What is it?
Domestic environment analyser and weather station.
How will it change my life?
Mrs D has a worrying obsession with the weather. She has several apps on her mobile phone (seven at the last count) and likes to check each in turn until satisfied she has found a forecast she is happy with. Invariably, however, this leads to much meteorological-related disappointment (not to mention a raft of weather inappropriate clothing choices).
She could try just looking out of the window, of course, but for a more detailed situation report from your home and back garden, the Archos Weather Station is definitely worth a whirl.
Good points?
If the thought of crawling out from underneath a cosy duvet each morning is one which fills you with dread, knowing exactly what temperature awaits throughout the rest of your home and immediate outside can come in pretty handy.
Similar to the modules in the smart home range, these are futuristic spheres that beam back information on the atmospheric condition to your smartphone. There are three module sensors for indoor, outdoor and soil usage which means all bases are covered.
The set-up is simple and quickly provides a wealth of data including temperature, humidity and atmospheric pressure. The indoor sensor also gives additional details on noise levels and air quality making it perfect for people who suffer from respiratory issues such as asthma.
Gardeners will appreciate the soil module which samples the dirt to determine if the plants located within need watered.
Bad points?
Failing to capture precipitation, wind speed and direction, the outdoor module lacks considerable functionality. These are definitely areas which could be improved upon with future models.
Best for ...
Those who like to know in advance if they should don a dressing gown to collect the paper from the front door in the morning.
Avoid if ...
You are the type to just shrug off the rain and would rather embrace what life has to offer.
Score: 8/10, a must for all those practical smartphone owners out there.
Archos Weather Station, £79.99 (archos.com)
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