| The Latest from Big Bruin |
Airthings Wave Smart Radon Detector :: Posted On April 23, 2019
 | There are significant health risks from radon and much of the country lives in areas that are predicted to have high indoor levels. But what can you do? Well you could pay around $25 bucks and get a single test done or you could go out and spend $150 on an Airthings Wave Smart Radon Detector which promises to track your radon exposure over the long run. So does this device justify the extra $125? |
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ZOOZ Zen26 Z-Wave Plus S2 Simple 3-Way and 4-Way Switch :: Posted On March 28, 2019
 | ZOOZ is a brand of smart home devices that all use the Z-Wave protocol to communicate with your home automation hub, in my case Samsung SmartThings. We have covered a handful of their items in recent reviews at Bigbruin.com, including their ZSE01 indoor siren and their ZSE18 motion sensor. This time around I am checking out their Zen26 Z-Wave Plus S2 smart switch which is promoted as offering a simple solution to making 3-way and 4-way circuits smart. |
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Verizon GizmoWatch Kids Smart Watch Phone :: Posted On March 14, 2019
 | Parents are always trying to figure out a good balance between watching over their kids and giving them space to grow. Many opt to get their kids a cell phone, but there are those like myself that are trying to resist that temptation. We have looked at a few options recently, like the TickTalk 3 and the Republic Wireless Relay, and now we are going to take a closer look at Verizon's option; the GizmoWatch. |
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TickTalk 3 Kids Smart Watch Phone :: Posted On March 13, 2019
 | TickTalk was founded in California back in 2014 with engineers from Samsung and Apple that decided to get together to use their experience in creating wearables to make a smart watch for kids. The base watch sells for $170 and additional bands are $15 each. Besides being able to make calls on the watch, you can also send and receive text messages, it has a built in calculator, it can take pictures, has GPS for tracking, and is waterproof to IP67 standards. |
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Republic Wireless Relay Screen Free Kid's Phone :: Posted On March 12, 2019
 | The team that built Relay is the team behind Republic Wireless - a wireless company launched in 2011 that now competes with the nation's largest carriers and is recognized as a top carrier by Consumer Reports. The Relay is a very simple device that is about 2.75" square and a little more than a half inch thick. It runs on 4G networks, has built-in WiFi (b/g/n), GPS location tracking, NFC for contact sharing, a headphone jack, a front facing speaker, and dual mics. |
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Difference Between Zigbee and Z-Wave :: Posted On February 03, 2019
 | With wireless home security systems, you'll be able to come across the technologies or home automation standards known as Z-Wave and Zigbee. Just what are Z-Wave and Zigbee and how are they similar and different from one another? Both Z-Wave and Zibgee are known as mesh networks which mean that every node integrated in that system will act as a wireless source of data and as a repeater as well. |
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| From Around The Web |
GeIL Super Luce RGB Sync DDR4-3600 16GB Memory
Today we have the new GeIL Super Luce RGB memory kit (PN: GLS416GB3600C16ADC)something which has been a long time in the process. We were testing a batch of memory and our test motherboard decided it had enough, which admittedly it served well beyond the duty I would expect. With that being said we rebuilt a nice modern platform and integrated a similar testbench to our existing GPU testbench for even more continuity in our testing platforms as a whole. bjorn3d.com
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Razer BlackWidow Lite Silent Mechanical Keyboard
When working at the home office and you have quite a bit of typing to do on the laptop or desktop computer, Razer helps with the their new, compact TKL BlackWidow Lite keyboard that features non-intrusive, all-white keyboard lighting. The Orange Razer-made switches have a similar feel to the CHERRY MX Browns, which are ideal for typing purposes, but do not expect the same level of silence as with the MX Silent variants. For eliminating the bottoming down sound, Razer has included a set of O-rings that can be easily installed by the user on the desired keys. madshrimps.be
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Deepcool Captain 240 PRO Cooler
Deepcool's Captain 240 PRO is a unique closed-loop cooler that delivers the performance you expect with all the RGB LEDs you can handle. While similar to the company's previous designs, it now features their patented anti-leak tech which regulates pressure inside the cooler and therefore delivers improved reliability. techpowerup.com
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Autonomous ErgoChair 2
One of the things that is very over-looked when it comes to our PC setup is the chair. Our computer chair is something we sit in for hours at a time everyday, so having a comfortable chair that is also functional is very important. We know Autonomous for their SmartDesk series of affordable sit-stand desks. They are bringing that same philosophy to office chairs. Autonomous builds their products and sells them directly through their website so there are no middlemen or retail markups, that is how they are able to provide premium products at affordable prices. thinkcomputers.org
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HAG Capisco Puls 8020 Ergonomic Chair
The story behind the Capisco Puls actually started just over 3 decades ago when Peter Opsvik (Norwegian industrial designer) and HAG joined hands to design and manufacture a brand new type of office chair with one single goal, to replicate the posture of people while riding on a horse (which is why it was also referred to as a saddle seat). The final product from that collaboration was the original Capisco which thanks to its innovative design was probably the very first office chair of its kind to support a wide range of sitting positions (and quickly switching between sitting, standing and perching). nikktech.com
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QNAP TVS-472XT THUNDERBOLT 3 4-Bay NAS Server
The QNAP TVS-472XT costs a bomb, but has a pair of Thunderbolt 3 ports and can take a GPU for faster media transcoding, and its operating system is probably the best in the NAS market. This NAS is mostly for video editors or small and mid-sized businesses that want a very reliable external storage device with tons of features and options. techpowerup.com
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Scythe Mugen 5 TUF Gaming Alliance CPU Cooler
Back in 2017 we took a look at the Scythe Mugen 5 CPU cooler, we liked it so much that we gave it a 9 out of 10 score and our Good Value Award. Scythe is back with a new Mugen 5 TUF Gaming Alliance CPU cooler. The TUF Gaming Alliance is a collaboration between ASUS and major PC-component manufacturers to guarantee both compatibility and aesthetic harmony. Basically you can buy different TUF Gaming Alliance products and they will all look the same / have the same design so your build looks pretty awesome. thinkcomputers.org
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Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB 16GB 3000MHz
At CES earlier this year Corsair's biggest introduction was their new CAPELLIX RGB's which drop the conventional package that PC LEDs have been using to create a much smaller, brighter, and energy efficient LED. Now smaller means the potential for much higher density and energy efficiency could mean you could see them used more in wireless devices. But the first product they introduced with CAPELLIX LEDs was the Dominator Platinum RGB memory kits. So in addition to being the first Corsair RGB kit to come into the office, I'm also excited to see what the CAPELLIX LEDs can do. I will also talk a little more about the benefits later as well. lanoc.org
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Edifier S3000 Pro 2.0 Speaker
At the end of last year, KitGuru took a trip to Dongguan, China, to visit Edifier's headquarters. While we were there, not only did we have a fascinating conversation with Edifier CEO Wendong Zhang, but we also got a look at the upcoming S3000 Pro 2.0 speaker system. With 6.5in aluminium alloy diaphragm bass drivers alongside planar diaphragm tweeters, the S3000 Pro promises great sound - but can it justify the £589 asking price? kitguru.net
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Corsair K83 Wireless Keyboard
Typically I prefer mechanical keyboards but recently I have been on the lookout for a basic wireless keyboard to use in our living room with our VR setup. Currently, I have a keyboard with a short cord under the TV and while most interaction is through the VR headset and controllers from time to time I need to update things or change settings and it's a pain to do. It also makes the current setup impossible to use for viewing media. We do use a Shield TV in the living room, but there have been a few times I wouldn't have minded using Twitch Multistream on the PC. lanoc.org
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