How-to

Did you know that with some activity trackers, you can actually set it up to see how your friends are progressing as well, and even compete with them? Here’s how it works.

Our road trip continues with a good old-fashioned pit stop at the Happiest Place on Earth. For some people, going to Disneyland means hitting all the shows, parades, and attractions. We like to do that too, but because we have annual passes and go so often, we’ve added to our adventure by becoming hunters for the best dishes and treats in the park. There are a lot of treats to be had, and they’re more delicious than you may think.

Have a birthday coming up? Sure, you can head over to the local grocery store or bakery shop and grab a cake. But why not add that personal touch and make your own?

We’re off on a kid-friendly culinary adventure this week. During our 20 or so hour trek down the West Coast to Disneyland, we’re hitting some great little food stops along the way. First stop-the Waffle Window in Portland!

As far as hockey is concerned, the next four weeks of the NHL season are crucial. Between now and April 11, all 30 teams will be checking, shooting, and skating their way to a coveted spot and prime position in the 2014/2015 Stanley Cup playoffs. Whether you’re a playoff bandwagon jumper like me, a die-hard fan all season long, or just like an excuse to play the role of host, this means one thing—its time to start planning those playoff hockey parties! Like any good party, you’ll need a few key elements to make yours the best of the season: a fantastic TV, a media streaming device, an assortment of dishes, and of course, all the team spirit you can muster.

Have you ever heard of “brinner?” Until I read up on 2015’s food trends the word brinner had never entered my vocabulary, but now it’s all I can think about. Get your griddle ready and try a few of these great brinner recipes.

There are three main types of TV wall mount - fixed or low profile, tilting, and full motion. Which wall mount is best for you and your new TV?

When you’re going on a quick trip, there’s nothing more handy than managing to pack everything you have into a single, carry-on-appropriate piece of luggage. Sure, it’s hard (sometimes really hard) to actually get everything packed in there, but once you manage it—man, it’s smooth sailing from thereon in!

In this installment of the Connected Home Series, we’ll talk about how security and surveillance options have changed to adapt to growing realtime needs.  Alarm systems aren’t just keypad entries, or services monitored through a paid company, for example. Let’s take a look at some of the options that exist for you to set up your own home security system and stay connected to your home in realtime through your smartphone or tablet.

With 802.11ac (Gigabit Wi-Fi) now mainstream, we are currently in the midst of a big wireless router replacement cycle. I’ve tested so many routers in the past year that I’ve lost count. Despite the potential payoff of a new router, many people are reluctant to make the upgrade. Routers can be intimidating, and once our Wi-Fi is working, it’s such an integral part of our homes now that we’re naturally reluctant to do anything that might rock the boat. After getting a taste of what the latest generation of 802.11ac routers can do, I finally made the jump myself, replacing my own aging router. And to help you understand everything that’s involved, I chronicled every step of the process. Hopefully this account of one person’s Wi-Fi router upgrade will help to demystify the process and show why it’s worth doing.