Can LIFX Z Light Strips Be Cut? (The REAL Reason LIFX Are Vague…)

An LED light strip about to be cut along the cutting line

Smart strip lights have changed how we approach our home lighting setups. These lights let you customize a wide range of lighting options. Whether you are setting up luxury under lighting in your living room, or you are building out a new utility lighting in the garage, there’s no project that these lights can’t illuminate.   … Read more

Help! My Amazon Echo Is Making Random Noises/Beeps/Chimes?! (How To Fix) – New Video

YouTube thumbnail for weird Amazon Echo sounds

This is a video guide to go alongside my blog post last year which walks you through everything to investigate if your amazon echo makes random noise, beeps, chimes – or even weird train-like sounds! Echo devices are very useful, but they have been known to make “creepy” noises at times, which can be confusing … Read more

4K UHD Smart Doorbells (Do Any Exist? Are They Any Good?)

Various Ring doorbells and cameras in a UK store.

If you’ve ever compared 4K video to standard “full HD” (i.e. 1080p) video, you will have seen a substantial difference. 4K contains four times as many pixels as 1080p video, which is just a fancy way of saying that you get much more detail from 4K videos. Therefore if you have a smart doorbell to … Read more

Can LIFX Connect To 5Ghz WiFi? Or Is 2.4Ghz Better For Smart Bulbs?

A LIFX full RGB B22 bulb in its box

Debuting in 2012, LIFX (pronounced Life – X) introduced a line of smart bulbs that would prove to be a game-changer in the homes of many. Coming to the fore near the beginning of the ‘smart home era’, these lights became a fun and intuitive way to add color, atmosphere, and additional functionality to your … Read more

Hue Lab Formula Examples – Color Loop, Living Scenes (& 12 More!) – New Video

Philips Hue bulb and lightstrip in my study (as a YouTube thumbnail) with Hue Labs screenshot to the right

The official Philips Hue app is a little bit… boring, to be honest. Unlike the LIFX app, there are no dynamic effects or scenes. Any scenes or colors chosen within the Hue app are just static – meaning they don’t then change color or brightness. However thankfully Hue have the “Hue Labs”, which allow you … Read more

Help! My Ring Device’s Battery Is Draining Too Fast (How to Fix)

The Ring Alarm base station mounted on a wall above a shelf, with a Ring stick-up cam sitting on the shelf.

There are plenty of smart home devices that have chosen rechargeable batteries over your old-fashioned outlet options for power. This allows you even greater mobility and a wider range of potential installation points, but it does have its drawbacks.  Ring devices that are battery operated can lose their charge over time depending on a variety … Read more

Does The Ring Stick-Up Cam Come With A Mount? (Should You Buy A Third Party Mount?)

The base of the Ring Indoor and Stick up Cam mount

Ring Stick-Up Cameras are a great choice for smart home enthusiasts who either want to expand their home security technology as well as people just taking their first steps into home automation and security. These cameras are versatile and designed to be attached to a wide range of different surfaces.  If you’ve been worried about … Read more

Does The Ring Stick Up Cam Have a Light?

The Ring Stick Up Cam installed outdoors.

Ring Stick-Up Cameras are a lightweight and easily networked solution for people who want to get the most out of there smart home security. These cameras work with Alexa and the Ring app meaning they are simple-to-setup choices to get started with your smart home system. These cameras are designed to work both indoors and … Read more

Ring Doorbell Wired vs Pro (What’s the difference?!) – New Video

Ring Doorbell Wired vs Pro (with me looking up at them)

I purchased the Ring Doorbell Pro – a purely hardwired Ring doorbell – around a year ago, and it’s working out really nicely for me. But Ring have now announced the Ring Doorbells Wired, which is also purely hardwired. So… what’s the difference between the Pro and Wired versions? And what are the similarities? Well, … Read more

Philips Hue Smart Plug Review: Everything You Need To Know

Philips Hue smart plug box - side view

When I first seen the Philips Hue Smart Plug, I thought “Why’s it 3-4x more expensive than other smart plugs”? I then wondered whether the fact that it’s controllable via Zigbee and Bluetooth offers any major benefit that justifies its price increase? After going out and buying this Hue Smart Plug, I wanted to write … Read more