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).

Gadgets

REVIEW: Twelve South HiRise Stand for iPhone

December 12, 2014 0 Eric Murrell

Put yourself on a pedestal. If you’re like me, you have trouble leaving your phone in random spots around your home and office. I’m normally a creature of habit, but for some reason I can’t seem to keep track of…

Audio/Video

Rethinking Your Home Audio System

December 10, 2014 4 Eric Murrell

Music to your ears. Our family listens to music. Constantly. I don’t know if it’s because of our industry (we work from home a lot), but we normally have one room in the house cranked up at least once a…

Planning

Building a House: Getting Started

December 8, 2014 5 Eric Murrell

This December is a big milestone for us, as we break ground on the home we started planning for over 3 years ago (and started saving for 7 years ago!). This is our first time building a home from scratch,…

First Look

First Look: Dropcam Pro

December 3, 2014 0 Eric Murrell

Always on the lookout. There’s a certain appeal to home surveillance that has long eluded the casual nerd. About 10 years ago, I picked up a (then top-of-the-line) web cam in an effort to keep any eye on my apartment…

Lighting

REVIEW: LIFX WiFi Light Bulb

December 1, 2014 0 Eric Murrell

Party in a box. Disclosure: The folks at LIFX very kindly provided a bulb for this review. As always, the opinions are my own. “Honey, you have to come see this, right now!” That’s what I was yelling at Lauren…

First Look

First Look: Schlage Connect Touchscreen Deadbolt

November 25, 2014 3 Eric Murrell

Both the brains and the brawn. You know that feeling when you left the door unlocked all night? I always notice when I’m eating my morning bowl of cereal; my heart immediately drops into my stomach every time. True, we…

Automation

REVIEW: GE Link LED Smart Bulb

November 24, 2014 3 Eric Murrell

Goldblum would never lead you astray. In our journey to find the right lighting for our new place, I’ve already worked my way through a few of the most popular “dumb” bulbs on the market. Those bulbs are great, but…

First Look

First Look: Nest Protect Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm

November 20, 2014 1 Eric Murrell

Always watching. Never beeping. $100 for a smoke alarm. For many of you, that’s the only thing you’ll see when you skim this post. The thing is, we hate our smoke alarms. I don’t know if it’s bad wiring or…

First Look

First Look: The Kwikset Kevo Lock

November 18, 2014 3 Eric Murrell

The Key That’s Always With You I hate carrying keys. While the smart phone has absorbed just about everything else I carry in my pockets, the keychain seems to be the one item I can’t shake. My notebook is gone,…

Automation

Smart Bulbs vs Smart Switches

November 17, 2014 3 Eric Murrell

The Great Lighting Debate Lighting your smart home can be confusing. A decision that used to revolve around a handful of bulbs must now account for dozens of variables… How important is power consumption? Do I need colored light? Do…