AmpliFi WiFi router review

If you’re reading this, there’s a very good chance that you’re doing so through a WiFi connection to a router. A router is a box with an antenna (or antennas) that connects to  broadband. Most people hide their router under a desk or in a closet because they aren’t exactly the type of device that you want to stare at all the time. The AmpliFi WiFi router changes all that. This is a wireless router that you will want to look at not only because it looks cool, but it shows info that is actually useful. Let’s take a look.

What is it?

AmpliFi is a WiFi 802.11AC router that connects to your cable modem or another broadband modem where the internet connection comes into your home or business. Routers are usually boring devices with a bunch of LEDs on the front that blink to show the status of your internet traffic. AmpliFi is a small white box with a touchscreen LCD display that provides human readable info instead of blinking LEDs that mean nothing to most people.

AmpliFi also differs from traditional wireless routers because it comes with two mesh points that boost the WiFi signal to provide whole home wireless connectivity.

AmpliFi sells three systems that are configured for different sized installations. They sent me their low-end system that covers a 10,000 sq foot area and supports 802.11AC. Their LD and HD systems can cover 20,000 sq ft and supports 802.11b/g/a/n/ac at higher speeds.

What’s in the package?

AmpliFi router base station
2 wireless super mesh points
Ethernet cable
AC adapter
Quick start guide

Design and features

The AmpliFi router base station is a white 4×4 inch cube with a soft rubbery “skin” and a round LCD touch screen color display on the front.

The bottom of the base station has a rubber pad that keeps it from sliding around on your desk. In the center is a reset switch. The even base glows, which is not useful, but looks pretty cool.

On the back of the router, you’ll find four Ethernet ports, one Internet port that is used to connect to your broadband modem, a micro USB power port and a USB port that doesn’t do anything (bummer).

The two wireless super mesh points that are included with the AmpliFi are used to create a mesh network in your home / office so that it will be covered with WiFi. The mesh points have two parts. One part plugs into a wall outlet and then another part is the antenna, which connects to the first part with magnets and can rotate / pivot.

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The antenna has blue LEDs that light up to show the signal strength to the base station.

Installation and setup

Setting up and installing the AmpliFi is really easy. You just install the iOS or Android app on a mobile device and follow the prompts. Basically, all you do is power off your current router, plug in the AmpliFi and then follow the steps to name the WiFi network and set a password and plugin the mesh points.

Once everything is up and running the app will shows a main status screen with signal and speed info.

The app also shows throughput and usage info which is pretty handy if you happen to have a traffic cap. Be aware that AmpliFi’s usage data gets reset if the power cycles on the router… which is disappointing.

The app can also be used to setup a guest network, show all the devices connected to the WiFi network and gives you the ability to pause usage for each device.

It should be obvious that the app only works when you’re on the same network, so you’ll not be able to check usage and make changes if you’re away from home or the office where the AmpliFi is installed.

The built-in display can show a digital clock face like you see in the image above.

Or you can change the display to show other info just by tapping it. It can show the Wan and router IP addresses…

Upload and download usage…

And upload / download speeds.

As you can see in the images, the base has a white LED that glows. You can adjust the intensity of the glowing base or even turn it off. The same goes for the LCD display. There is also a night mode that will turn the display and base off based on the time window that you set.

I’d been using a TP-Link Archer C7 router for about 6 months and it was driving me nuts because I had two network SSIDs setup. One for 2.4Ghz and one for 5Ghz. For some reason, Jeanne’s MacBook Pro would stop communicating with the internet and she would have to switch to the other SSID. I didn’t notice this with my MacBook. Now that I’ve been using the AmpliFi, she hasn’t complained about this issue as there is just one SSID setup. That doesn’t mean that you can’t configure two if you want to. You can also configure which network the mesh points use as well as doing other advanced configuration like port forwarding and more.

Final thoughts

I’ve been using the AmpliFi for about a month now and really like it. I really like being able to easily see the devices on the network and if they are using data real time.  I also like the display that shows a running total of usage at least until power is cycled. It would be fantastic if the usage totals were saved instead of restarting on power up.

The AmpliFi is more expensive than a lot of other routers on the market, but with the AmpliFi, you won’t want to hide it under your desk and you’ll be able to easy change setting without trying to remember your admin password and IP address for the router’s web client.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by AmpliFi. Please visit their site for more info.

 

Product Information

Price:	$199.00
Manufacturer:	AmpliFi
Pros:	Easy to setup Nice to look at Small footprint App provides lots of info Mesh points expand signal to cover entire home
Cons:	Expensive

Filed in categories: Computer Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Routers, WiFi

AmpliFi WiFi router review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 31, 2016 at 4:21 pm.

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AmpliFi WiFi router review

Grrowler is a 3-in-1 dog collar that transforms into a water bowl and holds doggy bags

The Grrowler from Rocky Mountain Underground is a collar for your pooch that has two extra functions. There’s a zippered pocket that can be used to hold extra doggy waste bags and there’s a roll out water bowl that can be used to keep your best friend hydrated while you’re out on an epic hike. Grrowlers are available in six different colors and two sizes. You can read more about the Grrowler 3-in-1 dog collar at RMU and they are priced at $39.99 on Amazon.

Filed in categories: News, Outdoor Gear, Pet Gadgets

Tagged: Pets

Grrowler is a 3-in-1 dog collar that transforms into a water bowl and holds doggy bags originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 31, 2016 at 11:08 am.

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Grrowler is a 3-in-1 dog collar that transforms into a water bowl and holds doggy bags

Syllable D900S wireless earbuds review

The D900s is the newest version of the D900 wireless earbuds from Syllable so let’s check out the new upgrades made to them. If you haven’t read my review of the previous version, check out my Syllable D900 review. But if you want to jump right in to the D900s review,  then let’s move on.

The D900S is truly a wireless set of earbuds that connect to any Bluetooth device such as a smartphone, iPhone, tablet, iPad, or computer.

The big advantage with these earbuds is that they don’t have a physical wire so the earbuds can really be called wireless. You have the option to use both earbuds together as a stereo headset or you have the option to use just one of them as a handsfree device for phone calls. The D900S are the same size as the previous model and have similar specs.  They still have the same shape, look and feel. These earbuds still have the bulbous round shape that stick out of your ears and are held in by soft silicone tips. When I unboxed these earbuds, I was hoping that they would have been smaller than the previous D900 earbuds but they seemed to be the same size.

After reviewing the BackBeat FIT from Plantronics, I am more aware of earbuds that go in my ears since the FIT’s have a very thin profile and sit flushed against my head.  The D900S are so round that trying to squeeze them further into your ears just won’t change the fact that they stick out more than most earbuds do.

The silicone tips on the D900s still have the wingtips similar to the D900 model to help secure them into your ears so they don’t fall out. Included in the box is only one set of larger silicone tips so you only have an option of Small or Large. Typically, in other earbuds I have had came with two extra tips making your choices to Small, Medium, or Large. With these earbuds it’s either one or the other. Not much of a selection there.

However, now included with the D900s is a rubber cord that attaches to each earbud. So now you can have the option of having the earbuds corded together. I thought this was a great addition from Syllable to give you that option of keeping it corded or uncorded.  I mean, who doesn’t love options? Still, one of my main concerns is that if you push the earbuds further into your ear for a more secure fit, then you sacrifice the ability of being able to hear the outside environment around you. And as you know, isn’t very ideal, especially if you are running or biking on a road with traffic around you. Personally, I like to hear the ambient noise around me when I run, walk or bike. I never have my music blaring in my ear either but keeping the music so low to hear traffic around you just isn’t enjoyable. The music gets easily drowned out by the environmental noise around me.

Besides the charging box, rubber cord, and extra silicone ear tip, the D900S comes with a manual, a USB charging cable, and a soft pouch. The pouch is a handy item to have when you want to carry the earbuds and rubber cord with you. This way they won’t get lost if you need to throw them in a bag or purse.

These earbuds have metal plates on the side that need to be aligned and touch the metal pins inside the charging box to activate the charging process. The D900S earbuds are supposed to have a battery life of four hours and can be charged in two hours. It also has a Standby time of two hours as well. However, I usually got around 2 hours of battery. I don’t know if increasing the volume or pressing the Main button affected battery life since the times would vary.

One of the new improvements from the D900S is that the changing station box now has LED lights to display the status of the charging battery level. This is a big improvement over the previous D900 earbuds which had a storage case/intelligent changing box as well but without the LED status lights.

Although it is nice to have the LED lights to notify you of the status of any remaining charge, just keep in mind that you run into the same dilemma with the D900, which is if you lose or forget the charging box then you have no way to charge the earbuds. Unfortunately,  the D900S have a proprietary charging port so losing the charging box would be very bad news for your earbuds.

 A good feature about these earbuds is that they are water-resistant and splashproof  so they are perfect to wear during those sweaty work outs. And in case you get caught in the rain while you are out jogging with them on, then they should be fine as well.  The D900S earbuds have an IPX rating of only 4 so submersing them in water probably wouldn’t be such a great idea.

And speaking of jogging, just like the D900 model, I wouldn’t recommend doing any hard running with these D900S on. The hard pounding will shake the earbuds loose.  Because of the size and bulk, these earbuds aren’t the best for an intense run or extreme workouts since they have a tendency to work itself loose from your ear from any vigorous shaking or vibrating. So, if you are going to do some heavy running with these earbuds I would suggest that you  attach the included rubber cord to them. This way, in case one does pop out of your ear you won’t have to go searching for it on the road somewhere.

The earbuds should already be paired to each other straight out of the box. However, if you do need to manually pair the earbuds to each other then that’s where things got tricky. When you read the instructions on pairing the earbuds to one another, you will find it is easier said than done. To pair these earbuds, the instructions state to pair one earbud first, which should be the Right earbud. It took me awhile to pair the earbuds to each other but would take me a few tries and after I finally got them paired they didn’t stay paired after I turned them off. Because when I turned them on to use them again it seemed like I had to keep pairing the earbuds to each other.

The earbuds support A2DP and AVRCP protocol so you can Pause and Play your music with the touch of the main button on the side of the earbud.  Unfortunately, you can’t skip forward or backwards through your music with these earbuds, nor can you control the Volume. These would still have to be done through your smartphone, tablet, iPad or whatever device you have the earbuds paired to.

The main button on the Right side earbud can Answer/Decline or End a phone call. When you have a phone call, keep in mind that the call won’t be in stereo. Your conversation will only be coming out of the Right earbud only. The quality of the phone call is just as you would expect from a handsfree earpiece. Nothing spectacular, just average. After all, it is just a mono audio phone call from one earbud when compared to music playing in stereo from both earbuds. But all in all, it was still pretty clear on both ends of the phone call for me. I could hear the person on the other end of the line just fine and they could hear me just as well.

 To sum up this review, the Syllable D900s  are truly wireless stereo earbuds that allow you to be capable of  listening to music as you workout or taking your daily phone calls. However, it is not without limitations. But if you can overlook these limitations then you may enjoy wearing these wireless earbuds. I can see the appeal to have the cord-free  earbuds since I enjoy the wireless aspect of the D900s, but I think time will tell if the concern of certain features like lack of volume control, spotty pairing, or the issue of environment sound, will make or break these earbuds or will the wearer just have to deal with it.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Gearbest. Please visit their site for more info.

 

Product Information

Price:	$65.99
Manufacturer:	Syllable
Retailer:	Gearbest
Pros:	Cord-free earbuds. Included optional rubber cord. A2DP and AVRCP protocol. Included soft carry pouch.
Cons:	Don't sit flush in your ear. Only 1 extra earbud tip included. Proprietary charging box. Pairing earbud to earbud is spotty.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV, Bluetooth Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Bluetooth headphones

Syllable D900S wireless earbuds review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 31, 2016 at 9:35 am.

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Syllable D900S wireless earbuds review

Adorable Mini Materials are like…mini building materials!

Do you miss your simple but fun childhood building toys like blocks or Lincoln logs? How about toys like train sets, dollhouses, model kits or dioramas? Two guys named Mat and Erik must have missed those toys too, so they created Mini Materials. What are they? Literally, all manner of itsy-bitsy building materials, including their original product, the 24-pack of 1:12 Scale Miniature Cinder Blocks with Pallet (pictured above) made with real cement, as well as red bricks, wooden barrels, traffic cones, hay bales and lots more. Additionally, kits are available, as well as Miniature Cinder Block Mortar to build your own creations and a Silicon Cinder Block Mold to mold your own blocks. Plus, their site’s Blog and Blueprints sections can help with ideas for projects. Prices vary so check the Mini Materials site for additional details and pricing of each item, but to give an idea, the 24-pack of 1:12 Scale Miniature Cinder Blocks with Pallet shown above is $19.99. Visit minimaterials.com for additional info and to order.

 

Filed in categories: Geek Toys, News

Tagged:

Adorable Mini Materials are like…mini building materials! originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 31, 2016 at 8:00 am.

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Adorable Mini Materials are like…mini building materials!

Feel the music with VIBEAT

Carrying around our music is something that most people don’t give a lot of thought to. We use headphones (wired or Bluetooth) to listen to our favorite tunes when out and about and don’t even think about how we experience music – the fact that the sound is transmitted through the air to our ears. But what about those who are deaf or hearing impaired who do not experience sound as others do? An inventor/product developer named Liron Gino has developed a product called VIBEAT to address this issue.

VIBEAT is a wearable set of mobile modular devices that translate music into vibrations, thus conveying the feeling of music through an alternative sensory system. The design emphasizes mobility and versatility…

According to Dezeen, each of the modular discs connects to a music source via Bluetooth and may be worn in several different ways. It may be hung around the neck (as shown above), worn on the wrist, or clipped to clothing. These discs also have audio jacks to plug headphones into so that music can be shared with a hearing person. Currently, there is no news indicating when VIBEAT will be available or what the price point will be. For more information, please visit Liron Gino’s website.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV, News

Tagged: Music

Feel the music with VIBEAT originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 31, 2016 at 6:30 am.

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Feel the music with VIBEAT

Take your lunch to 11 with this guitar shaped lunch box

When I was in grade school, I can remember having a Donny and Marie lunchbox and a Gunsmoke lunch box. I probably had others, but those are the only two that I can still remember. I would have been way more cool if I had one of this guitar shaped lunch box from SUCK UK. The lunch holder is of tin and has a handy carrying handle. There are D-rings on the side and back if you want to attach a shoulder strap. The lunch box is not large, but it’s big enough to hold your sandwich and snacks with some room to spare. You can buy the SUCK UK Guitar Tin Lunch Box for $17.34 on Amazon and if you have a BFF, they can get the Fender amp shaped lunch box so you can start a band!

Filed in categories: Cases and Covers, News

Tagged:

Take your lunch to 11 with this guitar shaped lunch box originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 30, 2016 at 2:30 pm.

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Take your lunch to 11 with this guitar shaped lunch box

leguano barefoot shoes are barely more than socks!

I’m currently a fan of the “minimalist” movement—the “less is more” or “simpler is better” philosophy. One of the areas in which I’ve applied minimalism is in my footwear. I have a couple pairs of minimal shoes—some trail runners and some casual/dress shoes—that I enjoy wearing because I love the feel of the ground beneath my feet, without a thick, multi-layered insole and outer sole getting in the way. Well, leguano may have taken minimalist footwear to the next level. In fact, they appear to be little more than socks with a flexible sole.  The leguano’s upper is made from high quality KUNERT fabric (67% Virgin wool, 21% Polyamide, 2% Polypropylene, 8% Cotton and 2% Elastane), while its sole is made of skin-friendly and wear resistant LIFOLIT  (which complies with European toy safety directive EN71/9) and a reinforced heel. They are also machine washable and extremely lightweight. leguano shoes are available in several styles including Active (a more traditional, lace-up style), Ballerina (a more feminine, ballet-slipper style), leguanitos (for kids), Premium (more like tall socks, pictured above) and Sneakers (like a slip-on shoe) and in various colors by style, with prices ranging from $70.00 to $149.99. Step over to leguano.ca for more info and Amazon to order.

Filed in categories: News, Outdoor Gear

Tagged: Shoes

leguano barefoot shoes are barely more than socks! originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 30, 2016 at 1:22 pm.

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leguano barefoot shoes are barely more than socks!

iPad speakers, keyrings, campfire cooking tools and more – Notable crowdfunding campaigns

This week we have five notable crowdfunding campaigns that include a redesigned keyring, a button that sends notifications to your phone when you’re nearby, an iPad speaker that turns the iPad into a home theater system and more. Click through for all the campaign details.

Kii RING

What is it?
It’s a redesigned split ring keyring.

Why do I like it?
It reminds me of an updated FREEKEY keyring that I reviewed a four years ago. It has the same flat design but the Kii RING has an edge that sticks out that makes it even easier to open the ring.

It’s also going to be available in four colors.

Where can I find more info?
With 24 days left in the campaign, the Kii RING campaign has already reached their funding goal of $5,000. You can pre-order two 34mm Kii RINGs for $7. After the Kii RING campaign ends, the rewards are estimated to start shipping in December 2016. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

Cookum Stick

What is it?
It’s a campfire cooking utensil for making bowls out of biscuit dough that can hold all sorts of other goodies for the ultimate treat.

Why do I like it?
I’ve seen smores holders, marshmallow sticks and sticks to cook hotdogs, but I’ve not seen a tool that helps campers and firepit gatherers cook biscuit dough to make a bowl that can hold fruit, chocolate, butter, etc. It looks like fun and makes me hungry at the same time!

Where can I find more info?
With 18 days left in the campaign, the Cookum Stick campaign has some work to do before reaching their funding goal of $15,000. You can pre-order Cookum Stick for $10. After the Cookum Stick campaign ends, the rewards are estimated to start shipping later this month. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

RIZE Spinning Ferrofluid Display

What is it?
It’s art for geeks!

Why do I like it?
I like the RIZE because it looks really cool and would make a fun distraction at work and a conversation starter. It also uses magnets, so there’s no doubt that I’d love one of these on my desk.

Where can I find more info?
With 16 days left in the campaign, the RIZE Spinning Ferrofluid Display campaign has already wildly surpassed their funding goal of $7,000. You can pre-order a RIZE Spinning Ferrofluid Display for $120. After the RIZE Spinning Ferrofluid Display campaign ends, the rewards are estimated to start shipping in January 2017. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

OIO AMP iPad Speaker

What is it?
It’s a portable, surround sound speaker for the iPad Air and 9.7″ iPad Pro.

Why do I like it?
It looks like a unique way to turn an iPad into a home theater system. Something like this would be perfect for for college kids in small dorm rooms and people who live in minimalist or tiny homes.

I like how the iPad snaps into the speaker and that it can fold up when it’s not being used.

Where can I find more info?
With 30 days left in the campaign, the OIO AMP iPad Speaker campaign is working towards their funding goal of $10,000. You can pre-order a OIO AMP iPad Speaker for $99. After the OIO AMP iPad Speaker campaign ends, the rewards are estimated to start shipping in October 2016. Visit their Indiegogo page for all the details.

Dot – The Physical Push Notification

What is it?
It’s a physical Bluetooth button that knows when your smartphone is nearby and displays notifications relevant to that location, can load apps based on a location and can also change the color of the built-in LED based on different criteria.

Why do I like it?
It’s sort of like Tasker but with a physical component and unlike with Tasker, iOS people can use Dot. It can be setup to do all sorts of things. For example, you can put a Dot next to your medicine cabinent so it will remind you to take your meds when you are nearby. I also like that it can work with other products like Nest, Apple TV, Lifx and more.

Where can I find more info?
With 22 days left in the campaign, the Dot campaign has already met their funding goal of $20,000. You can pre-order a Dot for $20. After the Dot campaign ends, the rewards are estimated to start shipping in March 2017. Visit their Indiegogo page for all the details.

Filed in categories: News

Tagged: Crowdfunded

iPad speakers, keyrings, campfire cooking tools and more – Notable crowdfunding campaigns originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 30, 2016 at 12:00 pm.

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iPad speakers, keyrings, campfire cooking tools and more – Notable crowdfunding campaigns

AcuRite smartHUB Weather Environment System review

I’m a weather nerd. It’s not that I can name every type of cloud in the sky or that I know all about how weather systems work, but I like to keep an eye on the local weather and I even record it in my journal every day with hand drawn icons. Don’t laugh, I told you I was a nerd! For years I’ve been using a simple sensor mounted outside with an equally simple mono display inside that will let me check the outside temperature. That’s child’s play when you compare it to what the AcuRite smartHUB Weather Environment System. For weather nerds like me, this system is the holy grail. Let me show you how it works.

What is it?

The Weather Environment System by AcuRite includes the smartHUB that connects to your home network via an Ethernet cable and then wirelessly aggregates weather and other data from a collection of up to 10 sensors.

What’s included in the package?

The first image in this review shows the smartHUB and a collection of sensors that were sent to me to test the capabilities of the smartHUB. AcuRite offers different packages that include different sensors. They don’t offer a package that contains all the sensors that were sent to me, but you can choose from a variety of different sensors depending on what type of info you want to keep track of.

AcuRite smartHUB

The smartHUB is the brains of the AcuRite Weather Environment System. It’s a small black plastic box with an antenna on the top that lifts up and is used to receive data wirelessly from sensors.

The smartHUB has a power connection on the back as well as an Ethernet jack. Although the smartHUB can receive data wirelessly from sensors, it has to be hardwired into your home network with an Ethernet cable. LEDs on the sides of the smartHUB provide a visual indicator of the status of the hub.

You can purchase the smartHUB by itself for $79.99 from Amazon.

As mentioned, AcuRite offers different Weather Environment packages that include different sensors and displays. They sent me a variety of sensors, but as far as I’ve seen, the collection that was sent to me is not available in one package, but each sensor can be purchased separately, so I’m going to briefly talk about each of the sensors that were sent to me.

Rain Gauge (06034M)
Room Monitor (00276RM)
Liquid & Soil Temperature Sensor (06011RM)
Water Detector (06010RM)
Temperature & Humidity Sensor (06044M)
Outdoor Temperature & Humidity Monitor (00275RM) *needs the smartHUB or a separate display

All of these sensors except the Outdoor Monitor can be used as a stand-alone sensor, but when used with the smartHUB or separate display unit it creates really useful weather environment system.

Wireless Rain Gauge Collector

The AcuRite rain gauge is a simple plastic “bucket” that monitors rainfall and reports back the rainfall totals to the smartHUB.

It has a simple funnel-like design that allows rain to drip into the collector mechanism inside the gauge.

Inside the rain gauge is a battery holder that holds 2 AA alkaline batteries (not included).

The rain drips into a cup that tips over when it fills up, thereby counting rainfall 0.01 inches (0.25 mm) at a time with 16 second updates and a 100 foot wireless range to the smartHUB or sensor display.

I placed the rain gauge on the railing of my deck.

You can purchase the rain gauge with a display for $20.17 from Amazon.

Room monitor liquid and soil temperature tester

The room monitor is a white plastic device with a small circular LCD display on the front.

The back has a weather sealed battery compartment and sensor connector.

It’s powered by 2 AA alkaline batteries.

You can buy the room monitor in a bundle with the liquid soil and temperatures sensor which plugs into the back of the room monitor.

The room monitor has built-in temperature and humidity sensors to measure conditions where the Monitor is located and then reports the soil, liquid or air temperature of the probe from up to 5 ft away (that’s how long the cable is that connects the probe to the room monitor.

I did not test the soil temperature sensor.

The room monitor can be purchased with the liquid and soil temperature tester for $44.99 from AcuRite.

Water detector sensor

The room monitor can also be purchased with a water detector sensor shown above. It plugs into the back of the room monitor just like the liquid and soil sensor probe and will trip an alarm when it senses the presence or absence of liquids, leaks or flooding when water touches the metal contacts on the bottom of the sensor.

The room monitor will show a visual alert and sounds a loud audible alarm when liquid is detected. When used with the smartHUB, you can have the system send an email and/or an SMS text message to a phone if water is detected.

I placed this monitor with the sensor in my utility room. I put the sensor on the floor under a pump that is connected to my heating and cooling unit. The pump is used to pump out the condensation from the AC unit. A million years ago when we lived in our first home, our heating and cooling unit was out in the garage. One night I came home to find the garage was flooded because the AC coils had become plugged. Ever since then, I’ve been paranoid that the same thing might happen in the house where we live now. If it did happen, it would be a much bigger mess since the heating and cooling unit is in the utility room in our fully finished basement.

I tested the functionality of the water sensor by putting the sensor in a cup of water for about 10 seconds. I did this at 9:30pm and a few seconds later I started hearing an alarm tone and thought was coming from the smartHUB in my office but it was actually coming from the separate display unit (below). I pulled the sensor out of the water and dried it off but the alarm on the display continued to ring. I finally had to just unplug the display. Twenty minutes later at 9:50pm I received a text message on my phone to tell me about the water detection alarm. Twenty minutes is kind of a long time from detection to notification…

The next day I checked the Room monitor with the water sensor and it was still saying that it was wet. I made sure the outside was dry but then I decided to shake the sensor. When I did, I heard water sloshing and some drips came out of the seams of the sensor. Oops. I guess it’s not waterproof.

I placed the room monitor and the water detector sensor in my utility room.

The room monitor can be purchased with the water detector for $44.99 from AcuRite.

Room Temperature & Humidity Sensor

This sensor is a small and has its own LCD that displays the temperature and humidity levels. It runs on 2 AA alkaline batteries and has 330 foot wireless range to the smartHUB. This sensor is very portable so you can easily take it from room to room.

I placed this sensor on the main level of my house.

The room temperature and humidity sensor can be purchased for $12.99 from AcuRite.

Outdoor temperature and humidity monitor

Like the room monitor, this monitor also has a port on the back that you can plug a water detector or soil temperature sensor into.

I placed this sensor outside on a table on my front porch.

The outdoor temperature and humidity monitor can be purchased for $29.99 from AcuRite.

HD multi-sensor display

If you have the smartHUB, you don’t need to purchase a display because you can access the sensor data from the AcuRite mobile app or web client. But, if you also want an easy way to view the data and not have to put out a phone or your computer, this display does a good job.

The display comes with a stand or a wall mount. I used the stand.

All you have to do is plug it in and go through the setup which will find all your wireless sensors (except for the rain gauge which is a little disappointing).

You can set the display to cycle through the screens that show the attached sensors like you see above.

The display also has its own built-in temperature and humidity sensor and displays a full screen of info about the indoor and outdoor temps (if you have an outdoor monitor).

The HD display can be purchased for $59.99 from AcuRite.

AcuRite web client

You can easily access the sensor data by visiting the myacurite page which has a nicely layed out dashboard view of all the sensors and the historical data.

There are also pages for each sensor that will let you dive into even more details about the collected data.

The myacurite page will let you setup alert rules and edit settings for each sensor. I like using the web client when I’m at work during the day since I sit in front of a 21 inch monitor. Viewing data on a large display is a lot nicer than pulling out my phone.

AcuRite mobile app

Everything that you can do on the web client can be done in the iOS and Android app.

The mobile app has the same look and feel as the web client, with the main scrolling screen showing each sensor’s current readings.

Tapping one of the sensors on the main screen takes you to the detail screen that provides additional information.

Final thoughts

I’ve been testing the AcuRite smartHUB Weather Environment System for several weeks and love it. For weather and data nerds, it’s the ultimate gadget that is not only fun and easy to use, but useful too. The only problem I ran into was the water detector sensor not being waterproof. I’m hoping to revive it by taking it apart and letting it dry. If that isn’t possible, I’ll definitely be buying another one of those sensors to use in my basement. I plan to buy other sensors as well because you can never have too much info at your fingertips right?

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Acurite. Please visit their site for more info and Amazon to order.

 

Product Information

Price:	Varies
Manufacturer:	Acurite
Retailer:	Amazon
Pros:	Easy to setup Data accessible from web or mobile app Can add multiple sensors
Cons:	Water detector sensor filled with water after testing it

Filed in categories: Home and Kitchen, Outdoor Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Weather Station

AcuRite smartHUB Weather Environment System review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 30, 2016 at 11:00 am.

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AcuRite smartHUB Weather Environment System review