Author Archives

Eric Murrell

Eric is the creator of At Home in the Future and has been a passionate fan of the future since he was seven. He's a web developer by trade, and serves as the Director of Communication and Technology for a large church in Nashville, TN (where he and his family are building a high tech home in the woods).

Automation

First Look: Chamberlain MyQ Garage

February 24, 2015 2 Eric Murrell

For the forgetful. Generally speaking, I’m a creature of habit. I try to keep the same morning routine. I like to leave work at the same time every day. I leave my keys on the same plate every time I…

Automation

REVIEW: Quirky+GE Tripper Door/Window Sensor

January 26, 2015 4 Eric Murrell

Always in the know. Sensors are a key component of the smart home. Almost every smart home gadget you buy these days includes at least a few sensors; thermostats can detect motion, locks detect tampering, and wall switches can detect…

Audio/Video

REVIEW: Dropcam Pro

January 16, 2015 1 Eric Murrell

Your eye in the sky (er, cloud). Disclaimer: The folks at Google very kindly provided a Dropcam Pro for this review. As always, the opinions are my own. Wouldn’t it be great to instantly know if everything’s fine at home?…

Gadgets

REVIEW: Seek Thermal Camera

January 12, 2015 1 Eric Murrell

It turns out my nose is cold. Smart phone cameras keep getting better and better. A device that used to take blurry images the size of a postage stamp can now take 40 megapixel panoramas, high definition video, and macro…

Gadgets

The State of the Smart Home: January 2015

January 8, 2015 0 Eric Murrell

If you follow home tech at all, you’ve probably been hitting the big tech sites this week to follow all of the craziness that comes out of the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Like years past, CES 2015 has been…

Automation

REVIEW: Wink Relay

January 5, 2015 3 Eric Murrell

A little polish away from something great. Controlling your entire home with your phone is great… until you can’t find your phone. The smart phone is as close to the ideal remote as we’ll get for our homes, but it…

Reviews

REVIEW: Schlage Connect Smart Deadbolt

December 29, 2014 4 Eric Murrell

Smart lock. Smarter purchase. Disclaimer: The folks at Schlage very generously provided a Connect unit for this review. As always, the opinions are my own. If you’re considering the journey to a smart home, one of the first components you’ll…

Audio/Video

REVIEW: Sonos PLAY:5 Wireless Speaker

December 22, 2014 5 Eric Murrell

Potentially the best speaker you can buy. Disclaimer: The folks at Sonos very generously provided a PLAY:5 for this review. As always, the opinions are my own. So you’re ready to dive head first into the Sonos ecosystem, but you…

Audio/Video

REVIEW: Sonos PLAY:3 Wireless Speaker

December 19, 2014 1 Eric Murrell

High fidelity sound with no strings attached. Disclaimer: The folks at Sonos very generously provided a PLAY:3 for this review. As always, the opinions are my own. If you’re taking a first look at the Sonos system (a standout in…

Audio/Video

REVIEW: Sonos PLAY:1 Wireless Speaker

December 17, 2014 2 Eric Murrell

Big sound in a small package. Disclaimer: The folks at Sonos very kindly provided a PLAY:1 for this review. As usual, the opinions are my own. As we discussed recently, we live in a time when there are countless ways…