I have an office with two windows on our house’s south side; these windows take in brutal amounts of Texas sun and heat during the spring and summer. Lutron Serena Shades are custom-made window shades that can be controlled by a remote, by your smartphone, or with an AI assistant. What you end up with are smarthome-worthy window coverings.
In the modern world, smart appliances fill homes to the brim. Artificial intelligence is a part of nearly every device now, making the average suburb almost sound futuristic. With everything else getting the science fiction treatment, from your refrigerator turning into a TV to your car self-parking into the driveway, safety devices can become smarter, too.
Have you been searching for a great home security system that will protect you and your home all day long, even during internet and power outages? If so you should check out Ooma’s Butterfleye Home Security camera. We got our hands on one, so let’s see if it’s a worthy fit for your home.
Electricity is a funny thing. We all use it every day, but very few track their usage closely or even know how much juice their devices use. Sense is here to change that, allowing us to tap into our electrical panel and track the electricity our home uses to help us be more efficient and informed, starting at $299.
We recently reviewed the iHome iAV2. It’s a speaker dock that not only gives an Amazon Echo Dot much-improved sound but also doubles as a bedside clock. iHome also offers the iAV5B. It too greatly improves the sound from an Echo Dot but, while it lacks a clock, it adds something rather fun. Its lights make your music a visual treat.
Smart speakers are only increasing in popularity and number, and one of the benefits of this explosion is that companies are adding more features and better sound quality to what was once a novelty item. Huawei is aiming to add all sorts of value with their new Huawei AI Cube powered by Alexa.
At the Unveiled event today in NYC, Samsung did as expected and announced the new Galaxy Note9, but they also managed to throw in a couple of welcome surprises with the new Galaxy Watch and a sneak peek of the Galaxy Home. Let’s take a look at these new devices!
My office is a room that was built on the back of our house. The only issue that we ran into when adding it was that there was no affordable way to tie that room into our central heat and air. An effective and convenient solution for situations like mine is the RolliBot RolliCool Cool 100H Portable AC with Heater.
How do you lock and unlock your front door? A key is SO last century, and using a keypad makes it look like you live in a bank vault. Kwikset knows this, and they’ve combined the looks of a traditional lock with the brains of a smart lock with the new Kevo Contemporary!
After two years of living here, we finally got our lawn looking close to what we have hoped for. The challenge is, of course, the fact that the summer heat is only going to get stronger over the next two months. Thankfully, B-hyve offers their B-hyve Hose Faucet Timer. It is smart, convenient and it even works with Alexa!
My wife and I run a makerspace. We often describe it as a “gym for artists.” We have all sorts of equipment and resources that artists and makers can come in and use so they don’t have to make the investment themselves. We also had a few private studios to rent out for artists who wanted a dedicated space.
So you want better home security? That’s smart. But with so many different options from so many different companies, where do you start? What would it take to turn “home sweet home” into “home safe home”? A quick shopping spree on Amazon can have you up and running in no time.
If you are building out your smarthome you will want to check out the $69.99 Amped Wireless Smartplug AWP138W. While it is a bit on the expensive side, it is an easy way to turn a standard home electrical product into something fitting for your Amazon Alexa-enabled abode. Setup is simple and using it is as easy as speaking.
I recently began a two-part review of the Vivint home automation/security solutions. Read the review here before you move on to part 2. The system has definitely become an important part of our home. Part 2 will cover the Playback DVR, door locks, thermostat, smoke detector and other detectors installed.
Pet doors have long been a staple of pet ownership. They make it much easier to automate the process of letting your dog or cat outside and back in again. If you have a fenced in yard, for instance, it doesn’t make sense to stop what you’re doing and let your dog in or out every hour on the hour.
As a huge fan of HomeKit products one thing that I truly longed for was an adequate surge protector. Now that Apple has begun opening up their Smart Home platform to more companies and changed their framework a bit, you’ll see more and more smart home products popping up left and right, but the Koogeek Surge Protector REALLY caught my eye.
In search of good HomeKit smart plugs that not only look phenomenal but can control all of your home appliances with ease, the iU9 Smart Power Outlet by Taiwan-based company Opro9 may be one of the best plugs I’ve used in a very long time.
The I’ve seen many smart home devices, but none of them actively protect your home from danger more so than the Flo leak detection system. Flo is a security system for your home’s water system that constantly monitors to catch leaks, prevent water damage, and save you money. Flo is available for purchase at an introductory price of $499.
If you’re still throwing your keys and wallet on a countertop when you get home, you’re going to appreciate the Pitaka MagHive. Not only is it an attractive central location for you to keep the things you can’t leave home without, it’s an intelligent hub the whole family can use.
This week Vizio announced their 2018 fleet of products, giving substantial upgrades to their E, P, M & D Series lines. Starting at $350, the higher end models can go upwards of $2,599.99 depending on the features you desire. However, no matter which model you get, you know that Vizio won’t let you down.
Ring, who recently made the news after it was reported that Amazon is acquiring them, has another security camera worth fawning over. The Ring Spotlight Cam Solar is a WiFi security camera that can be mounted almost anywhere and is powered by the sun. Priced at $229, it illuminates the night with built-in LEDs when it senses motion.