitely some assembly required. Operating it is also straightforward, though the Govee Home app can admittedly be a bit daunting and overwhelming for first-time users, but that is mostly because of the plethora of features available for such a simple-looking product.

Performance

When you first turn on the Govee Floor Lamp Pro, you might actually be blinded by how bright the LED lights are. It is to be expected from a flagship Govee product, but this one definitely takes it up a notch with a 2,100 ANSI lumens brightness. Govee didn’t skimp on the LED beads either. The light strip, for example, has 162 RGB units and 162 white units, while the base has 30 RGB beads and 30 white beads.

What all these numbers mean in practice is that you have a bright and unbroken beam of light wherever the Floor Lamp Pro shines. You won’t see any distinct cuts or patterns on the projected light thanks to the high density of LED beads distributed along the length of the light strip. And thanks to Govee’s RGBICWW technology, your eyes are treated to the widest range of colors, turning every moment a psychedelic experience.

The Govee Floor Lamp Pro, however, doesn’t stop there. As mentioned earlier, this is one of the extremely few floor lamps to bear a speaker inside. And not just any speaker, mind you, but a Bluetooth speaker system with two full-range and one low-frequency speaker inside. What would normally be a captivating light show becomes an immersive multimedia experience that dances to the beat of your music or even your film. That speaker, though loud, won’t exactly blow your mind with its quality. It’s decent enough for small parties and enhancing the mood of a film or soundtrack, but it isn’t going to win any awards, especially against actual speakers from audio brands.

The Floor Lamp Pro has the ability to sync its lights to music like a magical light and sound show. It can use either the built-in mic to listen to the sounds around it or, better yet, the built-in Bluetooth speaker playing your own tunes streaming from your phone. With Govee DreamView, you can even sync other Govee lights so they all dance to the same beat, whether they’re in the same room or scattered throughout the house. This Music Mode is just one of the many features you can access from the Govee Home app, of course, and there are literally a dozen others you can pick out to set the right mood at the right time, from scheduled activation to scenes for different holidays. You can even enjoy 29 preset white noise sounds to calm you down and help you focus, though not everyone might like the available selection. Fortunately, you can always use your own relaxing notes thanks to the lamp’s speaker.

As a smart lamp, you have a variety of ways you can control the lamp, though what you’ve heard so far requires your fingers to tap your way through menus and options. You can also use your voice thanks to integration with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. Unfortunately, the Govee Floor Lamp Pro doesn’t yet support the new Matter standard that would open up compatibility with other smart home platforms and devices. That will eventually come, but there’s no timeline yet for its arrival.

Sustainability

The Govee Floor Lamp Pro is an exceptional smart lighting product, but it isn’t that too different from other brands when it comes to the materials it uses. There’s plenty of plastic to go around, especially with the silicone light strip. That said, the Floor Lamp Pro is a little unique in its use of slightly more sustainable materials like the aluminum rod and fabric-like cover for the base.

Any damage, however, would require sending the product back for repairs, which is thankfully a straightforward and painless process. It’d be impossible to repair the light strip on your own, at least not without extensive electronics experience, though you might get by with a few dents and knicks on the metal rod. Hopefully, as Govee’s business grows, so will its efforts in sustainability in order to secure a brighter future for its customers.

Value

Truth be told, a floor lamp is a harder sell compared to products like string or strip lights. The latter are more general-purpose and more flexible as they can be used in almost any situation or design. That said, they also don’t have a big effect when it comes to coloring an entire space, at least not without investing in longer strips. Not only is that not economical, it’s not very efficient either.

The Govee Floor Lamp Pro has the power to really change the atmosphere inside a space. Whether it’s bouncing off walls or shining directly, the bright and colorful lights can easily reach across the room. The magic, however, really happens when you start pairing those lights with sounds coming from the lamp’s own speaker. Best of all, it remains just as captivating as a decorative design when it’s not in use. For a floor lamp that costs $219.99, that’s quite a steal.

Verdict

Smart floor lamps are still a pretty niche market, and it might be difficult to justify one or two if you’re not a gamer or a die-hard room modder. Of course, these aren’t the only audiences that these lights serve, but most people probably can’t imagine what they’d want a vertical stick of light for. With the Floor Lamp Pro, however, Govee is pushing the envelope of what floor lamps are capable of and trying to break the mold with a smart lighting solution that can instantly change the ambiance of a room in a cost-efficient and space-saving manner.

The configurable and bright RGB lights are already impressive, but their ability to sync with the music playing from the lamp’s built-in speakers really takes the immersion up a notch. The wide variety of modes and features enables you to almost literally paint a different picture of your room every time, whether you’re having a lively party or trying to focus on work. The Govee Floor Lamp Pro’s value, however, doesn’t end when the lights go off and the music stops. With a sleek minimalist design and quality materials, it becomes a design object that adds a different kind of aesthetic, one that can speak loudly with fewer words and without the dazzling lights.

Click Here to Buy Now: $219.99.

The post Govee Floor Lamp Pro Review: Elevate Your Space with Lights and Sounds first appeared on Yanko Design.

Smart home camera and router concepts look like ghosts to be less conspicuous

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Our homes are starting to get filled with smart gadgets, and not just the usual culprits like smartphones and tablets. From smart lamps to smart refrigerators, a lot of devices in our houses are now connecting to the Internet. While some of these try to blend in with the rest of your decor as much as they can, others just stand out like a sore thumb. Devices like home security cameras and routers still carry the aesthetics of their predecessors, which is impersonal, technical, and at times even disconcerting. While these products might be important in modern smart homes, they don’t need to be seen in order to function, which is why this concept design tries to make them almost literally fade into the background as if they were ghosts.

Designers: Seokhyun Ahn, Yejee Park, Cho Yumi, Yumin Shin, Myeongryun Kim, Dohyun Park, Lee Dahye, Kim Geonhee, Yang Yurim

We easily take for granted how things that look out of place can affect our minds and moods. Whether it’s a messy desk, a less-than-appealing piece of decoration, or clashing designs, the visual discomfort and confusion can actually bleed into your physical and mental state. They say that the best interfaces and designs are the ones that you barely notice, and what is the least noticeable thing if not a ghost?

Geist, which literally means “spirit” or “ghost,” is a concept design that tries to make those smart home devices less noticeable. Rather than having a black sphere or rectangle that feels like it’s spying on you, the John Doe ghost camera has a translucent body that almost looks like a piece of cloth flying in the wind, just like your stereotypical ghost from cartoons. It is even slanted at an angle to give the impression that it’s levitating and floating as it moves forward. It does have an “eye” for the camera, but it can turn it down to protect your privacy, indicating that it isn’t recording at the moment.

The Wi-Fi router Jane Doe takes on the shape of a gentle wisp of smoke or cloud. With an asymmetrical shape that is mounted vertically on a wall, it almost looks like a ghost passing through a solid surface. It’s impossible to completely hide some of the cables, particularly the power cable, but it at least forces these wires to go in a straight vertical line rather than ending up in a tangled mess.

Although the Geist concept design is actually meant to be less conspicuous and reduce visual discomfort, they can actually also have the opposite effect, depending on the person. Some might not be keen on seeing any representation of the paranormal, so anything that might remind them of ghosts might be even more uncomfortable. That said, the designs are aesthetically pleasing on their own, if you leave out the ghost association, so they still present a more pleasing aesthetic compared to the typical designs of these devices.

The post Smart home camera and router concepts look like ghosts to be less conspicuous first appeared on Yanko Design.

Govee Christmas String Lights Review: It’s a Holiday Everyday

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PROS:


  • Tons of fun and dynamic smart features for any holiday or occasion

  • Simple discreet design is perfect for installing anywhere, whether indoors or outdoors

  • Very affordable price tag

CONS:


  • No dedicated pure white color

  • Silver cable stands out against some colors and trees

  • Adapter only has IP44 dust and water resistance

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

The Govee Christmas String Lights offer delightful light shows, smart features, and great value all year round.

It’s that most wonderful time of the year again, and if you haven’t already set up some lights before Halloween, you are most likely already planning how you’d decorate your homes for the holidays. There is no shortage of lighting options available, both smart and traditional, but the majority of them have one flaw in common. They lose their appeal after the holiday season has come and gone, making their setup and cleanup feel a little more work than they’re worth. The new Govee Christmas String Lights clearly have “Christmas” in their name, but their design and functions make them sound appealing no matter the season. That’s why we took these colorful lights for a spin to check if they check all the right boxes not just for a festive Christmas atmosphere but also for all-year-round smart lighting.

Designer: Govee

Click Here to Buy Now: $89.99

Aesthetics

Traditional Christmas lights come in fairy or rice light designs, which are great for spinning around trees or hanging from windows and roofs, but not much else. The very visible bulbs that protrude from the main cord make them look too conspicuous and difficult to hide in plain sight. In contrast, the 100 or 200 lamp beads (depending on which length you purchase) that make up the Govee Christmas String Lights are almost integrated with the braided cable, making them almost invisible unless you take a closer look. That cable’s design is also quite discrete and plain, making it easier to install the lights almost anywhere.

That said, the Govee Christmas String Lights cable comes in only a single white or silver color. That means it will be able to match many walls or backdrops, and it looks great on a white Christmas tree. A black cable might actually be easier to hide in most contexts, but black doesn’t really come off as a festive color, which is why most Christmas lights go for either green or white.

When the lights are off, the Govee Christmas String Lights are admittedly a rather plain and boring sight, indistinguishable from others of its kind. Fortunately, that perception immediately disappears once the lights are turned on, thanks to each bead’s ability to display one of 16 million possible colors courtesy of Govee’s RGBIC and Uni-IC Control Technology. That already makes these lights give a dazzling display of colors from the get-go, but no owner is going to be satisfied with just displaying static colors. Fortunately, Govee’s true strength lies not just in the quality of the lights themselves but in the smart and fun controls they offer, as we’ll soon see.

Ergonomics

Before you’re able to enjoy the light show, however, you have to set them up first, and we’re happy to report that handling the Govee Christmas String Lights is as easy as pie. There’s almost no effort involved if you’ll just be coiling it around a Christmas tree, but you’ll have to do a bit of planning if you’ll be hanging them elsewhere. Unlike Govee’s other string or rice lights, these don’t come with hooks or mounts for walls or ceilings, so you’ll have to take care of those yourself. The control box does have a pre-installed adhesive for quickly sticking it to flat surfaces.

If there’s one important factor you’ll have to consider, it would be the fixed length of the lights, which come in 33ft or 66ft variants. There’s no way to physically connect two or more string lights into a single unit, so you’ll want to make sure before you buy what length you’ll be needing for your installation. The 66ft length, for example, is good enough to cover a Christmas tree 5-6ft in height, or 7ft at most.

Once the physical labor is done, all that’s left is connecting the lights to your home network, which is what opens the door to all of the lights’ nifty features. If you’ve had any sort of experience setting up smart lights and smart speakers, this process will be familiar and easy. The Govee Home app itself, which acts as your remote control, is easy to use and intuitive, making the use of the lights just as enjoyable as watching them.

Performance

The Govee Christmas String Lights’ strengths come from two areas. The first is the bright and colorful lights that the beads give off, so bright that even the lowest intensity can still be a bit uncomfortable if you put it around your bed’s headrest. Govee’s RGBIC technology shows off millions of colors, except perhaps pure white. Without a dedicated white chip, the lights can only make do with an approximation of white mixed from RGB colors, which results in off-white or even warm white hues. It’s not exactly a deal-breaker unless you’re aiming for a pure white Christmas kind of theme.

Admittedly, a lot of Christmas lights can boast those same colorful feats, but where the Govee Christmas String Lights really shine (pardon the pun) is in the smart features. You can connect it to Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant for completely hands-free voice-controlled operations, but that’s really just scratching the surface of what the lights are capable of. The Govee Home app reveals the full breadth of features available in every string of light, features that take it beyond being a seasonal decoration.

For example, there are more than 99 preset scene modes that apply dynamic effects to make sure the patterns and rhythms never go stale, whether it’s Christmas, Halloween, or even Valentine’s. The built-in mic in the control box enables Music and Game modes that make the lights sync to the beat or react to children’s clapping, turning the light show into an interactive experience. There’s even DreamView, that makes different Govee lights operate in unison without any extra accessory.

The string lights as well as the control box are also IP65 rated, which means they’re also fit for outdoor use. The adapter, however, isn’t waterproof, so you’ll have to make sure to keep it tucked away safely. With all these smart features, the Govee Christmas String Lights have something to offer any time of the year, whether it’s lighting up parties or simply jazzing up your house to make you the envy of the neighborhood.

Sustainability

The Govee Christmas String Lights are made from your typical collection of plastic and other synthetic materials, not unlike any other string lights in the market. And like any LED lamp, once busted there is no way to replace it, especially with the cable’s design. That doesn’t bode well when it comes to sustainability, but the product does have one saving grace in this regard: its longevity.

Despite its name, Govee made these string lights fit for use in all seasons and under many weather conditions. That IP65 dust and water resistance rating helps it survive downpours, and the simple design makes it easy to hide the lights underneath some cover or protection. And thanks to its versatile functions, its use extends beyond just one or two seasons, so you are really getting your money’s worth.

Value

With so many Christmas lights to choose from, it can be a daunting experience looking for that elusive perfect one. You might be tempted to just grab any box off the shelf until you remember that the last one barely lasted a year. And then there are those fascinating smart lights that promise dozens of enticing features but then slap you with a three-digit price tag.

Like many of Govee’s products, the Govee Christmas String Lights buck the trend to deliver a product that is not only talented but also accessible to everyone. The lights sell for only $59.99 and $89.99, for the 33ft and 66ft lengths, respectively, and that’s without discounts and sales that happen quite frequently. But even at full price, you’re getting a bright, colorful, and smart lighting solution that goes beyond just a single holiday, making that amount an investment that will last you for years.

Verdict

The holiday season is the best time to throw a splash of colors both outside and inside your house, but that doesn’t have to be the only time either. Sure, you only bring out the Christmas tree once a year, but your walls, windows, and room could also use a bit of lively lights any night. Most Christmas lights, unfortunately, look awkward outside of the holidays, presuming they even last that long. The Govee Christmas String Lights is clearly an outlier, and one that bears noting this time of the year and beyond.

Of course, it is designed with Christmas festivities in mind, and it definitely excels in that regard. The bright, colorful LED beads deliver an unparalleled number of colors that really paint your tree, your room, or your house with the colors of the season. Smart features not only make controlling the lights easier, but they also make them fun with the likes of Music Mode and Game Mode. What makes these lights truly noteworthy, however, is how both its design and its features can fit any occasion, holiday, or setting. Whether you’re dressing up the living room for Christmas, giving the lawn a spooky atmosphere for Halloween, or simply giving your house a colorful makeover each night, the Govee Christmas String Lights has got you covered all year round.

Click Here to Buy Now: $89.99

The post Govee Christmas String Lights Review: It’s a Holiday Everyday first appeared on Yanko Design.