The Latest from Big Bruin |
ZOOZ ZSE29 Z-Wave Plus S2 Outdoor Motion Sensor :: Posted On February 12, 2020
 | The ZOOZ ZSE29 is an interesting product. As a motion sensor and a SmartThings device it definitely works very well, but determining how appropriate it is to use this outdoors will have to be seen after some time installed exposed to the elements. My gut tells me that the physical design and the stipulations that this outdoor rated device has to avoid heat, sunlight, humidity, and wetness may lead to a fairly short usable life. |
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D-Link EXO AC2600 Router with EXO AC2000 Extender :: Posted On February 10, 2020
 | D-Link's DIR-2660 and DAP-1820 offer a great way to start your mesh network. As with many mesh networks, this setup can be configured with a wired backhaul which would help some of the bottle neck issues I mentioned, but most people are resistant to running wires. So where this unit shines is in its scalability. You can start with just one extender or add several to cover even more area. Also a big benefit of this mesh system is having a few Ethernet ports on the router. |
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D-Link DCH-S161 Wi-Fi Water Sensor :: Posted On January 10, 2020
 | The D-Link DCH-S161 is roughly a 2.7" square white box that is about 1.2" thick. It uses (2) readily available AA batteries which are included to get you started, and houses a built in 90dB alarm siren. The unit comes with a sensor probe with integral cable that is about 6 feet long. It is wall mountable and is operable through the mydlink app, Google Assistant and IFTTT. Surprisingly Alexa is not included on this device. |
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D-Link DSP-W118 Wi-Fi Smart Outlet :: Posted On January 10, 2020
 | The D-Link DSP-W118 Wi-Fi Smart Outlet is significantly smaller than their older model, coming in at about 2.5" x 1.5" x 1 3/8", and is more or less the same size and format as other smart outlets on the market whether they are Wi-Fi, Zigbee, or Z-Wave. This outlet is designed to be controlled primarily by the D-Link mydlink app. It is also compatible with Google Assistant, Alexa, and IFTTT. |
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KeySmart Pro Smart Key Organizer With Location Tracking :: Posted On November 27, 2019
 | While most of the KeySmart key organizer simply organize your keys like a Swiss Army knife, the Pro model adds a few additional features that turn it into a smart device. In addition to an LED flashlight to help you light up any key hole, the KeySmart Pro also has a USB rechargeable implementation of Tile's location tracking technology built in. You will not only be able to keep your keys organized, you can find them using the Tile app on your phone |
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Piper Computer Kit STEM Learning Toy :: Posted On November 26, 2019
 | Following the Piper created blueprint, kids can physically build their own computer, and then learn the basics of electronics and programming as they work through a series of interactive video game like tutorials and adventures. Piper was in attendance at a recent media showcase event, and after getting an entertaining hands on with their system there, I was very excited to bring one home and see if my nine year old son was as excited as I was to check this out. |
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From Around The Web |
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ASRock Z490 Extreme4 Motherboard
ASRock's "Extreme" line of motherboards have always been solid and quite affordable as well. They give users everything that they would want in their respective chipset, but lack some of the higher-end features you might see in a Taichi or Phantom Gaming board. Today we are taking a look at ASRock's Z490 Extreme4 which features an 11 phase Dr.MOS power design, dual Ultra M.2 slots, support for 4266 MHz memory, 2.5G LAN, USB 3.2 gen 2, and some pretty awesome RGB lighting. Is this the board you need for your next Intel 10th generation build? thinkcomputers.org
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Razer Huntsman Mini Keyboard
If you have been a LanOC reader for a long time there is a good chance you have seen a few tiny keyboards being covered. This is because I have been a big fan of the 60% keyboard for years now and I use them in both my wife and my own LAN bag as well as with my test bench as a way to save space on my already crowded desk. Sadly though the 60% keyboard options have been limited to enthusiast-focused options which are sometimes expensive or hard to find. Cooler Master did finally jump into the 60% market with their SK621 but with its low profile switches and keycaps, it wasn't what I prefer. So I was extremely happy to see another huge name in the peripherals market announce a 60% board. Razer introduced their Huntsman Mini which has a layout similar to the Pok3r that I prefer. lanoc.org
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Creative Sound Blaster K3+
When you are gaming, streaming, or even podcasting one of the most important things is your audio quality. Many people starting out will opt for a USB microphone, but as you go a long you really might want to upgrade to an XLR microphone. In order for your XLR microphone to work with your PC you are going to need some type of audio interface. Today we are taking a look at the Creative Sound Blaster K3+ which is not only an audio interface, but also a mixer with a built-in soundboard. It offers two XLR inputs with phantom power, a guitar input, 4-pole mobile input and traditional line in as well. The best part about it, is that it is plug and play, there is no software you just plug it in and it works. thinkcomputers.org
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Sabrent USB 3.2 Tool-Free Enclosure EC-TFNE
Back in June (god time is going fast) I took a look at the Sabrent Rocket Q 2TB SSD. It was my first experience with Sabrent and I was very impressed with its performance. Well, it just so happens when they sent the drive over they included another. A tool-free enclosure, their EC-TFNE USB 3.2 Tool-Free Enclosure, and after the Rocket Q review I installed it into the encloser and I have been putting it to use. Well, today I'm going to take a closer look at the enclosure. External hard drive enclosures used to be extremely popular back 10+ years ago when LanOC Reviews was new in the game. lanoc.org
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ECS LIVA Z3 PLUS (Intel i5-10210U)
With the LIVA Z3 Plus, ECS looks to push the boundaries of what you can expect from its lineup of ultra-small form factor systems. Highly efficient, semi-upgradeable, and with enough I/O to fit most needs, it is quite a compelling system with support for Amazon Alexa, but it needs a few upgrades to truly shine. techpowerup.com
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Razer Gigantus V2 3XL Mouse Pad
The massive Gigantus V2 3XL pad does offer a great gliding surface for your mouse and is also able to cover most of your desk. It was designed as a control/precision pad and after testing it out with the CORSAIR DARK CORE RGB PRO SE and the Razer Viper Mini in different game genres, we were quite happy with the tracking results. There is no side stitching with this one, but it should last a long time given the high-quality materials used. madshrimps.be
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Building A Watercooled System, What Could Go Wrong?
Custom liquid cooling is a topic that the KitGuru audience will be familiar with, but it is still an area that many people will not have experience for themselves. That is exactly the position that I found myself in, so I drafted in KitGuru's resident cooling and exotic builds expert - James Dawson - to help me build my first liquid cooled system. kitguru.net
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