The location, the view, the layout—all three checked off the must-have list when a recent HGTV House Hunter was introduced to this 1,360-square-foot home in San Clemente, Calif. Situated within walking distance to the ocean, the 3 bedroom house also had “good bones.” The only thing missing was smart home technology. But this didn’t prevent […]
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by Jay Basen We all know how to get a weather report by asking Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant for the information … or checking an app … or programming a home-automation system to present the Web-based data on a touchscreen. We can even install a weather station at the premises to glean super-local data […]
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Google Assistant, along with other voice-control platforms like Amazon Alexa and Apple Siri, is gaining steam as a smart home control solution. According to a study by Parks Associates, consumer adoption of voice assistants more than doubled from 2015 and 2016. Based on this growing popularity, manufacturers have been developing and introducing voice-controllable smart home […]
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Forget about scouring the Earth to find that perfect home tech gift. They’re widely available and at places you probably already frequent. You can buy the perfect sweater, perfume, and socks at Kohl’s … then visit their new “Smart Home Experience” zone, where you’ll find lot of Amazon Echo devices. Head to Target for a […]
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The young couple that bought this New York house decided to do a full-gut renovation and wanted to update the entire house with modern technology. The results are so impressive the project was named the Silver Before & After winner of the 2017 Electronic House Home of the Year Awards. See more award-winning homes here […]
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If anyone knows what kinds of tech people want as gifts, it’s the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) and uber-tech retailer Best Buy. Both organizations conduct research annually to get a feel for what sort of tech will be flying off the shelves. Only time will tell if they were on target or completely off, but […]
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U.S Army Staff Sgt. Lucas David Cifka was on foot patrol in Afghanistan when he stepped on a pressure plate improvised explosive device (IED) that took both of his legs and broke multiple bones. More than 30 surgeries later, Sgt. Cifka decided to settle down in Canyon Lake, Texas, with his wife and son. That’s […]
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Typically when living in a smart home its owners issue commands to the automation system to make certain devices do certain things — dim the lights, lower the thermostat, open the motorized shades, etc. While this is completely doable in this Gold Home of the Year award-winning smart home, the house not only listens and […]
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It’s Halloween night and the trick-or-treaters are out in full force. How do you entice candy seekers to visit your house? Or maybe you turn off all the lights to keep them away. Ashu Gholkar of Moorpark, Calif., created a fantastic automated Halloween display that appeals to everyone—it’s both gentle and welcoming for young kids […]
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Home technology is becoming so popular that even Marcia Brady from The Brady Bunch would be jealous these days. According to the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Home Design Trends Study, home technology is absolutely on fire in terms of its popularity among architects, and smart thermostats and lighting controls are leading the pack. The […]
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