If you’ve been following along, you know ecobee is working on a variety of new products. While the company will expand their reach into the smart home later this year with (at least) an indoor camera and contact sensor, an updated ecobee thermostat and sensor is expected any day now. And, thanks to Lowe’s, all … Read more
Alexa Routines have become increasingly powerful and Amazon just upped the virtual hub ante with sunrise/sunset triggers. As shown in the video, we can use those ever shifting times to put a variety of smart home devices into action. In my case, I’m migrating three less elegant Hue lighting routines into two Alexa routines given … Read more
Welp, it’s time to pour one out for the Xfinity On-Demand services that will be removed from all TiVo platforms come June 25th. Announcement of the functionality back in 2011 marked a seminal moment in DVR retail history, where the nation’s largest cable provider stepped up to the plate and collaborated with TiVo to right … Read more
What if you could take the Arlo Pro 2 1080p cameras, run on standard AA batteries instead of proprietary, significantly lower the price of entry, and potentially have a 2-year camera charge? You’d have the new Blink XT2! At least that’s the Blink sales pitch — and it could be close. Amazon-owned Blink announced the … Read more
Satellite television provider DISH continues to hedge their bets, given a variety of cord cutting streaming hardware and services that seemingly acknowledge the contraction of traditional pay television. They even mount OTA television antennas, under the AirTV shingle, via their network of satellite dish installers! And they’re about ready to improve installation precision for improved … Read more
As a brand spanking new indoor Nest camera passes through the FCC, a tipster has provided imagery of an upcoming Samsung video cam. And, unlike prior generations, they’re going with “SmartThings” branding. However, this smart home space is increasingly crowded with great options – from upper echelon connected cams, like Arlo and Nest, on one … Read more
I’ve long been a fan of Hue lighting wall dimmers. But those days are about over given the Lutron Aurora. Years ago, the Hue dimmer bridged the analog and digital environments, allowing all household members to easily control room lighting via a more traditional switch. While the dimmers go well beyond simplistic brightness controls with … Read more
Beyond dropping the dime on AirTV 2, SatelliteGuys.US has also uncovered the upcoming AirTV Mini. This Android-powered 4K dongle will replace the original AirTV Player, coming in at a lower price ($80) and more compact presentation. DISH’s timing is ideal, as access to an authentic, affordable Android TV stick with full Google Assistant and Google … Read more