The promise of the smart home is always offset by the reality of setup. It’s one thing if you can design how you want it from scratch, but if you rent or are trying to smarten up an existing home, it’s a headache. Brilliant is aiming to make life significantly smoother with its new Smart Dimmer Switch and Smart Plug.
Flo by Moen Smart Water Shutoff is an all-in-one security system for your home’s water system. By constantly monitoring your water pressure, Flo detects the smallest of leaks in your home and alert you of any potential issues. Flo now has a battery backup accessory to help defend against leaks even during a power interruption for up to 3 days.
As I’ve written in recent months, I’m deeply entrenched in Amazon’s Alexa voice services but I’m slowly being won over by Google’s offerings. I reviewed a JBL smart speaker last year (read my review) and Google’s Nest Mini last month (read my review). I’ve had a chance to play with the Google Nest Hub Max, and I have to admit that I’m impressed.
I’ve been all-in with Amazon’s Alexa smart devices since they first came on the scene. In recent months, however, devices leveraging Google’s smart assistant have been winning me over. The new Google Nest Mini is, in part, responsible for that. It is under $50, sounds surprisingly good, and it lets you control your home and more using only your voice.
Eufy is a brand from Anker that I’ve trusted for a while now. They are known for their high-quality products at reasonable prices while listening to customer feedback to constantly improve. The latest innovation is the RoboVac L70 Hybrid; a robotic vacuum that mops as well as vacuums and uses laser navigation. The RoboVac L70 Hybrid retails for $549.99.
A little over a year ago, I went looking for a new router for our home. I tried a few and was disappointed. I eventually settled on a system Perry recommended. It’s okay, but I’ve spent the last few days checking out the brand new Nest WiFi from Google, and I’m impressed.
I’ve found my favorite smart home controller and its name is Brilliant. With a name like that, it could be difficult to live up to the hype, but the features and performance do just that. With a vivid touch screen display, Amazon Alexa built-in, and lots of smart home device integrations, it’s difficult to beat the Brilliant home control.
One of the new devices that caught my eye at CES this January was the Lenovo Smart Clock with Google Assistant. It wasn’t just that this particular smart display was sized similarly to a traditional bedside clock, it was that all of its features had been thoughtfully curated for bedroom use.
If you’ve been looking for a reasonably priced robot vacuum that’s sole focus is to spot clean your home with little to no effort, you should check out the Roborock S4.
Berlin’s annual IFA show is the largest consumer electronics event in Europe with “more digital lifestyle products in one place than any other show worldwide.” After walking the show floor, sitting in on private pre-briefings, standing inside packed press conferences, and attending media-only showcase events, these are the items we’ve chosen for Gear Diary’s Best of IFA 2019 Awards.
Signify, the world leader in lighting took to IFA to announce a few new Philips Hue lighting products including an updated version of the Hue Go, the Philips Hue Smart Button, a Hue Smart Plus and even two candle bulbs.
August Home and Yale Locks are two companies that need no introduction, and if you live in the US, you probably already know that they go together like peanut butter and jelly. Now Europe can get a taste of that smart home perfection with Yale Access.
My living room home theater has gotten a bit too complex. There are remotes for the cable box, for the TV, for the Apple TV, and the Amazon Fire TV Cube. I’ve tried universal remotes but came back to using the individual devices. With the new Harmony Express, I’ve finally found a universal remote that works for me.
If you’ve been doing research before purchasing a new mattress, you’ve likely seen that Tempur-Pedic maks some of the best mattresses that you can buy. I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Tom Murray, Senior Vice President and Marketing Officer of Tempur Sealy International, as well as Allen Platek, Vice President of Product Development.
In a world of expensive robot vacuums, the Ecovacs Deebot 500 is an affordable option for families looking for a quality clean without spending a fortune. Deebot 500 is compatible with smart home assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant and can also be controlled via the Ecovacs mobile app. The Deebot 500 retails for $279.99.
With the summer in full swing, this means you might be using your AC a bit more nightly to get yourself a decent rest every evening. Why not check out the OOLER Sleep system?
We all know that Apple is pretty finicky when it comes to opening up access to their HomeKit products. We’ve covered plenty, but the Dual Smart Outlet by Satechi is one of the few that manages to knock smart accessories out of the park in both price, and practicality.
A substantial upgrade from the Original 10.1-inch Nixplay Seed comes the Seed Wave, complete with a larger screen, built-in speakers and even the addition of video.
Starting today, Ooma is announcing their next-generation security camera, the Ooma Smart Cam is now available!
I have been using the Vivint Smart Home for some time, and it has really become a regular part of our lives. The initial install and thoughts can be found here (pt1) and here (pt2). The Outdoor Camera Pro has since been released, and I have had the chance to take a look at it. The new camera and features are fantastic.
Deebot has made itself a name for itself in the robot vacuum market crowded with products that all do the same thing. So how do you set yourself apart from such an isolated market? Add a feature they didn’t include.