Roku Indoor Camera 360 SE vs. Blink Mini Pan-Tilt Camera | Digital Trends

July 13, 2023July 11, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

As far as affordable indoor cameras go, it’s hard to beat the Roku Indoor Camera 360 SE and Blink Mini Pan-Tilt Camera. Both cameras cost less than $60 (and are often on sale for much less), can swivel to provide a 360-degree perspective of your home, and offer tons of additional functionality when opting for a premium monthly subscription.

If you’re trying to decide between the Roku Indoor Camera 360 SE and Blink Mini Pan-Tilt Camera, here’s a comparison of the two popular products to help you figure out which is best for your smart home.

Review: LIFX smart bulbs are easy to use and cheaper than other brands | Mashable

January 27, 2023January 25, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

I’m not gonna lie, I’ve been a fan of smart bulbs for a few years. Originally, I definitely hesitated — I’ve always been someone who didn’t really see the point of going full “smart home” (because do you really need everything to be WiFi-enabled?) — but once I tried my first smart bulb, I was absolutely hooked.

Weirdly enough, my first foray into smart lighting sucked. My partner purchased a random brand from Amazon, and the bulbs were finicky, hard to set up, and barely produced any light. However, it was obvious that there was potential there. We loved the ability to change the lights to suit our mood, but we quickly realized that — when it comes to smart lighting — the brand you choose definitely matters. So is LIFX one of those brands? Here’s what you need to know.

The Wall-Mountable Echo Show 15 Will Rule Your Smart Home | Digital Trends

September 30, 2021September 30, 2021 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Amazon’s annual fall showcase saw its fair share of exciting announcements. One such revelation is the all-new Amazon Echo Show 15, the company’s biggest smart display yet.

The 15.6-inch 1080p HD display parts ways with the boxier designs of previous Echo Show displays, favoring a sleeker, moreflat design. It’s also the first Show that can be wall-mounted for either landscape or portrait viewing. Powered by the Alexa voice assistant and Amazon’s new AZ2 neural-edge processor, it places a great emphasis on shared family connections. Intended to stand upright or be hung in communal spots throughout the home (living room, kitchen, hallway, etc.), the Echo Show 15 will allow the whole family to check in on shared calendar events, post sticky notes, add to shopping lists, and more.

7 Things You Didn’t Know Your Alexa Smart Speaker Could Do | Digital Trends

April 21, 2021April 18, 2021 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

There’s no doubt that an Alexa-powered smart speaker is useful. After all, the ability to control your smart home, play games, and choose music with your voice is phenomenal — but did you know there are a lot of abilities that go overlooked?

Alexa is jam-packed with features that don’t get as much time in the limelight. Some will keep you entertained, while others can help you give back to the world around you.

This is how Apple will make your home smarter | Mashable

August 18, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

It’s worth wondering if we’d be further along in our quest for the ultimate smart home if we had never called it a Smart Home.

The idea that an entire dwelling could achieve something approaching sentience in one-fell swoop was always ludicrous. While our homes represent a singular idea, they’re comprised of a million competing ones. Invariably it’s a hodgepodge, an eclectic mix of design, decor, gadgets and interfaces.

We buy what we like and what we think will fill a utility gap. The refrigerator is purchased for one reason, while the electric stove is for another. Our dish washing machine might be from Kenmore while our clothes dryer is from Samsung.

We buy one set of shades for one room and a different set for another.

In the early days of the smart home revolution, manufacturers tried to sell consumers on a cohesive idea: turnkey systems installed by professionals with a centrally managed interface that only a Mensa candidate could figure out.

Amazon Echo: This is what a smart home should feel like [REVIEW] | Mashable

February 25, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The Echo is Amazon’s latest futuristic gadget experiment. It’s one part Bluetooth speaker and one part personal voice assistant. And it blew my mind.

You control the Echo with your voice; you can tell it to do things like play music, read news briefs aloud, add items to your to-do and shopping lists, and tell you the weather. In other words, the Echo is like the realization of HAL 9000 in a black canister, only without the frightening pulsating red camera eye, and not nearly as intelligent.