Archives - Page 157 of 157 - At Home in the Future

REVIEW: Eneloop Rechargeable Batteries

November 10, 2014 3 Eric Murrell

Secret little money savers. We knew having kids would be expensive, but one expense we didn’t account for was keeping batteries in dozens of electronic toys. Every birthday and each Christmas brings with it a new family of chirping plastic…

Lighting

Government Confirms: LED Lighting is Getting Better and Better

November 8, 2014 0 Eric Murrell

A recent report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (surely a fun place to work), confirms that LED lighting continues to pull ahead of Compact Fluorescents and Incandescents in performance per watt. It’s a great time to replace your bulbs,…

Planning

Rethinking the Home Security System

November 7, 2014 8 Eric Murrell

Better choices with a smaller budget. A few weeks ago, we sat down with our builder to go over an itemized budget as we break ground on the new house. One thing that stuck out to me was the $1200…

First Look

First Look: Amazon Echo

November 6, 2014 0 Eric Murrell

Thinking out loud. There’s a bit of a dichotomy between the virtual assistants we see in fiction, and the ones that are beginning to invade the marketplace. We weigh the dream-like notion of the digital companion from Her against the…

Heating/Cooling

REVIEW: Nest Learning Thermostat

November 6, 2014 6 Eric Murrell

The smart home’s gateway drug. When they first unveiled the Nest thermostat, I laughed. Who would have guessed that such a strange, “niche” product would kickstart the modern smart home revolution. Even my nerdy little brain couldn’t wrap my mind…

First Look

First Look: The Ring Video Doorbell

November 5, 2014 7 Eric Murrell

When screening your calls isn’t enough. I rarely answer the door, to the point that some people might call me a recluse. I hate surveys, don’t want to hear a sales pitch in my sweatpants, and even prefer to avoid…

First Look

First Look: Canary Security System

November 5, 2014 0 Eric Murrell

A different take on home security. No one likes their home security system… at least no one I know. Although they’ve been around for decades, the typical home security setup hasn’t changed much over the years. Setup normally requires special…

Planning

Our Smart Home Strategy

November 5, 2014 0 Eric Murrell

Let’s get this out of the way: Having a smart home isn’t a necessity. There are obviously many more things a family can spend their time, money, and energy on. However, we’re not your normal family. Creating a smart home…

Lighting

REVIEW: Cree 60w LED Light Bulb

November 3, 2014 0 Eric Murrell

Incredible efficiency at an affordable price. Light bulbs aren’t exciting, but they’re one of the cornerstones of home life. They light your way in the dark, define the mood of a space, and make your home more secure. They’re also…