Tis the season! Before you pack up the kids and head over the river and through the woods it's important to make sure you're leaving your home secure and out of the eyes of thieves. Almost 400,000 break-ins occur in the US during November and December, according to the FBI. The last thing you want to worry about during the holidays are burglars. Fortunately, home automation is a great tool to keep your home safe and sound while you're away enjoying the holiday season.
Whether you use a projector for work presentations or in a home theater to unwind and watch movies, you can agree that a burnt out projection bulb never happens at a good time. Not only can replacing a projector bulb be an inconvenience, it can also be expensive.
You may be a fan of home automation because you love technology and the idea of being able to control your entire home with the touch of a button, but did you know that it can actually save you lots of money? Many of us rush out the door in the morning and forget to adjust the thermostat or turn off all the lights. What if you could control aspects such as lighting or thermostats right from your smart phone? Or even better yet, what if your devices could learn from you? You may have heard of thermostats that learn your patterns such as when you go to work or when you're home on weekends. These are great options to save money and these types of thermostats can pay for themselves in a year.
This week I am so excited about the new software update from Sonos. Just when I thought the Sonos Playbar Soundbar couldn’t get any better, now the update can turn it into a 5.1 surround system by allowing the Connect Amp to drive two rear channels turning the Soundbar into a 5.1 DTS surround sound system. Before, users would be limited to using the Play:3 speakers, but now you can use other options. I used my existing Sonance Invisible Series speakers for the rear channel and it worked out perfectly. I love that this update gives you complete control on rear channel type and placement. Now the options are truly endless. The software update, which released this month, is quick and only takes about two minutes. Other features with the update allow the mute button to function as play, pause, or skip.
