When people think of smart lighting, they usually think of the obvious: full color (RGB) bulbs. Setting rooms to bright green, or dancing to strobe lighting effects. But I actually prefer a less discussed smart lighting feature: motion sensitive lighting. This is simple to set up, and it feels like something out of sci-fi. I … Read more
There’s a big security update that’s coming to Wi-Fi routers across the country and it’s coming soon. The WPA2 standard is set to be replaced by WPA3 over the next few years. This leaves us with some pretty big questions about our smart home ecosystems that are all tuned to run on WPA2. WPA3 is … Read more
People sometimes use the terms “Amazon Alexa” and “Amazon Echo” interchangeably, as though they are the same thing. But they are actually different. Amazon Alexa is the smart cloud platform used by Amazon, and this can be accessed on our phones, through our smart watches, in our cars – and yes, through Amazon Echo. Amazon … Read more
Smart plugs are a game changer for smart technology. So many of our devices are not a part of the smart technology boom, but the smart plug is a way for us to bridge the gap. Amazon makes one of the most popular lines of smart plugs. These devices can help you add basic smart … Read more
The Amazon smart plug is a great way to transform your pre-smart home technology into something a little more state of the art. You can use these plugs to bring your old lighting, appliances, and most other eclectic devices into the smart home fold. One of the biggest challenges with transforming everything into smart technology … Read more
Having an Amazon smart plug in your home is a great way to transform your electronics into truly smart devices. These little plugs can also do wonders for people who are looking to test the smart device waters, but don’t know which devices they want to upgrade first. All in all, smart plugs represent a … Read more
Since its introduction, the Amazon Smart plug has become increasingly popular with smart home users around the world. These simple, easy-to-operate smart plugs have helped many turn their normal or ‘dumb’ appliances into smart appliances, making it possible to integrate these appliances into their already functional smart homes. Being manufactured by Amazon, this smart plug … Read more
With the introduction of the smart plug, came a new convenience that has even further enhanced the functionality of today’s smart home. Smart plugs have been a game-changer for those who want to integrate their ‘dumb’, or average fixtures (i.e. lamps and air conditioners), into their smart homes. One of the best selling smart plug’s … Read more
The goal of most smart home owners is to get their homes to operate seamlessly and achieve interoperability with all of their smart devices. With the introduction of smart home hubs such as Amazon’s Echo, Samsung SmartThings, and Apple HomeKit, just to name a few, this goal of interoperability seemed to become a reality. However, … Read more
The “Communicate” tab on the Alexa app shows various options, including ‘Call’ and ‘Message’. This allows you to contact your Echo devices, but also people in your contact list. So are these calls and messages free, or do they cost money? The communication options within Alexa and Echo (including calls and messaging) are completely free, … Read more