Smart Home

With the advancement of technology, smart homes and the devices & gadgets that make them smart are becoming more and more popular. Smart home technology includes appliances and devices which automate, learn, allow for remote control, and generally make like easier as well as saving you money due to their efficiency.

Some examples are doorbells which you can answer from anywhere in the world to WiFi enabled thermostats which you can control even when you're not at home. In this section we bring you articles about the ever growing number of smart devices for the home and ways to make your home more intelligent.

Enhance Your Nest Thermostat With Junction

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Submitted by Jason Horton on Tue, 03/10/2015 - 16:10
Email and Text alerts from Nest thermostat

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a report comparing the Nest and Lyric smart thermostats, and although the Nest compares favorably on many fronts one area where it falls behind is in the availability of alerts.

To help solve this problem is a free service called Junction.

Some Smart Shower Features Seem Outright Dumb To Me

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Submitted by Jason Horton on Wed, 02/25/2015 - 15:09
smart showers

Don't get me wrong - I'm all for any shower device that can reduce the amount of water and energy consumed, however it doesn't necessarily take a smart shower head to save water, and some of the new 'smart' products for showers seem quite odd to me.

Stylish and Affordable Home Automation Ideas

Submitted by Richard Bach on Thu, 11/27/2014 - 21:20
iPad mount

Do you think your home environment has become monotonous and outdated? Are you looking for ways to make it smarter and more efficient? Is improving the aesthetics and security also on the cards? If yes, read on for some of latest home automation solutions mentioned below.

There are so many factors that make your home look dull and reflect a sense of lifelessness over time. As a homeowner, you begin to need something that can make your home a smarter place to live. This is exactly when home automation tools can come in handy.

The Pros and Cons of Technology's March into our Homes

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Submitted by Jason Horton on Fri, 10/31/2014 - 12:27
technology in homes

Active and passive technology is now being woven into the very fabric of our homes, bringing with it many advantages.

This progress is taking us well beyond robot vacuum cleaners and thermostats we can talk with, and it may be happening faster than we realize. Given that today is Halloween, I felt it would be an appropriate time to look at not only the benefits, but also some of the slightly scarier implications of all this.

Have You Considered Getting A Smart Thermostat Yet?

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Submitted by Jason Horton on Fri, 10/03/2014 - 04:07
Smart Thermostats

If you're still using an old style thermostat where basically all you can do is set the temperature by walking up to it and changing the settings, then it's about time you took a serious look at the latest generation of smart thermostats.

For those of you who may not be familiar with this technology, they are basically replacements for your old thermostats which can perform a range of tasks from setting temperatures days or even weeks ahead, and can give you complete control from wherever you are using your smart phone.

Smart Home Technologies & Crowdfunding

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Submitted by Jason Horton on Thu, 02/20/2014 - 05:03
smart home technologies

Crowdfunding has revolutionized the way relatively small projects and inventions can get the backing they need to come to market, and this is especially true for smart home technologies.

Not only does this provide a way for entrepreneurs to fund their ideas, browsing through crowd funding websites is a great way to discover, and become an early adopter, of cutting-edge home automation products.

Save Money During The Holidays With Home Automation

Submitted by Lindsey Patterson on Wed, 11/20/2013 - 16:41
Home automation with old laptop

The winter is almost here, and holiday season is finally upon us. However, with the holidays comes cold weather, Christmas shopping, and a lot of different expenses. It is only natural then that we all try to cut back wherever we can so that we can save some precious pennies throughout those cold winter months.

Answer Your Doorbell from Anywhere with a Smartbell

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Submitted by Jason Horton on Fri, 11/01/2013 - 12:14
smartbell

For years now we've had the promise that 'smart homes' were just around the corner, and although it's been a long time coming, recent falls in the cost of smart technology have seen quite a few new products come out over the last year - and the latest one that caught my attention is the smartbell.

In a nutshell, this product lets you answer your doorbell from anywhere using your smartphone.

In addition to that, smartbell connects to any Z-WAVE compatible device such as locks and garage doors allowing you to control access via your smartphone as well.

Social Smart Lock from August

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Submitted by Jason Horton on Tue, 06/04/2013 - 03:16
August Smart Lock

Here's a new concept in home automation - the August Smart Lock which this start-up company is billing as a 'social' lock. BTW - August is the name of the company, not the month in which their product was launched.

Ok, so locks seem more like anti-social devices, after-all their primary purpose is to keep people out - not to help you be social. But this is where August have turned the old idea of locks upside-down.

Cheap Robot Vacuum Cleaner Review

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Submitted by Jason Horton on Fri, 05/31/2013 - 09:08
robot vacuum

Let's face it, robot vacuum cleaners are seriously cool!

The only problem is that some of them can be quite expensive, but don't worry - I've surveyed all the major brands and found the best affordable ones that will let you sit back and relax while your automated vacuum does all the work, without you having to work overtime to afford one.