Amazon Alexa

Lutron Serena Smart Architectural Honeycomb Shades Will Add Beauty and Convenience to Your Home

News & Features February 28, 2022

Lutron Serena Smart Architectural Honeycomb Shades Will Add Beauty and Convenience to Your Home

In 2018, I reviewed a custom set of Lutron Serena Smart Shades for my office. I opted for a traditional roller shade style, and I’m happy to report that they are still operating as perfectly as they did when first installed. Serena Smart architectural honeycomb shades have just been announced, and they look very sleek and elegant. If you’ve been thinking about adding smart window treatments to your home, and you’re particularly interested in something that looks refined and timeless, these might just be the shades that you’ve been looking for!

Bring Smarts and Style to your Home's Water Usage with the Moen Smart Faucet with Motion Control and the Moen Smart Water Network

News & Features, Events January 5, 2022

Bring Smarts and Style to your Home’s Water Usage with the Moen Smart Faucet with Motion Control and the Moen Smart Water Network

Smart home technology is everywhere these days, and Moen is making it clear that they are the leaders in smart water technology. The Moen Smart Faucet with Motion Control has new touchless technology to control the water’s temperature and flow with simple hand motions or voice commands through Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. The Moen Smart Water Network is a whole-home ecosystem of products that, when working together, provide complete control over the water in one’s home.

Lenovo Smart Clock Essential with Squid Ambient Light Dock

Gear Bits, Events January 4, 2022

Lenovo Smart Clock Essential Gains Alexa and Ambient Light Docks

Sure, your home is smart, but it can always be a little bit smarter. It’s the little things that make smart objects more useful, and Lenovo understands that smarter items need great design as well as intelligence to become integral to your everyday life. That’s why they’re rolling out the new Lenovo Smart Clock Essential with Amazon Alexa alongside some new ambient light docks for it.

Pozio

Gear Bits November 11, 2021

Pozio Offers an Expensive Solution to Your Smart Speaker Privacy Concerns

The amazing thing about modern technology is that we literally have devices that we can ask to lock doors, turn off and on lights, look up recipes, and even change channels for us, all with a verbal command. The scary thing about modern technology is that we’ve also invited always-listening microphones into our homes to meet that convenience. Pozio aims to solve the privacy issue without taking away our digital butlers using listening blockers that double as cradles!

Lutron Caseta Outdoor Smart Plug

Gear Bits April 15, 2021

Lutron Caseta Outdoor Smart Plug Makes Your Outdoor Lights Smart

So many of the things in your home are smart, but wouldn’t it be cool if the exterior of your home was smart, too? Imagine if you could control your backyard landscaping lights, the lights you have hanging under your patio, your pond, holiday inflatables, up to 1000′ of holiday lights, or other outdoor items with Alexa, Google Assistant, or Apple Homekit. With the new Lutron Caseta Outdoor Smart Plug, you can.

Jabra Elite 85t firmware update

Gear Bits April 8, 2021

Jabra Elite 85T Firmware Update Brings Amazon Alexa to Your Ears

Some weeks ago, Jabra did something amazing. When they released the Jabra Elite 85T, they also released a firmware update that brought ANC to the Jabra Elite 75T. It was a small touch that showed the company’s commitment to its consumers. Now they’ve done it again with a Jabra Elite 85T firmware update that delivers one-touch access to Alexa.

Vizio V-Series Delivers Smart Affordable Entertainment #ad

Reviews December 1, 2020

Vizio V-Series Delivers Smart Affordable Entertainment #ad

This is a sponsored post; we received compensation from Vizio, but all opinions are the author’s. Vizio currently offers several television lines; their OLED line starts at $1299.99, the P-Series starts at $1199.99 for a 65” television, and a 40″ M-Series starts at $399.99. By contrast, you can get a 40” V-Series television for just $229.99. The V705x-H1, which I was sent for review, has an MSRP of $659.99 and is currently available for $549.99.

Lenovo Smart Tab M8 and Smart Tab M10 Are 2-in-1 Smart Home Hubs That Can Also Be Stand-Alone Tablets

Reviews October 21, 2020

Lenovo Smart Tab M8 and Smart Tab M10 Are 2-in-1 Smart Home Hubs That Can Also Be Stand-Alone Tablets

Having a Smart Display in your living space makes for a great central hub where you and other family members can check schedules, play music or Youtube video, make video calls, control your Google or Alexa integrated home, and display favorite photos. Having that display also function as a family tablet when it’s not docked adds extra convenience and value. The Lenovo Smart Tab M8 and Smart Tab M10 are 2-in-1 devices that can serve as smart displays or as stand-alone tablets.

Arlo Adds Essential XL Spotlight Camera and Essential Camera to Round Out Your Home Security System

News & Features September 24, 2020

Arlo Adds Essential XL Spotlight Camera and Essential Camera to Round Out Your Home Security System

Arlo makes one of the best DIY home security systems that you can buy, and I’m excited that they’ve just announced two new wire-free devices in their Essential Series, the Arlo Essential XL Spotlight and the Arlo Essential. What sets the Essential Series apart from their Pro series is that these devices connect directly to your home’s WiFi, with no need for a SmartHub, and they can act as a standalone security solution or complement your existing Arlo home security system.

Reader Beware, You're in for a Scare Thanks to Philips Hue

News & Features September 21, 2020

Reader Beware, You’re in for a Scare Thanks to Philips Hue

Even though Pumpkin Spice might be the best part of October for us adults, Halloween is still one of the best traditions for families and children alike. And who’s to say you can’t find a creative way to give a fright on the 31st in a creative way? Well, this year, you can with Philips Hue.

Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance Smart Bulb Starter Kit Is an Intelligent Lighting Solution

Reviews September 8, 2020

Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance Smart Bulb Starter Kit Is an Intelligent Lighting Solution

When Jess and I started setting up our daughter Skyler’s nursery, we knew that we would eventually need more smart lightbulbs. Even though I’d previously bought the basic white Philips Hue smart bulbs before, I want to try their ambient smart bulbs to see how they would work in a nursery setting. The Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance Smart Bulb Starter Kit that I received not only works with Alexa but with Google Home and Apple’s HomeKit as well.

Lenovo Rolls Out New Yoga Laptops to Brighten Your 2020

News & Features August 18, 2020

Lenovo Rolls Out New Yoga Laptops to Brighten Your 2020

You can’t accuse Lenovo of slacking; they’re continually refining their products to improve already great devices into even better ones. Yoga devices are already impressive, but Lenovo isn’t content to leave them as is; they’ve added all-new updates in both hardware and software to make them even better!

Lutron Caséta Is the High-End Smart Lighting System You're Looking For

Reviews June 3, 2020

Lutron Caséta Is the High-End Smart Lighting System You’re Looking For

There are so many smart home products on the market; tech companies or small startups make many, but who knows who you can trust? Lutron has been making quality lighting accessories since the 1950s, and they’ve become a highly-regarded name in the lighting industry. With the Caséta Wireless series, I’ve finally found a smart home brand I can trust.

Neato’s Robot Vacuums Add Siri Shortcuts to Their Functions

News & Features March 29, 2020

Neato’s Robot Vacuums Add Siri Shortcuts to Their Functions

Neato’s robot vacuums seem to be a favorite in a lot of homes, mostly because they’re some of the few that have so many built-in smart integrations including the ability to work with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. But starting today, Neato adds a voice function that makes it even easier to command your vac from your iPhone.

Roborock S5 vs S6 Smart Home Robot Vacuums: A Comparison

Reviews March 4, 2020

Roborock S5 vs S6 Smart Home Robot Vacuums: A Comparison

Roborock’s mission for 2020 has been to surpass robot vacuum brand like Neato for the best home cleaners on the market. Their efforts have led us to the Roborock S5 Max and the Roborock S6, two of their higher-end models, yet still, carry a lesser price tag than many of the competition.