Stacey McGregor

A smart home is only as smart as the products within it, so let’s take a look at some smart lights, smart plugs, and smart switches.

These days, it seems as though there is a smart version of almost every electronic device imaginable. There are smart watches, smart phones, smart TVs, smart appliances, smart fitness trackers, smart cars; the list goes on. But one category that really seems to be gaining momentum is smart products for the home, especially smart products that don’t necessarily require professional installation, like the Lutron Caséta Wireless Smart Home Lighting product line.   I was sent two Lutron Caséta products to review: The Lutron Caséta Wireless Plug-in Lamp Dimmer With Remote, and the Lutron Caséta Wireless Smart Lighting Dimmer Kit. I started with what I knew would be the easiest to install of the two, the plug-in dimmer kit.  

It’s amazing to see how cameras have evolved over the last 20 years. Remember the days when you’d have to load a roll of film into your camera and then take that film in to be developed after only 12, 24, or 36 snapshots? Those days are long gone. Now we can capture the ins and outs of our daily lives with our smartphone cameras and share those moments with the world in an instant via the touch of a button. The Narrative Clip wearable camera takes this concept of chronicling our lives­—or “lifelogging”—to a whole new level by snapping a picture every 30 seconds, and I recently had an opportunity to take one for a spin.

With the new school year right around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about quick and easy snack ideas for those seemingly endless brown bag lunches. But rather than simply tossing in a granola bar and an apple, why not think out of the box and add a delicious, homemade muffin to your kid’s lunch bag? Here are five reasons why muffins are the perfect food for back to school.

As crazy as it sounds, a new school year is just around the corner. How did that happen? I haven’t even started my New Years resolutions yet! But there’s no getting around it, September will be here before you know it, so if you’re heading off to university this fall, now is the time to start collecting everything you need to make your dorm as comfortable as possible–including these essential dorm room appliances.

As a university student, you do a lot of running. You run to class, from class, across campus to get to your next class on time even though you know you’re going to be late no matter how fast you run, to the bus or your car to get to your part-time job, back to the bus or you car so you can get home and study, and repeat. No wonder I didn’t gain any weight in my university years! So to keep track of all those calories burned, and to keep you motivated when all you want to do is curl up in a corner and sleep, here are what I consider to be the best fitness devices for students.

It’s no secret that women have different needs than men; however, I’ve found that when there’s a women’s version of what can otherwise be considered a unisex product, it’s typically just a smaller, pinker, pricier version of its big brother–something I like to call “pinking it and shrinking it.” But sometimes, manufacturers really hit the nail on the head when it comes to addressing the needs of those of us with two X chromosomes. So with that in mind, here’s a list of the top five backpacks for women.

Another new school year is fast approaching, and if you have kids heading out of the city, province, or country to attend university, you may soon be faced with a dilemma—keep the kid’s stuff intact, or use their absence as an excuse to upgrade your “kid space” to an adult-friendly home theatre space. Here’s what you’ll need to take the room from “all-inclusive-kid-friendly-resort” to “five-star-adults-only-getaway.”

Finding a wireless Bluetooth speaker to suit your needs isn’t really hard to do these days. Whether you’re looking for big sound, trendy design, or even weather resistance, there’s no shortage of options from which to choose. But what if you wanted a speaker that you could take cliff jumping, mountain biking, or paddle boarding? What if you also wanted to use that same speaker for nights at home around a campfire, or perhaps to listen to music while in the shower? Well, then you’d be looking at the latest addition to Ultimate Ears’ (UE) line of wireless Bluetooth speakers—the UE ROLL. It’s compact and completely water and dirt-proof, and I recently had a chance to take it for a spin.

While I’ve been out of school for quite some time now, I still have vivid memories of the pleasure I took in prepping for a new year. Yup, I was one of those kids who enthusiastically went shopping for back-to-school supplies while everyone else relished the last few weeks of summer freedom. And believe it or not, we’re only a little over a month away from the start of another school year, so whether you have little ones heading to elementary school for the first time, or are a university student yourself, here are the top 5 backpacks for 2015–ideal for toting all your shiny new school supplies.