15 Ways To Get Started Using Alexa
Mar 17, 2018 | Categories: Smart Speakers & Voice Assistants. Tags: Amazon Alexa.
You have set up your new Alexa device and now it’s time to figure out what Alexa can do for you. Alexa has over twenty five thousand different skills so there is lots of room to experiment. Before taking a deep dive into all the possibilities, here’s...
Amazon Echo Buying Guide: Which One Should You Buy?
Feb 24, 2018 | Categories: News Feed and Smart Speakers & Voice Assistants. Tags: Amazon Alexa and Amazon Echo.
One of the best things about smart speakers is how quick and easy they are to get working. You only need to have three things to get started with Amazon Alexa. What Do I Need Before I buy an Amazon Echo Device? A wireless network A smartphone or tablet with the Alexa...
Three new Amazon Echo….Echo….Echos….
Oct 4, 2017 | Categories: News Feed and Smart Speakers & Voice Assistants. Tags: Amazon Alexa and Amazon Echo.
It seems like lately there has been a never ending rush of new devices being launched with Amazon’s Alexa AI assistant embedded inside and now, Amazon has added a few new options to their own lineup. The new devices a focused on three different markets:...
Build Your Own Google Home box!
Oct 3, 2017 | Categories: Gadgets, Industry Announcements, News Feed, and Smart Speakers & Voice Assistants. Tags: AIY Projects, Google Home, Raspberry Pi, voice control, and voice kit.
On the “this is totally cool” front for those of us who don’t mind putting a bit of elbow grease and imagination into our Smart Home projects, here comes the $35 Google Home project built with Raspberry Pi. The Voice Kit by AIY projects was a...
Eve Degree – A Touch of Functional Elegance
Jun 23, 2017 | Categories: Heating & Cooling and News Feed. Tags: Apple HomeKit, energy savings, smart thermostat, and weather station.
The Elgato lineup of HomeKit-enabled Bluetooth low energy (BTLE)-enabled home automation gear has grown to include the Eve Degree. If you are not familiar with the Elgato lineup of products check them out here. Their products are all good picks for a range of basic...
Our Take on the Apple HomePod
Jun 21, 2017 | Categories: Gadgets, Home Automation Systems, News Feed, and Smart Speakers & Voice Assistants. Tags: Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Home Automation, HomePod, and Smart Home.
Apple chose to focus on audio and music integration with the HomePod; something that the other speakers do but maybe don't do as well.
ShadeCraft SUNFLOWER
Jun 7, 2017 | Categories: Gadgets and News Feed. Tags: garden and ShadeCraft.
Greetings from the future. Announced this year at CES, the ShadeCraft Sunflower solar patio umbrella gives us a glimpse of the type of outdoor Home Automation solutions we can expect to see appearing in the IoT world in the near future. The Sunflower is scheduled to...
Edyn Smart Garden Sensor
Jun 6, 2017 | Categories: Gadgets and News Feed. Tags: Edyn, garden, and water conservation.
As the weather gets nicer we spend more time outside our smart homes. That doesn’t mean that we can’t take some of the smarts with us out into the garden. The Edyn Garden Sensor keeps you connected to your garden by providing informing about local...
Smarter.am Fridge Cam
Jun 2, 2017 | Categories: Gadgets and News Feed. Tags: Smart Home and Smarter.am.
The Fridge Cam not only shows you what you have in your fridge it will also track expiry dates, auto-replenish groceries with your local grocery store, and suggest recipes based on what you have in your fridge.
HYDRAO Smart Shower Head
Jun 1, 2017 | Categories: Gadgets and News Feed. Tags: cost savings, energy savings, HYDRAO, and water conservation.
A smart shower head that powers itself using an internal turbine and uses colored LED lights to warn you as you are using more water than you want.
Ecobee-Alexa Fusion
Jun 1, 2017 | Categories: Gadgets, Heating & Cooling, and News Feed. Tags: Amazon Alexa and ecobee.
EcoBee has backed the Amazon Alexa voice services in a big way. They now offer a new version of their awesome thermostat (our choice for the Stuff We Love) with Alexa baked in.
Introducing the Amazon Echo Show
May 20, 2017 | Categories: Gadgets, News Feed, Smart Home Hubs, and Smart Speakers & Voice Assistants. Tags: Amazon Alexa, Amazon Echo, and Amazon Echo Show.
Amazon has announced a new home assistant to their Echo line up: the Echo Show. The Echo Show is the first voice controlled assistant from Amazon with both a camera and full 7″ touchscreen. For the first time, you will be able to make and receive video calls...
What are Home Automation Protocols and Why Should You Care?
May 5, 2017 | Categories: How To and Standards & Protocols. Tags: Apple HomeKit, Bluetooth, Insteon, Thread, Wifi, X10, Z-Wave, and ZigBee.
When you are buying devices for your Smart Home, you may be wondering about different protocols and how they should guide your purchase. Learn more here.
Smart Home IP Cameras – Which One To Buy?
May 5, 2017 | Categories: 2018 Picks and Security & Monitoring. Tags: Axis, Cisco, ip camera, Logitech, Nest, Netatmo, PetCube, Piper, and piper nv.
There are hundreds of options if you are looking for an IP camera. The market is growing and changing quickly. You will find IP cameras grouped into categories including: pinhole, security, wireless, power over internet (POE) or even ‘specialty’ groupings like doorbell, baby or health monitors. There really is no end to the amazing variety.
Now We're Talking
Mar 24, 2017 | Categories: Gadgets, Home Automation Systems, and News Feed. Tags: AI, artificial intelligence, chatbot, Home Automation, user experience, and UX.
Through the magic of Artificial Intelligence A.K.A Chatbots you may be chatting with your toaster sooner than you think.
The Better Mousetrap
Mar 23, 2017 | Categories: News Feed and Security & Monitoring. Tags: Dome, Home Automation, and Z-Wave.
A Z-Wave connected mousetrap may sound like a joke but it is the next generation of the better mousetrap and the latest addition to the IoT world of connected devices and home automation.
Smart Home Thermostats – Which One To Buy?
Mar 8, 2017 | Categories: 2018 Picks and Heating & Cooling. Tags: ecobee, Honeywell, Lyric, Nest, and Netatmo.
If you are looking for a new ‘smart’ thermostat the good news is you have lots of options. The bad news is you have LOTS of options. This sector of the market has exploded and it seems like everyone is now offering a thermostat. What We Love: The EcoBee4 Why We Love...
Smart Home Weather Station – Which One to Buy?
Mar 8, 2017 | Categories: 2018 Picks and Heating & Cooling. Tags: Acurite, BloomSky, Davis, IFTTT, Kestrel DROP, and Netatmo.
The weather has fascinated us for as long as… well, as long as there have been humans. The environment around us is a significant factor in our safety, comfort and overall wellbeing. A lot of information can be accessed easily and freely via a multitude of...
Smart Home Garage Door Openers – Which One To Buy?
Mar 8, 2017 | Categories: 2018 Picks and Security & Monitoring. Tags: Aeotec, Asante, Gogogate, and MyQ.
Garage door openers are not new home automation technology; they have been around for almost a hundred years! For a long time the lowly garage door opener has been taken for granted but recently there has been a renaissance and the old technology is new again. Loads...
Presence 360
Jan 6, 2017 | Categories: News Feed and Security & Monitoring. Tags: Android, iOS, and smartphone.
The Presence 360 is an iOS and Android controlled 'Security Camera Robot' that, along with the app, converts your old smartphone into a panning and tilting security camera.
Water Main Shutdown Z-Wave Style
Dec 19, 2016 | Categories: DIY Control Systems, News Feed, and Security & Monitoring. Tags: Home Automation and Z-Wave.
Take leak detection to the next level with the Dome Z-Wave Valve Control Device.
Control Your Home with the Force
Dec 8, 2016 | Categories: Gadgets, Home Automation Systems, and News Feed. Tags: Hue and IFTTT.
Use Jedi mind tricks to control the world around you with the Sphero Force Band and the power of IFTTT.
Ecovent – Unlimited Zoning for Forced Air HVAC
Nov 24, 2016 | Categories: Heating & Cooling and News Feed. Tags: Ecovent, Home Automation, HVAC, and IoT.
The Ecovent system takes your connected thermostat to the next level by adding sensors and remotely controlled vents to each room of your home or office. This increases your comfort, decreases your costs and could possibly make you the coolest (or warmest?) geek in your neighbourhood!
The Voice Controlled Home Moves to China
Nov 23, 2016 | Categories: Gadgets, Home Automation Systems, News Feed, and Trends. Tags: Amazon Echo, Google Home, and voice control.
The LingLong DingDong is China's answer to Amazon's Echo. It shows that there is world wide demand for these products and maybe a better way for the market leaders Amazon and Google to break through into those markets?
Code Stack Vulnerability Illustrates the Gaps in IoT Security
Nov 8, 2016 | Categories: News Feed, Standards & Protocols, and Vulnerabilities. Tags: IoT, Philips, and ZigBee.
A vulnerability found in code widely used for connected Internet of Things (IoT) devices allowed researchers to take control of the devices. Beyond the routine uncovering of vulnerabilities the discovered vulnerability has drawn attention for a number of reasons...
Bluetooth Version 5
Jun 12, 2016 | Categories: News Feed and Standards & Protocols. Tags: Bluetooth, Insteon, Thread, Z-Wave, and ZigBee.
On June 16th, the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) will be holding one of their regular Discover Blue media events in London. It is expected they will be announcing details about the next iteration of their wireless standard. The announcement for Bluetooth...
JupiterMesh IoT Mesh Network
Jun 8, 2016 | Categories: News Feed and Standards & Protocols. Tags: IoT, JupiterMesh, and ZigBee.
The Zigbee Alliance announced JupiterMesh – a new Neighbourhood Area Network (NAN) IoT Mesh protocol. The network is intended to be the basis for municipalities and utilities to deploy “smart metering” and “smart city” technologies. The...
Honeywell's Lyric Hitting the Right Notes?
Jun 3, 2016 | Categories: Heating & Cooling, News Feed, Smart Home Hubs, and Standards & Protocols. Tags: Honeywell, Lyric, and Z-Wave.
Honeywell recently announced – or perhaps simply re-announced? – the release of the Honeywell Lyric Home Security and Control System part of their Lyric connected home platform. It is not clear from the press release if they have added new features to...
Hive Smart Thermostat
May 31, 2016 | Categories: Heating & Cooling and News Feed. Tags: ecobee, Hive, Nest, and smart thermostat.
Smart thermostats have been receiving more love in the past few years and British Gas has added an interesting alternative for folks in the UK with the Hive Active Heating 2 and Hot Water. The Nest thermostat is the hero product that most consumers know and picture...
Starship Delivery Drone
May 31, 2016 | Categories: Gadgets and News Feed. Tags: automated delivery, drone, robot, and Starship Technologies.
What springs to mind when you hear the words “Delivery Drone”? For most I would wager it is a quadcopter drone that is all over the media these days – flying places they shouldn’t and typically doing something to annoy, pester, or even...
ASUS Zenbo – Home Automation on Wheels?
May 30, 2016 | Categories: Gadgets, News Feed, and Smart Home Hubs. Tags: artificial intelligence, ASUS, robot, and Zenbo.
ASUS has announced Zenbo their 21st century robot butler on wheels. Although the technical details of the cloying little robot are scarce, it does claim to pack a lot into a small and (reasonably) well priced package beginning at $599. The features include voice...
Experience Amazon Echo in your Browser for Free!
May 29, 2016 | Categories: News Feed, Smart Home Hubs, and Smart Speakers & Voice Assistants. Tags: Amazon Alexa, Amazon Echo, and voice control.
There has been a lot of recent interest in the Amazon Echo – the voice command driven artificial intelligence device colloquially known as Alexa – and now you can get to know her even if you haven’t purchased the Echo or don’t live in the United States. A...
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