A cottage industry of app development around the Philips Hue family of smart LED lighting has produced a nice collection of software that runs on the popular Apple TV platform. Certainly, the native Hue smartphone app is always an option for lighting control, and remains…
Do you find yourself having to juggle multiple power strips so that you can keep all your tech devices charged while trying to accomplish your daily tasks? Now may be the opportune time to stow away the extension cords and consider an electrical system wiring…
Along with brightening our moods, sunbeams can lengthen our lives and certainly make them happier by improving your health. You can get even more out of sunlight by adding motorized window treatment (MWT) systems to your home while getting additional benefits. These systems enable room…
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…
From our colleagues at CopyPress, here's a timely infographic for Earth Day 2019, where you can learn about some great tips for saving money and helping to save the environment. These include recommendations for switching to LED light bulbs and smart thermostats, tips on water…
Smart plugs have become a staple in today’s connected home, and for good reason. They are perfect for converting standard table and floor lamps into smart lighting, controlling small appliances such as coffee makers and fans, and saving on energy consumption. This is the sweet…
As March Madness rolls into its final days, the drudgery of work can get in the way. But seriously, what's more important than NCAA hoops this time of the year, particularly when your alma mater is still in the mix? Solve that dilemma by asking…
Whether you do spring cleaning every year as a personal tradition or not, it's something everyone ends up doing. There's something about being cooped up inside all winter that makes any living space feel stuffy. Once warmer spring weather arrives, everyone wants to start fresh.…
Update 15 March, 2019: IKEA has delayed launch of their smart shades in Europe to later in 2019, and an exact date has not been made known, This means they will be coming even later to the U.S. Below is our original article on these…
The soaring popularity of virtual assistants has set the stage for competition. With contributions from Amazon and Google, consumers across the country have to choose between two of the tech industry's leading brands. Neck and neck, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant and each deliver value…
First revealed at CES 2019 in January and carrying over into the 2019 NAHB International Builders' Show (IBS) in February, the KB Home ProjeKt near Las Vegas strives to deliver on connected home and design features to focus on the long-term health and wellness of…
Americans spend an average of 90% of their time inside, where pollutants can be up to five times more concentrated than they are outside, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These pollutants, such as mold or carbon monoxide (CO), pose health risks ranging…
Getting enough natural sunlight in your living space is vital if you wish to feel good and stay healthy, and focusing on the blinds is the easiest way to do that. Controlling blinds through motorization might not be on the top of your list of…
What does electric vehicle and energy innovator Tesla have in common with smart lighting pioneer Nanoleaf? As it turns out, both companies seemingly want to cover major surfaces of your home with state-of-the-art technology products. In the Tesla case, they intend to reinvent your roof…
Adding to a repertoire of voice commands for its smart door locks, August Home has added a smart unlock feature for the Google Assistant. Designed to work with the August Smart Lock and Smart Lock Pro, the new integration pairs a voice command with a…
In a play to make its audio gear more relevant in today’s connected home, Bose has launched new smart speakers and soundbars with the Amazon Alexa voice assistant built in. New products from the company include the Home Speaker 500, Soundbar 500, and Soundbar 700,…
Anyone who has ever lived with a cat knows that you don't own them—they own you. We love our felines. They're affectionate but independent. Best of all for busy owners, they’re fairly low maintenance. But what if you could make pet care even easier? There…
Making a wager on the existence of connected home life beyond pure voice activation, Google has announced Google Home Hub, a 7-in. touchscreen tabletop display with the Google Assistant built in. As part of the growing Google Home speaker family, the device dutifully processes voice…
Putting a new face on the social network, Facebook has announced its Portal line of countertop video displays and cameras, designed to enable video calling with Facebook friends or Messenger contacts. Clearly ideated to embrace the video-everywhere mantra of the Menlo Park company, the two-way…
You walk into the kitchen and stare at your countertop. It looks so empty and lonely there. Your trusty old coffee pot brews some bitter muck that helps you get through the morning, but you wouldn't call it smart. Sometimes, when you go shopping, you…
