How Long The Ring Floodlight Stays On (& Other Useful Info)

Ring Floodlight Cam wall mounted - bottom view

The Ring Floodlight Cam is a really useful two-in-one smart camera: it has all the usual smart cam functionality that you’d expect from Ring, along with two lights which output a total of 3,000 lumens of brightness (which is quite bright, in case you aren’t too sure how much 3,000 lumens is!). But how exactly … Read more

Ring Smart Floodlight vs Floodlight Cam vs Cam Plus & Pro (Huh?!)

Two Ring Floodlight Cams installed at different points of my property one on my house and one on my garage

Ring’s line of products is dynamic – always expanding and changing. Some devices get upgrades, others, new versions. But the bottom line is, Ring is always finding new ways to expand their line of smart home devices. One way they’ve done this is with their smart Floodlights and Floodlight Cams. While originally many thought there … Read more

Zigbee vs Z-Wave vs WiFi vs Bluetooth: What’s Best?!

A diagram showing how Google's Wi-Fi router and points work, and how they extend your house's WiFi coverage (even to outdoor WiFi products).

I remember when I first started getting into smart homes. I was happily running a few (WiFi based) Echo speakers, but I started to hear terms like ‘Zigbee’ and ‘Z-Wave’ thrown around too. I was also (obviously) aware of Bluetooth, but I’d mainly seen it used in headphones and mobile phones: so it seemed odd … Read more

Kasa Smart Plug Overheating Problems (What To Do Now)

A Kasa Smart Plug with totally realistic flames coming out of it (not Photoshopped at all...)

Smart plugs are one of the best smart devices out there, but they’re also prone to overheating (in a small number of cases). What should you do if your Kasa smart plug starts overheating? The first thing you should do is disconnect your smart plug and allow it to cool down. You should inspect the … Read more

Newsletter (26th Aug 22): Smart Home News (& History’s Being Made!)

YouTube thumbail showing me partying with the text Hue Labs plus Alexa Routines equals PARTY

(This newsletter was sent on 26th August 2022, to the first 50 subscribers to our newly-launched newsletter.) Welcome to the FIRST EVER* Smart Home Point Newsletter (* Do you feel honored to be one of the first 50 subscribers?!) Today’s newsletter will be shorter-than-average – it is mainly a ‘hello’, and to say thanks for … Read more

Running Hue Lab Formulas (Or Scenes) via Alexa Routines – New Video

YouTube thumbail showing me partying with the text Hue Labs plus Alexa Routines equals PARTY

Alexa routines are quite powerful, and they include turning smart bulbs on/off – and changing their color. But it wasn’t possible to dynamically change the color… until now! Recent support added by Philips Hue means that you can kick off Hue Lab Formulas within Alexa routines, allowing you to setup some really awesome smart home … Read more

Why Does Amazon Music Stop Playing ‘Due To No Activity’?

Sleep Timer in Amazon Music

One of the best things about having an Amazon Echo is the ability to play your music. You can have it either playing from one Echo or, if you have multiple Echos in different rooms, you can play music throughout your home! So it stands to reason that when you’re, let’s say, cleaning, or working, … Read more