The advantages of smart thermostats are very apparent — not only do they look good and give you remote access through a smartphone, but they can save money on your energy bills. But are there any disadvantages to the popular smart home product? And will any old smart thermostat do, or should you spring for…
While you’re shopping around for the best smart light, you may be trying to find the ones that play the nicest with your Apple devices. HomeKit compatibility helps you manage your smart lights alongside all other devices in the home from a common interface. This way, you can have seamless automation and control of everything…
The latest Ring Video Doorbells offer an excellent pairing of motion sensors with audio and visual communication and a variety of battery options for multiple placement choices. Sometimes they do require a complete reset. Ring Doorbells also come with a basic reset option to put them into a setup mode, which you’ll need to know…
Garmin watches are known for their robust activity tracking, but that’s not all these fitness watches can do. Over the years, the company has been adding wellness features to its lineup of watches. These new health-focused metrics allow people to analyze their fitness and identify outside factors affecting their performance. Stress is one factor that…
Smart plugs help you add some intelligence to home appliances that don’t have built-in Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connectivity. With these little intermediaries between your wall outlet and your appliance, you can remotely activate them by voice, set schedules, and monitor power draw. We’re going to show you how to get smart plugs managed in Google…
Solar panels are a great addition to any home, but it takes a bit of work to find the right ones. You’ll need to consider whether you’ll be off-grid, how much sun you’re anticipating, your total home energy needs, and how much battery storage you’ll want. With the right solar panels, you’ll be able to…
The advent of smart lighting has provided a wealth of new opportunities for tweaking personal health. The right color temperatures and timing can optimize focus during the day and ease sleep schedules at night. Let’s dig into the many health factors that smart lighting touches upon. Contents How does lighting affect sleep? How does lighting…
Getting a smart home security camera is a sound investment, but sometimes they act up. If you have the Wyze Cam Outdoor, you might need to give it a quick reboot. Here’s how to go about a power cycle with it. Contents How do I power cycle my outdoor Wyze camera? How do I get…
If you’re looking for a smart home security system or maybe you already have some elements of a system and want to expand, you’re likely looking at both the Arlo and Ring systems. Both are well-known, popular, and easy-to-use DIY systems that are also affordable. But is one better than the other? We did a…
There’s nothing quite like expanding the colors and action of your favorite shows beyond your TV to your entire viewing area. All of a sudden, your living room is exploding with reds and oranges when a grenade goes off in the show, or you’re surrounded by blues when going under the waves in a nature…