Smart home

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.

In its 45-year existence, Earth Day has evolved from a grassroots North American campaign to a global concern with nearly 200 countries committing every year to continued environmental awareness. Getting into the spirit of Earth Day doesn’t always mean hitting the streets with a protest placard. You can do it from your home with a few simple lifestyle choices.  

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!

Working from home can be both liberating and lonely, no matter how much you do it. Productivity is always a factor when it comes to getting work done, and working the way you should. Take a good look around your home office and you’re likely to think of a few things that can make it better.

What is IFTTT?  It stands for “If This Then That” and is a web (and now app) based system that features over 165 different participants.  Through the use of “recipes,” you can create cause and effect style actions that see a one IFTTT participant work with another.  Major companies like ESPN and Nike are involved, as are smart home product makers like NEST and Belkin. Let’s take a look at what you can do with IFTTT!

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 over 75 years of Home Audio experience, Pioneer is no stranger to the Home Audio game. Ever since they shifted their focus away from televisions 5 years ago, they’ve been making progress in the “Smart home” market.  In 2011, they envisioned a Smart concept car, and ever since, they’ve been making smart connected home audio products.  Come take a look at some of the options they have produced for your connected home.

I was just sent the Motorola Focus66 Wi-Fi HD Video Camera to test out and review, so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to take a peek in on my dogs and see what they were up to when I wasn’t home. I had no idea how fun it would be to watch them from afar with the Motorola Focus66 Wi-Fi HD Video Camera.

Smart thermostats, smoke detectors, door locks and appliances have gone mainstream and are finding their way into more homes than ever. What sometimes gets lost in the list of cool things those smart devices can do is that they are connected. Without an Internet connection, most of them fizzle. Poor Wi-Fi means a poor user experience and for many people, their wireless router is the weak link in the smart equation. In this post, I’ll review the network and computer essentials for a smart home that lives up to the billing.