I’m not a fan of unnecessary Cloud dependencies in home automation tech. So when I started chatting with Hubitat about their home automation controller (HAC), and we started getting into the details I was thrilled to find out that their model is almost entirely Cloud free. Naturally there is a bit to handle connection brokering from locations outside the LAN […]
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WiSA is neat tech. So I always make a point to put them on the list of groups to meet with at CES. There wasn’t much new this year; the chips still top out at a Dolby Atmos unfriendly channel count. Although as a “better” alternative to a soundbar (i.e good in a good/better/best) for the vast majority of consumers […]
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Last year, I was really impressed with First Alert Onelink‘s Alexa/Google Home enabled smoke/CO detectors. This year, even more so with their plans to release a Wi-Fi mesh model. Details were a bit sparse on the floor, but I was promised more information in “early 2019”. Such an amazing idea, that should solve wireless connectivity in most any modern home. […]
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So in my search lately for better and more controlled home automation, I have tried many platforms. One of them is Home Assistant. Upon reading on a page of Konnected (awesome alarm conversion stuff if you haven’t looked), I came across the fact that Home Assistant is owned by Ubiquiti Networks and really is getting some push beyond it. I […]
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Another Google product comes to an end. This affects me personally using 4 of these great devices. Has me really re-thinking any future google purchases. Our product portfolio continues to evolve, and now we have a variety of products for users to enjoy audio. We have therefore stopped manufacturing our Chromecast Audio products. We will continue to offer assistance for […]
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I often wonder how vendors select demo material to show off their products. Some of them just don’t seem to understand, SVS does not fall into that category however. With a selection of content which always makes their kit look, er sound, great and usually puts a big grin on my face – they clearly get it (who doesn’t love […]
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We all have a friend or family member who would be a great candidate for cord cutting, but the complexity of setting up a NAS or PC “server” is too much for them. The new $199 SiliconDust Scribe Duo could be the perfect solution for them. It has 2 OTA tuners, access to SD’s premium service, 1TB of hard drive […]
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When RHA announced the CL2 Planar was one of the first companies I put on the “must stop by” list for this CES, and I was not disappointed. They are hands down the best headphones I have ever experienced, which, given the $900 price tag they should be. The clarity, responsiveness, and quick transitions all stood out, but it was […]
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Wi-Fi 6, or 802.11ax, is a thing now… And there appear to be real benefits to the updated standard, especially in congested locations. Naturally early adoption isn’t cheap, with this new ASUS RT-AX88U SRP’g for $350. But, if future proofing (at least for a year or two :)) is on your resolutions list, this could be exactly the thing for […]
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If only that were a joke! This Windows 10 article has my blood boiling for a number of reasons. Microsoft stated Windows 10 would be their final operating system. Then, they forced it down everyone’s throat with the enticement of a free operating system upgrade, unadulterated chicanery, plus the threat of pulling the free upgrade after a year, thereby making anyone […]
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