Home Tech


Google Home or Amazon Echo: Which Is better?

I’ve had a couple Amazon Echo Dots for about a year now. I thought they were great. Then this past Christmas, I picked up a couple Google Home Minis just because I wanted to check them out. Now Amazon’s Echo Dot has been pushed to a backup system as I think the Google Home system is so much better.


Audioengine A5+ Premium Powered Speakers Deliver Home Audio Bliss

Audioengine makes some of my favorite speakers; I’ve reviewed a number of them and use them daily in both my home office and bedroom. Now Audioengine has announced the A5+ Wireless speakers. With pricing starting at $399, the A5+ won’t take up a ton of space but will fill a room with quality sound. That, however, is just the beginning.




Frywall Is Shark Tank Promoted and Raina Approved

When we saw the Frywall on Shark Tank, Raina said, “That’s genius! I want one of those.” I neglected to order one, and the next time she cooked the kitchen was covered with oil. So I ordered one from Amazon. At $21.95 for the 10″ and $28.95 for the 12″, it is pricey, but it does exactly what it promises.




Simplehuman Lets You Talk to Your Trash Can, and It’s Amazing

It turns out that hands-free garbage cans are kind of life-changing. To that effect, I’ve been using simplehuman’s first-gen sensor can for nearly 7 years. Of everything in my kitchen, my simplehuman garbage can impresses people the most. Let’s just say that once you get used to having an automated garbage can, you can’t go back.


Epson FastFoto FF-640: The Ultimate Archiver for Photos and a Paperless Office

Printed photos have been around since 1827, and if you have boxes or albums full of them sitting in storage, you might be tempted to either pay someone to digitize them or forget them. Another option is using the Epson FastFoto FF-640; it’s a high-speed photo scanning system perfect for digitizing, and that’s just the beginning of its usefulness.


Super Bowl Sunday for Cord Cutters

After years of dragging my feet, I recently cut the cord and freed myself from satellite costs. Sports coverage options held me back for years, but I have learned to adjust and find the games I want to watch. With the Super Bowl airing on CBS, all you really need is a decent antenna. Here are some options. 



Kwikset’s Latest Smart Locks Prove It’s Hip to Be Square

Kwikset has become a leader in the smart lock space, but for some their rounded Kevo lock design was too traditional. That’s why Kwikset has come out with the Kevo Contemporary. Like with the original Kevo, the Kevo Contemporary offers a DIY smart lock solution with a neat touch-to-open feature. But instead of a traditional rounded look, the Kevo Contemporary thinks it’s hip to be square. Of course all of the features you’ve come to expect from Kevo have carried through to the Kevo Contemporary, that includes being able to use your phone as a key, the ability to track…



HomePod Is Doomed Because Siri Is Dumb

Apple’s absence from the smart speaker market is being corrected in early February with the release of the HomePod, but it won’t improve their fortunes in that market. It isn’t because HomePod is too expensive, or too late to the market, it’s because HomePod is handicapped by Siri. Sweet, but painfully useless Siri.



Logitech’s Logi Circle Cam 2 Protects My Home While Monitoring My Pup

Back in 2016, I wrote a pretty lengthy review of my experience with the original Logi Cam by Logitech. I still use them to this day because it’s the one camera on the market that works straight out the box, uses the cloud, and on top of that, doesn’t look blatantly obvious in my home. So when the company sent me their WIRELESS Logi Cam 2, I’ll admit, I was excited to try it out.


This Smart Sensor Protects Your Home from Water Damage

Your home is probably one of the biggest investments you ever make. But even if you take precautions in making it a safe place to live — such as installing reliable door locks and carrying out routine maintenance — there’s a hazard that’s typically harder to anticipate: water damage.


Amplifi Teleport Connects Your Home Network From Anywhere

With our homes and entertainment becoming more connected to our WiFi networks, so is the need to be able to connect to that network even when away. The Amplifi Teleport ($229 for the kit) allows travelers to use any Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection to access their home network, essentially extending your network to anywhere in the world.