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The Air Up There: CubeSensors Are Superior Air Quality Monitors

Reviews

The Air Up There: CubeSensors Are Superior Air Quality Monitors

Let’s be honest. A SmartHome is a better home these days. And with it being warmer and warmer outdoors, especially with three consecutive 90 degree days in the summer here in Washington, DC, you want to make sure the environment that you live and sleep in is healthy enough for you. Being someone with Respiratory Asthma, air quality and humidity is a huge thing for me to consider as my body takes climates completely different from others. That and Post-Nasal drip is a bitch. Luckily I had the opportunity to review a product that’s slogan is something I want to…

The Polk Audio Omni S2 Is Wireless Sound That Goes with Any Decor

Reviews

The Polk Audio Omni S2 Is Wireless Sound That Goes with Any Decor

Polk Audio describes the Polk Audio Omni S2 wireless speaker as “The First Great-Sounding Wireless Music System.” That’s a bold claim for a wireless speaker that costs under $180 and comes with multiple grills. If the claims ring true the S2 is a great deal. The key of course is, “If the claims ring true…” According to Polk Audio the Omni S2 offers “unparalleled sound.” As they explain: “The Omni S2 is an ultra-compact speaker that lets you put Polk’s widely respected signature sound in any room of your home. The Omni S2 comes with both black and white swappable…

Synology's BeyondCloud Mirror Is the Ultimate Beginner's NAS

Reviews

Synology’s BeyondCloud Mirror Is the Ultimate Beginner’s NAS

The Synology BeyondCloud Mirror (BC214se 2300) is without doubt, the best Network Attached Storage device I’ve ever reviewed. It comes with two 3TB Seagate NAS Hard Drives pre-installed and its simple plug-and-play setup will have you up and running in less than 5 minutes. It’s the perfect setup for your personal entertainment center. It is available now for $369.99.

Hit the Hardware Store for Carseat Toting Needs!

Travel

Hit the Hardware Store for Carseat Toting Needs!

We recently took a vacation and after some debate decided it was safer to bring our own carseat rather than rent one of dubious quality along with our car. You can buy special carts to transport car seats, but a friend of ours filled us in on a much cheaper and more versatile tip: a hand truck!

Will Tesla's Powerwall Really Change the World?

News & Features

Will Tesla’s Powerwall Really Change the World?

We’ve heard it before: product X will change the world. We heard it about the Segway and the iPhone. Rarely does a new product really change the world.  The iPhone changed what we thought about phones. Now Tesla and their new battery called the Powerwall is supposed to change how we use power. Will it really? I don’t think so.

SkylinkNet Alarm System Review: Home Security with No Monthly Fees

Reviews

SkylinkNet Alarm System Review: Home Security with No Monthly Fees

When we first moved into our house, we debated signing up with an alarm company. Ultimately we decided against it after looking at how much a contract would cost, but I’ve been following the smartphone-based alarm systems closely. We’ve been testing the SkylinkNet Alarm System starter kit; so how does it fit our needs and protect our home?

The BBQ Dragon Gets You Hot All Over

Outdoors, Reviews, Yum Log

The BBQ Dragon Gets You Hot All Over

Finally, the weather has warmed up enough where we can officially declare the beginning of grilling season, and with it a plethora of new BBQ tools and gadgets to try out. I recently experimented with a new device that purports to get you grilling even faster, The BBQ Dragon; read along to see if it lives up to the hype.

CubeSensors Are One Activity Monitor You Need in Your Home

News & Features

CubeSensors Are One Activity Monitor You Need in Your Home

One thing that I have trouble with the most is sleep. I tend to never get enough of it, and even when I try to “oversleep” on the weekends, I still feel like groggy. I purchased a Jawbone Up to help monitor my sleep as a result and even though it does a good job, I’ve always longed to know more about my poor sleeping habits.

Fellowes PowerShred 79Ci: The Cross-Cut Shredder for All of Your Secrets

Reviews

Fellowes PowerShred 79Ci: The Cross-Cut Shredder for All of Your Secrets

I’ve been in the market for a new cross-cut shredder for a couple of months; my old one decided that if the power was on, it should continuously grind — even when no paper was present. Being offered the opportunity to review the Fellowes PowerShred 79Ci seemed like kismet. But would it be able to handle my document load?

Synology Releases DiskStation Manager 5.2 Beta, Gives out 3 NAS to Testers

News & Features

Synology Releases DiskStation Manager 5.2 Beta, Gives out 3 NAS to Testers

Synology, one of my favorite NAS brands, has just released their DiskStation Manager (DSM) 5.2 beta software. DSM is Synology’s award-winning NAS operating system software. Along with a host of other features, DSM 5.2 beta is designed to make managing your own private cloud a whole lot easier. Synology is also giving away three DS214se to the most valuable testers!

Griffin Announces the First 3rd-Party Accessory for the Apple Watch

News & Features

Griffin Announces the First 3rd-Party Accessory for the Apple Watch

  One of the first accessories announced for the Apple Watch, aptly named the WatchStand, Griffin is one of the first companies in line following Apple’s announcement to start an uptrend of gadgets for the watch, which will launch April 24th. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=CUg6BGgpS_4 An elegant charging and display dock for the Apple Watch, the Watchstand will display your new wrist wear on a pedestal, and can placed anywhere due to it’s small and compact design. Imagine this beauty on your nightstand, tabletop or desktop at work for show as well as daily charging. I know I certainly would enjoy sitting my…

Starbucks K-Cups Bring Great Coffee Home

Editorials, Gear Bits

Starbucks K-Cups Bring Great Coffee Home

When I moved into my new place there were only a few things I wanted other than my clothes and my tech. At the top of that list? My Keurig machine. I mean, what good is having a new apartment if you can’t have a great cup of coffee ready and waiting in seconds. Thankfully, as member of the Starbucks Blogger Program I was send a terrific variety of coffees. YUM!!

Withings Announces Big Updates for the Activité, Activité Pop, and Home

News & Features

Withings Announces Big Updates for the Activité, Activité Pop, and Home

Withings has just made two big announcements about three of their marquee products.  First, they announced that their gorgeous Activité and Activité Pop activity tracking watches will be compatible with Android starting tomorrow, March 2nd.  And second, they announced that their Withings Home monitoring device will soon offer the option to save 30 days of video footage in the cloud.

Saffron LED Lighting is the Enlightened Choice for Homeowners

Reviews

Saffron LED Lighting is the Enlightened Choice for Homeowners

Saffron is a new company that’s bringing beautiful and intelligent LED lighting to the consumer.  They have LED light bulbs that look exactly like traditional incandescent bulbs, “Smart” LED bulbs that automatically turn on when it gets dark or dim over time to simulate a sunset.  These energy efficient and long-lasting bulbs are available now and start at $12.

Oort LED Review: Connected Mood Lighting with Benefits

Reviews

Oort LED Review: Connected Mood Lighting with Benefits

While some parts of the “connected home” idea are natural fits for new technology (like smart thermostats and locks), I have been a huge skeptic of the idea that EVERYTHING should become smarter. Does a lightbulb really need Bluetooth? To overcome my skepticism, I volunteered to review the Oort LED Lightbulb, and now my household is in love.