Twinkly Flex 2.1m (7 ft.) RGB LED Tube Light

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] It's an unusual LED strip, it's main purpose is to be made into some sort of "neon tube" form :) You can certainly use it as a regular RGB strip of course, but It's main purpose is to be bent into some kind of a fun shape. Hardware and 4 templates are included with the kit but you are only limited by your imagination. I've used one of the included templates and a project board to make a mockup to see if I like it or not. As soon as your shape is complete - head over to the app and make it glow! App comes with a bunch of pre-programmed effects and ability to download more effects from the Twinkly "store". Setup and remote control is very easy using the app. I think there is also a Python language library that can control Twinkly lights so home automation enthusiasts are covered as well! What I did not like is that LED strip, controller and power brick are all hardwired together, which means if any part is damaged like a power brick - you have to replace the whole set. You can't add more LEDs to the strip nor cut the strip to your liking, all you can change is the shape of it.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] The flex is like no other LED string: Instead of the usual LED string that's made to be hidden away, this is flexible light pipe. All the lights blend in just right for form an uniform light output. The LED string is (only) 6.6f (Actually, 2M) and is packed with 200 individually addressable RGBW lights. The controller is attached via a long cable, which attaches to a power socket. The cables are white and not removable. To control it, needs an app for either iOS or Android (I use iOS). The controller uses Wi-Fi with Bluetooth for initial setup. I was at first hesitant to add this to my Wi-Fi since I didn't know what security practices they use. So I did a little bit of research and the company that makes this is an Italian company and have been in business for some years, with a good track record and active user community. Initially had to retry a few times until the Twinkly app could find the lights and then I had to re-enter our Wi-Fi password a few times, but eventually it worked and everything went on smooth after that, and I had no connectivity issues whatsoever once the initial setup. Because it's a light bar, it resembles the old neon lights used on storefront signs, which I think it's the main appeal on this type of design. Besides the light, the packaging includes a series of clips that can use either small screws or 3M adhesive sheets. It also comes with instructions and four different templates. I always wanted a cactus neon light on my home office, so coincidentally this came with a cactus template and so I went with it, but instead of affixing it to a wall, got an MDF (wood) board about 17x24 inches. This is about right for the cactus template. Putting it together took a few minutes and was very simple. I never seen an app like this for smart lights. The coolest feature for me is that the app can learn the exact shape in which the light is placed by using the phone's camera while sending different color patterns to it. This worked really well. Then one can apply a combination of multiple colors or effects that are part of the app or from an online library of light effects, and it's also very easy to create custom effects and patterns. After playing with several effects, it was very simple to just draw the colors and effects in real time to the LED lights, like finger-painting. This is very well accomplished. The lights are not expandable, but multiple controllers can operate in sync, and the pattern detection from the phone can detect multiple controllers at the same time. For this to work, one also has to be signed into the app with username and password (It accepts Sign-In with apple and others). Integrations: - Out of the box it works with Amazon Alexa and Hey Google. - It did not work natively with Apple HomeKit. - There are several integrations on Github, including support for Homebridge, NodeRED and HomeAssistant. I was disappointed that this did not support HomeKit although BestBuy lists it as supported, however the Homebridge module worked great as expected. What the integrations with voice assistants and others do is to turn it on / off, brightness or turn on solid colors. It's mostly for the convenience of turning it on and off. For full functionality, use the app. Also the controller has a push button to change some basic settings. Razer Chroma: I did not use it, but Razer Chroma support is advertised for these lights (light effects while on certain video games on PCs). Overall it's fantastic. My kids liked it so much I installed the app in one of their phones and let them play with it. It's customizable beyond my expectations, and the pattern tracing feature on the app is just spectacular, so the lights sync according to their coordinates (width, length), not just their sequence. The Twinkly Instagram account showcases some interesting designs.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I’ve had a fascination with colour-changing light strips for quite some time now. These Twinkly flexible tube light strips satisfy that fascination in many ways. This 7 foot long light strip can be shaped into different patterns, a square, a triangle, a circle, or just let your imagination go wild. The device comes very well packaged. The light strip which is a plastic-encased 7-foot long strip includes a controller box and an outlet adaptor that requires you to insert your plug to match worldwide locations where this product will be used. Also included are curved and straight wire holders with 3M peel and stick strips and screws. The box also contains 4 pre-built templates to help you decide your pattern of choice. There is the Christmas tree, the saguaro cactus, a music note ♫ and a pattern that spells “LOVE”. To make use of this led light strip, the app is required. Installing the app requires only seconds, but getting set up took me a bit longer. Bluetooth is required in the initial setup, but you can connect to the controller via direct-wifi or link it to your home wifi for added convenience, which also happens to be the preferred way to connect to your lights. Once you have chosen your pattern and mounted your flex strip light, be it one of the four templated patterns or your custom pattern, you may begin the customization. The app allows you to precisely control the light colour on your pattern is a bit clunky to use as you map the pattern of your flex tube light, but once you get a hang of it, it’s actually easy. The app though is where this really shines and the limitless customization is very entertaining. If you don’t want to use the app, the button on the controller offers 5 different default lighting patterns to choose from. So what could you use this for? Well, it’s good for accent lighting to your home or office. It is good for teenagers who want to add some flair to their room. Add multiple Twinkly Flex Tubes for even more variety. Overall, quite a nifty product. It is not outdoor rated and cannot be daisy-chained (wish it could be daisy-chained) but one just needs to buy more units. It is also a tad bit short as 7 feet of flex tubing is a bit limiting, I would have liked about 10 feet. My biggest gripe with this product is the inflexible flex tubing which makes installation a huge hassle, wish it was easier to thread it through the curves. The printed documentation manual that accompanies the product is rather sorely lacking.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] The Twinkly Smart Light Tube-Flex 200 RGB LED Gen II is a pretty great piece for an entertainment, gaming, or special area in your house. I have heard about the greatness of Twinkly for a while and this is my first personal experience with the company. I could obviously see what I was getting into before purchasing it, but I was impressed when I first opened the box. Inside I found the flexible light tube, the instructions, several templates that you can follow, and then the bracketing/tape pieces to put it up. It was pretty easy to assemble, set up, and adjust for the most part. When they say “flex”, it really lives up to billing. It will take a little bit to get it out its original coil, but after that, it’s good to go. The Twinkly application is simple, but does have a few flaws. One big thing to pay attention to is the frequency of your Wi-Fi. I usually run my phone on the 5 GHz , but I had to shift over to the 2.4 GHz because that’s the only supported frequency for things. After getting through that, it was easy to change the colors, set the timer, or check other options. One thing that I still can’t get to work is the mapping of the lights. I am encountering errors every time I try it and I haven’t found a resolution yet. I’ve updated the firmware, rebooted the phone, disconnected and reconnected the network, but I still can’t get the light to map with the app. It would be nice to check out more of the functionality with that in place. Taking that away, I am actually pleased with the app. It would be nice to take the timer out of 24h format though. Very minor, but still something the developers should consider. Also on the app front, I am working on getting it to pair and work with my Razer Chroma Studio. That one is a little tougher to figure out, but it does work. It will be cool to have it synced with everything at some point. I am in the middle of remodeling my gaming area so I haven’t mounted it on the wall just yet. However, I did play with it and it’s pretty easy to maneuver. You will need to use the brackets to hold it in place. I look forward to figuring out my design and making it happen soon. Until then, I am using it for ambient lighting and fun when the kids use the room. All in all, it’s pretty cool and functional. I can’t wait to have it up permanently and maybe have it as a talking piece for meetings. It will certainly help to create my own “brand”. I will definitely look at Twinkly products more in the future after my maiden experience with the Twinkly Smart Light Tube-Flex 200 RGB LED Gen II.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] At first when I received the tube lights, I thought what a pain to mount them. BUT... they did come with four patterns, and the clips are well thought out for bending the flexible tubing. I chose the "love" pattern and decided to mount it on a board, rather than a wall. The pattern was easy to follow. When I finished and turned on the lights... I was impressed with the colors and how fun they were. Very vibrant. I downloaded the app, chose the colors I wanted in a playlist, and set a timer to come on each morning for 1 1/2 hours. The only negative about the flex lights is that I wish the tubing was a little longer to spell out longer names and/or more complex patterns (I have not searched to see if longer ones are available). Overall - these are very fun for adding to decor or for entertaining!