Parrot Flower Power Review smart health innovation

May 26, 2020

When I started this article I had the choice between three titles… “My experience with Flower Power from Parrot” and “Flower Power from Parrot, the fiasco”… I finally chose “Flower Power Review” because it is more unifying and everyone who like me broke their teeth on this smart health smart health connected object will recognize each other! However, I wrote this article as a tutorial so that you can also follow the installation method and discover the functionality of the device. I did the Review with three devices:

– The Nexus 10 tablet from Samsung and Google purchased in 2013 (Android 5.0.1 – lollipop)

– The Doogee Valencia DG 800 – bought in August 2014 – (Android 4.4.2 – Kitkat)

– iPhone 4s – ios 8

With the update application:

  • Version: 1.6.5

  • Size: 64.9 MB

Parrot offers a list of smartphones compatible with its applications. I strongly advise you to refer to it before buying any smart health smart health connected object from them.

At the start, what attracted me was necessarily the "green" side of the object and the promising experience that lay ahead. I was curious to know the "more" that this smart health smart health connected object could bring me as an informed gardener … When my editor told me that I was going Review Parrot's Flower Power, I said "nice" I have been intrigued for a long time without ever having had the opportunity to buy it … It must be said that the price is a bit dissuasive … (50 € on average). In short !

At health home, we embarked on the culture of orchids…. I think that you know almost all this capricious plant .. which brings us satisfaction for long weeks by presenting us with pretty flowers, all more curious than the others … And which irretrievably collapses after two months … Without know how to get it back on its feet. Too much water causes the roots to rot, it's guaranteed death … Not enough, it's the same .. Slow growth also does not allow you to immediately see the benefits of watering … As I said … Capricious orchids. You have to have your hand.

Flower Power was therefore very timely in this new botanical experience. I was going to be able to Review its effectiveness by following the alerts and other information that this smart health smart health connected object was going to give me.

Let's go!

Equipment

The box

This is the presentation upon receipt of the goods.

On the box, it says that theiphone 4s is compatible. No info for Android … I'm going on an adventure.

That's the whole contents of the box.

The Flower Power probe

Location for the battery. 6 months of autonomy announced.

Once the battery is inserted, a blue LED located in the small globe which is in the branch opposite to the battery flashes 4 or 5 times. The system is supposed to be operational from this moment.

It is planted next to the flower of your choice (here a Butterfly Orchid).

The application

Download and install

Direction stores and shop for the installation of the application (version 1.6.5) on iPhone 4s, Nexus 10 (Android 5.01) and Doogee DG 800 (Android 4.4.2). I breathe. I was afraid of not finding the Android formula … But it is there, identical to the Iphone version.

Presentation of the app

At the first use it is necessary to register to have access to the plant database and the sharing of data which will be used later.

Log in!

This is where it gets harder !! From what I understood in my readings on the sites, forums and on the site of © Parrot, there are two crippling criteria for the proper functioning of Flower Power, both are Bluetooth related features. It is on this point that Parrot will have to make efforts, because its operation is not sufficiently open to the broadest characteristics adopted by consumer equipment. According to the compatibility list that is offered on their site, the number of compatible smartphone models remains modest … Where it gets even worse … It is that the models advertised as compatible do not work either … It is the case of the Iphone 4s… So check the compatibility of your phone before buying from Parrot. Especially these two criteria:

Compatibility of your device with Bluetooth Smart

Your smartphone must have the latest Bluetooth 4.0 version

For information, I tried to detect the Flower Power with a Samsung laptop equipped with Bluetooth … it does not detect the Flower Power. You will certainly get different results depending on your configuration. I invite you to share your experience by reacting to this article. This will help the Flower Power community to grow.

How to check your Bluetooth version on Android?

Start bluetooth. Settings> applications> all> search for the bluetooth icon, click on it. The version appears at the top.

Connection with the Doogee DG800 smartphone (Android 4.4.2)

Once the plant is found in the database, we are invited to connect the Flower Power probe which is in the flower pot with our smartphone.

it seeks… it seeks….

Error message: My bluetooth (4.4.2) is not compatible. Big disappointment at this time of the adventure, I feel that it will cut short.

A little check anyway in my bluetooth settings: the discovery of Flower Power is done well with my smartphone. The app, however, does not take it into account.

In the bluetooth menu of Flower Power, this is what we find … Not much.

Connection with the Nexus 10 tablet from Google and Samsung (Android 5.0.1)

Parrot Flower Power is not detected by the Nexus 10 tablet.

Confirmation on the application. No detection. I will not be able to follow my plant with my tablet either …

Connecting FlowerPower with iPhone 4S (Ios 8.0)

Alas, a thousand times alas… The adventure goes a little further… Because This time, the bluetooth detects the connection with the Flower Power .. And the app too… The connection seems to be done… But look at this message which stays on my screen! It’s really too unfair…

Some additional info

The settings page (does not solve connectivity problems).

Localization problem.

GPS and fine localization activated (GPS + wifi)… Tested twice… My orchid is located… ..

Off the African coast of course … ?

On the "forum" of the application site, here are the comments … I am obviously not the only one with compatibility problems.

Conclusion

I wouldn’t go any further … This is an essay that is a real fiasco. Flower Power certainly starts from a good feeling. The idea is good. It reminds me of this application supposed to recognize birdsong (a shazam for birdsong) but put on the market a little too early because it did not recognize much. The nuance here is that the product still costs € 49 recommended price.

My advice : return the product and request a refund.

My opinion : smart health connected objects make us the beautiful promise of supporting us in our daily lives. I find it indecent to market products that are not very compatible with the reality of the mass market. At this stage we are taken for beta testers. A stadium that should have been settled a long time ago.

2.3

 2.3 out of 5 

Can do better

Parrot Flower Power Review 

Reviewed by Frédéric Bénot  

we 2015-01-16

Rating: 2.3