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
DISH has been at the forefront of cord cutting technologies, having launched the original OTT aggregator in Sling TV and more recently unveiling home hardware to harness antenna television. DISH clearly continues to crank away in this space as an AirTV 2 just passed through the FCC. The question is: Which sort of AirTV will … Read more