Smart home

The most important part of your Smarthome network has nothing to do with the products you choose or how they interact with each other. Flashy coordination is nothing without a solid network connection. Without a stable wireless network setup, you won’t have a stable smarthome network. Read on about how to create an easy and smart wireless network for your smart home.

When Philips Hue launched I was fascinated and excited by it: a light bulb that connects to my wireless network that could be controlled by my iPhone … and change to any colour! Very cool. Hue has done well, and the line has diversified, growing to encompass other smartphone platforms and different bulb types. With Hue Go, Philips is launching a different type of product: a light that stands alone or connects with your network … but that you can take with you. I had the chance to use it for a week. Here’s what that was like.

Today I take a look at the Piper Home Security Camera and a few Piper accessories to see just how well they perform. I’ve extensively tested these products over the past few days, so there’s definitely a lot to cover here. If you’re thinking about getting a home security system that’s easy to use, provides multiple layers of security, and has no monthly fees, then read on to discover whether or not the Piper System could be for you. Hint: Testing went quite well. Not perfect, but not bad either!

Continuing our look at the ‘connected home’ let’s take a look at the idea of keeping your home ‘lived in’ while you’re travelling. This is especially handy this time of year while the weather warms up and many of us start making plans to travel and get out a lot more. Whether you’ve got a road trip or a vacation coming up, home security can be a concern while you’re away. With all the smart home technology you can employ nowadays it’s easy to give your home the appearance of remaining occupied as usual even though you’re out and about. If your home will be unoccupied for an extended period of time this can be particularly useful.

Smart keyless entry into your home is still a project in its infancy. Being that there really aren’t more than a handful of devices out there, it’s easy to both shine and sputter in the spotlight. The August Smart lock is one that looks to rise above its competition, promising an easy installation and the ability for you to use your existing keys to boot. I timed my installation and I’ll take you through my thoughts as you read on.

There’s a new gadget available and I’m pretty sure you’re going to want one. I know this because as much as I may have initially scoffed at the idea that it would be a product I would ever want or need, I’ve come to the realization that it is indeed something I have to have. It’s the new Philips Hue Go–a WiFi enabled portable mood light that can be used indoors or outdoors.

There has always been an interesting conversation surrounding the use of in-home security cameras. The main reason people buy-in to the idea is to keep an eye on things while they’re out living their lives. However, the “big brother” feel of having a set of eyes on you when you’re at home isn’t for everyone, even if the lens itself is set to privacy mode and not actually recording. Every product has its pros and cons, so let’s take a look at the Canary all-in-one home security system and find out if it deserves that spot on your mantle.

Home security systems can bring a lot of peace of mind, especially when away from home. And video surveillance systems have become much more affordable so are no longer only for the rich and famous. But putting in a decent system to protect your home usually requires a team of professional installers wiring your home. Or a very ambitious DIYer could spend a lot of time climbing ladders, fishing wires in walls, crawling in tight attic spaces. It’s a big job—until now! With the Arlo home security camera system you could literally set up a system using 5 or 6 HD cameras surrounding your home in less than an hour.

Sometimes when I’m sent a product to review, the first thing that comes to mind is: “Really? People want/need/buy this/these? Wow.” More often than not though, within a few minutes of using the product I realize that YES, people DO want/need/buy this/these! How in the heck did we live life without this/these for so long?! This is exactly what happened when I was asked to review Sengled’s Smart LED Bulbs … with perhaps a little more enthusiasm. Maybe I’m getting older, or maybe it’s just becoming increasingly difficult to “wow” me in such a techno-savvy time, but let me tell you something – Sengled’s Smart LED Bulbs are by far one of the coolest products I’ve reviewed in a while. 

Thanks to all of the different options out there, smarthome technology can be applied to every room of your home. Lights, thermostats, garage door openers and keyless entry are just a few of the things you can enable your home to do “smarter” than before. With so many options, where should you get started? I am going to help you think that through!