Connected Garage

The Amazon Key In-Garage Delivery service has launched in 50 U.S. cities. Image: Digitized House.

Connected Home / Connected Garage / Apple HomeKit / Review / Security Cameras / News / Featured Articles

Amazon Key In-Garage Delivery Launches with Chamberlain myQ Technology

Zeroing in on doorstep package theft, Amazon has partnered with garage door opener maker Chamberlain in the launch of the Amazon Key In-Garage Delivery service. Available now to Prime customers in 50 U.S. cities—including our home base of Austin, Texas—the service requires a Chamberlain myQ…

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2 May 2019

Qi wireless charging in the Toyota Prius Prime. Image: Toyota.

Connected Garage

Forgot to Charge Your Phone? These Cars Have Integrated Qi Wireless Chargers

You may never have to worry about charging your phone before hitting the road again. With these cars, you can charge your phone as you drive, thanks to their integrated Qi wireless chargers. What is Qi Charging? Qi wireless charging is a technology that enables…

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12 December 2018

The Rachio 3 Smart Irrigation Controller has been upgraded to support Apple HomeKit. Image: Rachio.

Connected Home / Connected Garage / Amazon Alexa / Apple HomeKit / Water Conservation / Google Assistant / Sustainable Home

Rachio Brings Apple HomeKit and Siri to Irrigation Control

Filling a gap in the Apple HomeKit home automation ecosystem, Rachio has added HomeKit compatibility to their latest smart irrigation controller, the Rachio 3. The Colorado-based company says this is the first smart irrigation controller with onboard HomeKit firmware. The integration facilitates control with the…

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28 September 2018

Robotic mowers can be a big time saver in your landscape, giving you more time to tend to the garden. Image: Husqvarna.

Connected Home / Connected Garage / Water Conservation / Sustainable Home / Healthy Home / Homes / How-To

Smart Solutions to Accelerate Garden Growth

Having a garden is one of the biggest joys a nature enthusiast can have in their lives. You get to hand pick the little plants you want to raise in your yard and take pride in raising them well into their blooming stages. The trick…

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10 August 2018

Do you know if your garage door is open or closed right now? The new generation of smart garage door opener controllers can let you check via your smartphone. Image: Digitized House Media.

Connected Home / Connected Garage / Amazon Alexa / Apple HomeKit / Google Assistant / Product Guide / Gadgets / Homes / Secure Home

5 Smart Controllers to Elevate Your Garage Door

There are smart door locks and intelligent room lights and thermostats, so why not smart garage door controllers, too? As it turns out, you can buy those and there are a growing number to choose from. Here are five of the best ones.  [1] Chamberlain…

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8 August 2018

Skydrop Arc Controller. Image: Skydrop.

Connected Home / Connected Garage / Green Building / Amazon Alexa / Water Conservation / Google Assistant / Product Guide / Sustainable Home / Smart Speakers

6 Best Smart Irrigation Controllers to Keep Your Lawn Happy

As the temperatures creep up during the long days of summer, lawns grow thirsty. Even though you might have the best intentions to keep your lawn properly watered and looking lush and green, busy work schedules and family activities can derail you from those plans.…

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21 July 2018

Roost Smart Garage Door Sensor. Image: Roost.

Connected Home / Connected Garage / Secure Home

Roost Smart Garage Door Sensor Elevates the Connected Garage

Aiming to make the connected garage a safer haven for your automobile and household goods, the Roost Smart Garage Door Sensor is a Wi-Fi-enabled smart-home accessory that will send customizable alerts to your smartphone based on the opening or closing of the garage door. Set…

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8 February 2018

iDevices EV Charger and Ceiling Fan Switch. Image: iDevices.

Connected Home / Connected Garage / Energy Conservation / Green Building / Amazon Alexa / Apple HomeKit / Sustainable Home

Smart EV Charger and Ceiling Fan Switch join iDevices connected home portfolio

As a consolidation movement continues among connected home product companies, Internet of Things (IoT) device maker iDevices—a pioneer in development of Apple HomeKit accessories—was acquired in April 2017 by Hubbell Incorporated, a large multinational electric, electronics, and lighting manufacturer. Similarly, leading Silicon Valley smart door…

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31 January 2018

ChargePoint Home EV chargers work with Amazon Alexa. Images: ChargePoint and Amazon

Connected Home / Connected Garage / Energy Conservation / Amazon Alexa / Sustainable Home / Smart Speakers

Connected garages just got smarter: ChargePoint brings Amazon Alexa to EV charging

The connected garage just got smarter. Home-based 240-volt charging stations are becoming de rigueur for many electric vehicle (EV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) owners, as cars with high-capacity battery systems can be painfully slow to charge when plugged into standard outlets. Fulfilling the…

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5 January 2018

Connected Home / Connected Garage / Energy Conservation / Sustainable Home / Video

Sights and sounds: 2017 National Drive Electric Week in Austin

https://youtu.be/ketaycdph0M Organized by Plug In America, the Sierra Club, and the Electric Auto Association, the 2017 edition of National Drive Electric Week (NDEW) was a rolling, week-long, multi-national series of 288 or more locally-organized events aimed at promoting electric vehicle (EV) adoption and awareness. In the…

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27 September 2017

Austin Energy Electric Drive launch event.

Connected Home / Connected Garage / Energy Conservation / Sustainable Home

Austin Energy lights up E Source Forum with Electric Drive award

On the heels of their March 2017 Electric Drive event, utility provider Austin Energy lit up the 2017 E Source Forum by winning the Best Event/Experiential Marketing award at the annual conference—an energy-saving mecca of sorts for electric or natural gas utilities and large business customers…

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18 September 2017

2017 Toyota Prius Prime Advanced.

Connected Garage / Energy Conservation / Sustainable Home

Join us at National Drive Electric Week in Austin

The 2017 edition of National Drive Electric Week (NDEW) is a prime time to see, touch, and experience a broad range of electric vehicles—and if you are planning on attending the Austin, Texas, event on September 16, you can get up close and personal with our…

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15 September 2017

Connected Home / Connected Garage / Sustainable Home

In our connected garage: 2017 Toyota Prius Prime

For many owners of today’s increasingly connected and energy-efficient homes, equally connected and energy-efficient automobiles can be the next logical step. And taking that next step often includes snubbing conventionally-powered gasoline and diesel autos in favor of searching among a new generation of hybrid, plug-in…

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30 July 2017

Connected Home / Connected Garage / Architecture / Design / Healthy Home / Home Design / Secure Home

Inside the Nest Connected Home at IBS 2017: Part 3

Proving smart-home technologies can be great go-togethers when carefully selected, the Nest Connected Home at the 2017 NAHB International Builders’ Show (IBS) in Orlando, Florida, earlier this year was a showcase for what can be done through the integration of off-the-shelf products. In this final…

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10 April 2017

Connected Home / Connected Garage / Green Building / Smart Door Locks / Sustainable Home / Architecture / Secure Home

Inside the Nest Connected Home at IBS 2017: Part 1

How would a small, modern dwelling look and serve its occupants if it were outfitted with connected home products and technologies in every room, and on every wall, inside and out? That question was answered by the Nest Connected Home, a 784-square-foot smart home built…

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30 January 2017

Connected Home / Connected Garage / Green Building / Solar Photovoltaics / Sustainable Home / Architecture

Tesla Solar Roof: Are metal roofs passé?

Metal surfaces have earned a well-deserved reputation as the leading roofing choice on today’s sustainable architecture homefront, and for good reasons. The benefits of these roofs are many, including an extremely long service life, near-zero maintenance, increased safety through fire resistance, higher energy efficiency, and…

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31 October 2016

Connected Home / Connected Garage

Arrival of the Connected Garage

Connected garage is the term we have coined here at Digitized House to posture the garage or carport as not simply a place to park an automobile, but as a natural extension of the zero net energy (ZNE) home and the accompanying lifestyle. In this…

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7 October 2015