Month: February 2018

  • What has Vivo Done Now, The Apex

    What has Vivo Done Now, The Apex

     

     

    The Vivo Apex is nothing more than a concept phone right now, but it’s tremendously impressive. Not only are the bezels practically non-existant — 1.8mm on the top and sides, 4.3mm on the chin — but there is no notch at all. It begins with a massive 6-inch screen that has eliminated the bezels to an impossible 1.8mm on three sides and 4.3mm on the bottom.

    The Vivo Apex is almost completely bezelless. The frame around the face is so slim, there is no  room for the front-facing camera.Flip over the front-facing camera and in 0.8 seconds an 8-megapixel lens rises up from the phone’s top edge. then wham, there is your selfie camera. The lens rises fairly slowly in the prototype. Im worried about a movable or mechanical piece on my smartphone. It will break somehow.

    To produce in-call sound, the company has developed what it calls Screen SoundCasting Technology. A vibration motor under the display vibrates to produce sound through the screen. Yes you read that correctly,  the Apex OLED panels that vibrate to create the sound for your videos, calls and gaming.  the speakerphone demo  on the prototype sounded loud and rich.

    Vivo showed us at the CES in January an in screen fingerprint reader. Now Vivo has expanded the in-screen fingerprint reader. On the Apex, the target takes up almost half the bottom of the phone, instead of just a small circle. That opens all sorts of doors to simultaneously scan two fingerprints for added security, or place your finger down at any odd angle, instead of hitting it perfectly dead center.

    The last truly impressive thing to take from this is the Vivo Apex  software seems to be a complete copy of iOS, down to the graphics assets on the homescreen and in menus. It would be nice to see another iOS inspired software option. especially in a truly cutting edge phone.

    Quick Specs Look

     

    • 6-inch edge-to-edge OLED display with 1.8mm bezel on top and sides and 4.3 mm on the bottom.
    • Screen resolution: 2,160×1,080 pixels
    • 8-megapixel front-facing camera
    • In-screen fingerprint reader supports dual fingerprint recognition
    • Dual rear camera
    • Hi-Fi audio chip creates more room for the battery by consolidating the DAC and three amplifiers into one

    The Final Thought

    it’s an incredibly baller phone, but it’s just a concept. That screen shows remarkable engineering and the pop-up camera isn’t as strange as you might think. I’d be happy to spend more time with the device if Vivo ever decides it’s ready for the show. I am anxious to see if the Chinese manufacturer continues innovating to fruition.

     

  • Cutting the Cord? 5 Best Streaming Services in 2018

    Cutting the Cord? 5 Best Streaming Services in 2018

    The days of having to tune in live, buy discs or subscribe to expensive cable/satellite packages in order to watch your favorite shows and movies are gone.  Streaming services started as an add-on to DVD and digital download offerings with a trickle of second-run movies and TV shows. But speedier internet connections, an abundance of dedicated streaming video devices, and an explosion of mobile video has allowed services like Netflix and Amazon to bulk up their streaming libraries, invest millions in original content, and give traditional pay TV providers a run for their money. These services have grown up from their days as cable TV adjuncts; they’re now full-fledged cable replacements for cord cutters. If you are looking to cut the cord, here are the 5 best streaming services in 2018.

    1. Netflix

    $11 per month

    cutting the cord netflix

    The great-granddaddy of streaming services remains the best. As you probably know, Netflix provides unlimited streaming of TV shows, movies, comedy specials and original programming (including Orange Is the New Black, Stranger Things, Master of None and the fourth season of Arrested Development) for one monthly subscription fee. No other service has yet given Netflix an honest-to-goodness run for its money in terms of selection, quality and performance consistency. You can even create up to five different profiles on a single account to make sure that your favorite content doesn’t mess up recommendations for your friends and loved ones.

    2. Hulu

    $8 per month

    cutting the cord hulu

    If you want to keep current with the latest network TV shows but don’t feel like investing in a cable subscription or an HD antenna, Hulu is the best solution. This service provides access to most major network shows (aside from CBS’ programs) and a handful of cable shows the day after they air. It also lets subscribers access a show’s current season — or often all of the program’s seasons. In addition, the service hosts a number of original shows (including joint ventures with the BBC, like The Wrong Mans and season 4 of The Thick of It), a selection of offbeat movies and a surprising amount of classic anime series. Even with a paid subscription, you have to sit through commercials, but far fewer than if you watched the same shows on cable.

    3. Amazon Video

    $99 a year or $8.99 per month

    cutting the cord amazon video

    For those who do most of their shopping online, Amazon Prime is a no-brainer. For $99 per year, you get free two-day shipping on your purchases, a free Kindle book each month, and unlimited access to both Amazon Music and Amazon Prime Instant Video. Like Netflix, Amazon Video is a veritable buffet of movies, television and original programming, like Alpha House, Transparent and Mozart in the Jungle. Thanks to a deal with Viacom — which controls Comedy Central, MTV and Nickelodeon — Amazon Prime arguably has a better selection of comedy and children’s programming than its competitors. The service also offers unlimited access to an extensive collection from HBO’s back catalog of classics such as The Sopranos and The Wire. The separate Amazon Video provides easy access to current movies, but it’s an à la carte service.

    4. PlayStation Vue

    $35 per month

    cutting the cord playstation vue

    PlayStation Vue is about as close as you can get to a cable subscription without actually getting a cable company involved. The service, which is available on a wide variety of systems, is Sony’s first foray into delivering live TV to its customers. Choose from four different packages: Access ($50 per month), which gives you basic channels, Core ($55 per month), which adds sports, Elite ($65 per month), which adds niche programming and Ultra ($75 per month), which adds certain premium channels. Although the service is expensive, it provides up to 90 live channels – including local sports and news – and lets you record your favorite shows.

    5. Sling TV

    $20 per month                                                                                                                                                           

    cutting the cord sling tv

    If you like the idea of a cable subscription but feel it’s just too expensive and offers more content than you want, Sling TV might provide a happy medium for you. On paper, Sling sounds a lot like a traditional cable service: Pay a monthly subscription fee in exchange for about thirty real-time channels. But there’s no contract and no set-top box rental fee. Sling is especially handy for sports fans, as it offers a variety of ESPN channels. For cord-cutting sports fans, this alone is worth the price. Other popular networks, like NBC, BBC America, CNN, Cartoon Network, TBS and the Food Network, sweeten the deal. If you sign up for Sling Blue, which is the service’s multi-stream option, and bundle it with the more bare-bones Orange, the combo will cost you $40 per month.

    Conclusion

    Let’s face it, cable tv is dead. It had a solid run and lived a long and fruitful existence but now – sorry to say – the time has come to cut the cord.  If you are ready to cut the cord, this rundown has the most popular services. Which one is best for you?


  • 5 Things We Found Out About the Galaxy S9

    5 Things We Found Out About the Galaxy S9

    Think you know everything about the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Samsung Galaxy S9+?  We have been posting, researching, speculating on the next big thing in the android world for a year now. Finally it has be unveiled, and we were mostly correct but here are 5 unsuspected things we were surprised to learn about the S9

    1.The bezels are thinner then the S8, but the phone is more durable

    The top bezel lands at 8.21mm with a 0.39mm reduction, while the bottom bezel measures in at 6.99mm. Impressively, that’s a reduction of 1.01mm. In both cases, the reduction in bezels actually brings the size of the device down by 1.2mm and 1.4mm on the S9 and S9+ respectively. Samsung has made the S9 more durable compared to its predecessor. In short, this comes as the result of using a different type of aluminum.

    2. The camera is quieter and does much better in low light

    I was blown away by how well the S9+ performed in dim conditions, because the variable aperture on the Galaxy S9 and S9+ goes as wide as f/1.5. Samsung says that its new flagships let in 28 percent more light. With the support of a  wider aperture, f/1.7,  that kicks in when the ambient light is 100 Lux or below.  100 Lux is the light you’ll see on overcast day or in most office settings.  At the same time, Samsung added dedicated memory to its camera in order to reduce noise.

    3. Dedicated Fingerprint

    This is a new feature for this year’s flagship phones and is for the Secure Folder element. This folder is a compartment for files and apps that you want to keep separate from the rest of the phone. It uses your Samsung account and you can access it using the same security protocol, fingerprint, passcode, iris recognition etc as you do to unlock your phone. Once you’ve moved files to the Secure Folder, nobody can see them without your passcode, fingerprint or whatever.

    4. We Get to Keep the Headphone Jack

    The S9 and S9 Plus have retained their headphone jacks, unlike other phones in the class, including the iPhone X, 8, and 8 Plus, Pixel 2 XL, or the Huawei Mate 10 Pro. That’s a blessing for audiophiles who just aren’t satisfied with the current state of wireless audio and for people who even have a designated pouch for their dongles but still lose them. Admit it dongles are tiny and easy to misplace.

    5. That Sound Really Bumps

    Dual stereo speakers to the device for the first time . The S9 finally  have Dolby’s surround-sound Atmos technology built-in.  Samsung created a device that offers premium sound experiences with stereo speakers tuned by AKG. Whether users are watching their favorite movie or streaming their favorite artist’s latest album, sounds are clear, crisp and rich in quality.


  • SmartPhone Spotlight: Nokia 8 Sirocco

    SmartPhone Spotlight: Nokia 8 Sirocco

    Nokia has officially launched the Nokia 8 Sirocco  at the MWC 2018, which will be available from April 2018 . In fact, this is the most powerful phone that will support  Android One.

    The Great

    • Premium Line
    • Solid Stainless steel build
    • Qi wireless charging

    The Not

    • No headphone jack
    • Poor battery performance
    • Snap dragon 835 not 845 processor

    The Conclusion

    a Snapdragon 835 chipset, 6GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, dual rear facing camera, a fingerprint sensor, face unlock and Android 8 Oreo onboard – ensuring the Nokia’s 8 Sirocco has a sizable spec sheet to justify a lofty price tag. With a slew of new  android flagship phones launching from every direction, the Sirocco will have its work cut out to steal some of the market share.

     

    The smartphone is constructed from a single block of stainless steel  a lot like the Apple iPhone X. This makes the Nokia 8 Sirocco a very durable smartphone with stainless steel being much stronger than the Aluminium. It will be  IP67 water and dust resistance. As for size  it measures just 7.5 mm at its thickest point and 2 mm at it thinnest. This will be the first Nokia Android smartphone to support wireless charging as  well.

     

    Quick Spec Look

    The Nokia 8 Sirocco has a 5.5 inch pOLED QHD+ 2560 x 1440 px display with 18:9 aspect ratio. The display offers a dual curved design with the vacuum moulding technology with Gorilla Glass 5. The device is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset with 4GB RAM and 128GB storage.

    The Nokia 8 Sirocco comes with dual primary camera setup, powered by Zeiss. The primary 12 MP sensor has an f/1.75 aperture with 1.4-micron pixel size and the secondary 13 MP telephoto lens has an f/2.6 aperture. The device has a 5 MP front-facing camera with f/2.0 aperture and 1.micron pixel size. In fact, the primary camera setup found on the smartphone is exactly similar to the Nokia 7 Plus’s camera specifications.

    The device does offer additional features like NFC, 4G VoLte, Bluetooth 5.0, and a rear-facing fingerprint scanner. However, this is the first Nokia smartphone to remove the 3.5 mm headphone jack.

     

    The Final Thought

    Underneath that glossy exterior sits a Snapdragon 835 which enables VR goodness, but is still yesterday’s news compared with the brand new Snap Dragon 845.  This gives one big reason to pass on Nokia’s new bad boy, but nothing stands out as a good selling reason to grab one.

  • The Matrix is Calling from the Nokia 8110 Reboot

    The Matrix is Calling from the Nokia 8110 Reboot

    Nokia has debuted a wide range of promising Android phones across a full pricing spectrum, from the slick Nokia 8 Sirocco at the top to the ultrabudget Nokia 1, which runs the stripped-down Android Go operating system. The most exciting news from Nokia is that they are bringing back the Nokia 8110.

    Morpheus?

    The original Nokia 8110 popularised the slider phone. You know the one we all wanted from the Matrix. We got our first look at the rebooted classic alongside a slew of new phones from Nokia at the annual phone fiesta MWC in Barcelona.

     

    Looks like a Banana

    The classic model’s curved case also earned the nickname the banana which Nokia alludes to in the bright yellow colour of the new model. I’m personally going to go full Keanu and get the black. However it is not spring loaded. When asked Nokia’s Raun Forsyth explained: ‘We looked into it but it was a matter of the complexity and the cost and space it took up. So, the width grew, the thickness grew, there were difficulties of making it reliable and risk-free. In the end we had so many concepts on how to do it: one guy wanted an eject button, then we needed something to dampen the eject and so on. In the end, it came down to that conversation of the sweet spot of being reliable, essential, not over-complicated. The phone’s dimensions are very important. Keeping this to what we consider the perfect size is a real challenge.’

     

    It’s a blast from the past with a tiny, non-touch screen and a 0-9 keypad. Navigating it is just as hard as you’d expect until you remember you actually owned Nokia devices 15 years ago. Fortunately that unsightly top antenna from the original phone is nowhere to be seen.

     

     

    Quick Spec Look

    • Smart Feature OS
    • Dual-core 1.1GHz Qualcomm 205 processor
    • 512MB RAM
    • 4GB internal storage
    •  2.4-inch, 320×240-pixel display
    •  Micro-USB charging port
    • Micro SIM
    • 3.5mm headphone jack
    • 1,500 mAh battery

     

    The Final Thought

    I’m getting one, for $60 it will be a nice back up and it’s makes me feel like I can still walk in to a blockbuster video or call Trinity. I know shouldn’t even care about this phone’s specs because it isn’t a smartphone, so specs don’t really matter. It’s just at a 2.4-inch display, Snapdragon 205 processor, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of built-in storage, 2-megapixel camera, and 1,500 mAh battery that is removable. Remember removable batteries…. I remembers.

     

  • Ausu Z5 It Looks like iPhone Acts Like Cheap Android

    Ausu Z5 It Looks like iPhone Acts Like Cheap Android

    It was Taiwanese tech company Asus’ turn on Tuesday to unveil its latest flagship phone at Mobile World Congress. While better known for its various PCs and gaming products, Asus has been making smartphones for quite some time. Asus is taking on the iPhone X with a cheap android knock off. The Zenfone 5 is a slim, sleek, attractive device, but the first thought many people had was … this looks like the a cheap iPhone X..

     

    Available in three different models: The $500 “premium” Zenfone 5Z, the standard Zenfone 5, and the entry-level Zenfone 5 Q  , Asus’ new phones boast specs that read much like those of industry leaders, including dual rear cameras with a 2x zoom, powerful stereo speakers, face unlock, and a bunch of regular features with “AI” tacked in front, like “AI” charging, and an “AI” display with a 90-percent screen-to-body ratio. The Zenfone 5 even has a notch at the top of its screen similar to the new top product from Steve Job’s old company.

    CEO Says its not Fruit Company?

    Asus CEO Jerry Shen sees the Zenfone as a totally different proposition next to Apple’s luxury piece of kit.”Our price will be very affordable and attractive and for everyone to enjoy compared to the fruit company,” Shen said. The company didn’t say how much the Zenfone 5 will cost, but its top-end 5Z phone will be around $590.

    When Asked about the similar Apple notch at the top Shen Stated that Asus needed to include a light sensor and forward-facing camera on the front of the phone. But if it removed the top bezel, these would have to be squeezed in at the bottom of the screen. Shen explained that this would leave the front camera pointing squarely at his chin, demonstrating his selfie pose for us. “From the beauty decision, from the user experience decision, the team decided to use it this way and I agree,” said Shen about the notch. “We do not want to copy, and actually they told me we are thinner, we are nano.”

     

    Asus has made a major leap forward in design. The Zenfone 5 fits a 6.2-inch display within the same physical footprint as the 5.5-inch Zenfone 4. That’s thanks to a thin-bezel design that results in a 90 percent screen-to-body ratio. In its effort to appear more advanced, Asus accompanies the screen with some spurious AI claims. The company has an automatic adjustment for color temperature — much like Apple’s True Tone on the iPhone X — and a sensor to keep the screen on while you’re looking at it, which it collectively calls AI Display. They use the word AI loosely at Asus.

    Quick Spec Look

    • Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 636
    • OSAndroid 8.0 (Oreo)
    • Memory 64 GB, 4/6 GB RAM
    • Camera Dual: 12 MP (f/1.8, 24 mm, 1.4 µm)
    • Size 6.2 inches IPS LCD

    The Final Thought

    They Can deny this all they want, this was made to look like the iPhone X, only that is no iPhone. Cheap, Androidy, and nothing special. Down to the lackluster Zenimojis… yeah they went there. They did miss one big feature of all the other androids and the iphones which is water proofing. Asus will release the Zenfone Lite in March, followed by the Zenfone 5 in April and then the Zenfone 5Z in June.

     

  • The Home of Tomorrow is Here…

    The Home of Tomorrow is Here…

    Smart Home communities are beginning to pop up in the United States. Home builders are starting to recognize the potential in creating a fully functional smart home form the ground up. These homes of tomorrow come fully equipped with voice activation of every switch and appliance throughout the home.

    Image result for smart home community

    What can these Smart Homes do?

    One Smart Home Community, Brookfield Homes in Washington D.C. has partnered up with Amazon to have the home fully controlled by Alexa. From turning on the stove to drawing the shades. All can be done with a simple voice command through Alexa. The home also comes with a Smart Home app that let’s you control lighting, music, and appliances even when you’re not home. These homes have the ability to learn the owners work, sleep, and daily habits to better assist the owner. The home can make simple automation task such as turning the A/C down before you arrive home form work. These homes usually come with a higher price tag, but can save big on energy bills and efficiency.

    Image result for smart home

    So it has Alexa, what else?

    These smart homes, also come with energy efficient roofs and solar panels to keep your carbon footprint to a minimum. Also these homes are starting to come equipped with Telsa Powerwalls, which is a solar charged lithium battery that can power your whole house. This battery can basically eliminate your monthly electric bill when utilized properly. From voice control lights to automated vacuum systems, these homes are truly designed to improve your life.

    Image result for tesla house battery

    Summary

    Smart Home Communities are a new endeavor in the housing market that are just now beginning to be explored. But with all the tech advances as of late, these smart homes are extremely convenient for a reasonable price tag. Years ago, an automated robot vacuum sounded made up and pricey but now you can get one online for $200.00. These new communities will continue to grow and advance. Their sole purpose is to facilitate our daily needs and make our homes functional and modern.

  • Hyperloop One, the Train of Tomorrow…Today

    Hyperloop One, the Train of Tomorrow…Today

    In 2017, Virgin Mobile purchased the Hyperloop One company and unveiled its concept for the train of tomorrow. Hyperloop One chose 10 cities around the world to introduce it’s high speed commuter trains and plan to grow from there. This underground train travel up to 7oo MPH in a vacuum sealed tube. Making long distance travels or work commutes obsolete.

    Related image

    How it Works

    For the first time in over 100 years, someone has created a completely new form of travel. The idea started with putting the train’s engine not in the train itself, but on the track. Hyperloop one has created a linear motor using electromagnets that lays on the track while propelling the train car at high speeds with minimal effort. The track is encased in a vacuum sealed tube so the train can travel at very high speed with little-to-no resistance. The airless tubes mock a plane traveling in the stratosphere at 200,000 feet. This makes for a very smooth ride, giving the passenger the feeling as if they’re floating. Achieving incredible speeds while simultaneously creating noiseless and comfortable environment, has fundamentally changed travel as we know it.

    Image result for hyperloop

    Related image

    One area that was chosen for a Hyperloop One system was Central Florida. The Hyperloop line is expected to run from Orlando to Miami and can carry passengers to and from the two cities in only 26 minutes. Being able to work in Miami and live in Orlando with a 30 minute commute has never been a possibility. The adverse effects of this commuting system are just now being realized. In this writers opinion, this will terra-form all areas surrounding the Hyperloop One line. There are also plans to place this system in many other countries such as India, Mexico, United Kingdom, and Canada. The trains will eventually carry freight cars completely revolutionizing how we ship goods and resources.

    Image result for hyperloop

    Related image

    Summary

    Hyperloop One has done something that will change the way we live and travel forever. With any new groundbreaking technology it is hard to image how it will change our lives, but it will. We are on the eve of something here. As long as we keep the safety and practicality of it at the foundation, it will only be a benefit for mankind. I don’t know what the future holds for Hyperloop One, but I eagerly await its arrival.

     

  • Its a  Deal with MoviePass

    Its a Deal with MoviePass

    MoviePass is an American subscription-based movie ticketing service. Founded in 2011 and headquartered in New York City, the service allows subscribers to purchase a single movie ticket per day for a flat subscription fee per month

     

    The Great

    • Terrific value
    • great interface and useabilty
    • Very Convenient
    • Unlimited Movies

    The Not

    • No New Releases
    • 2d standard movies only
    • You have to pay the full year up front

    The Conclusion

    I wish they had this when I was growing up, It would have been my wildest dream to have an unlimited movie ticket to the theater around the corner. Today, its def the worth the $8 a month.  I no longer need to pirate new movies and the headaches that come with that are long gone.

    The Movie Pass Experience

    Once you sign up, right now they are offering $7.95 a month rates, they will send you a credit card. You simply use your phones app to find the movie you want and reserve your ticket. Then head to the movies, when you get close to the theater you will get an alert your card is active. You then use the card to purchase your reserved ticket. Easy peasy.

    I don’t get to the movies as much as I used to and I’ve never been one to go to a theater alone. This made me a little apprehensive of the deal, but I decided to sign up after seeing how beneficial Moviepass can be.  After using it for the last month I have enjoyed the experience so much I thought I would give you my own thoughts. Moviepass is kind of like the Netflix of movie theater going.  You pay a flat fee and then you can see as many 2D movies as you want during the month.  The catch is you can only see 1 movie every 24 hours.  You could still easily see 25-30 movies a month if you so choose.

     

    Loop Holes

    So I thought I would look for weaknesses in the Movie Pass logistics. First up was using the card to purchase concessions, it worked with no issues but then declined when I bought my ticket. So I decided to reserve my ticket for the day before and pick it up, then book another ticket for the day Im going to the movies but use the previous days ticket. Thus making my card valid for concession purchases. So far its a lot of leg work but it works.

    I also thought it would be good to get a second pass so I could take who ever else with me to the theater, but apparently this is frowned upon and they will disable your account. I don’t know how they would every figure it out though. Again so far so good.

    Some have also reported that you can only see a movie one time with Moviepass.  This is not the case you can go to the same movie multiple times, at least that is my personal experience.

    The Final Thought

    It hasn’t quite been 30 days for me yet but I have gone to 4 movies.  The first 3 cost $5.99 per ticket and the 4th one was $9.99.  So I have gotten $27.96 in value out of my $7.99 monthly fee. I find Im going to the movies more because I can and seeing movies I would otherwise skip entirely. All in all its been a good experience its a must have for any movie buff, and a great investment for the casual movie goer. Im hoping this becomes adoptive and saves the movie theater platform. Being a catalyst for Studios to produce more movies for us to go to the theaters for.

  • Easy Smarthome Devices to Increase Your Homes Value

    Easy Smarthome Devices to Increase Your Homes Value

    From smart thermostats to automated lighting and everything in between, there’s no question that innovative, Internet-enabled technology can make a home more fun, convenient and safe. What you may not know, however, is that it also represents a potentially valuable investment. Im going to take a$7000 investment to smart home upgrade to increase my homes value by $25000. Lets look at how I spent it and what value it brings.

    Appliances

    I started with replacing the refrigerator and stove, with smart appliances.

    for a combined $4300 I installed the Samsung Family Hub 2.0 wifi enabled fridge and  the Self-Cleaning Slide-In Gas Convection Range both in stainless steel of course. considering I was going to have to spend $2000 anyway on these appliance the extra money to purchase the smart appliance is well worth it for the wow factor alone.  

    Samsung Family Hub 2.0 Refrigerator

    The Samsung Smart Fridge is really cool, looks great, creates shopping lists and lets me see inside from anywhere with 3 built-in cameras. It  also set expiration notifications to make sure everything is fresh. Plus it has Bixby built in for a digital voice assistant right in the kitchen, I’ve always wanted to talk to my refrigerator.

     

     

    Samsung Self-Cleaning Slide-In Gas Convection Range

    The stove looks like something you would see in a professionals kitchen, its no joke.  There are cooking options with the intuitive guiding light controls. This lets you program your favorite recipes, plus easily control temperature and  time settings. Wi-Fi connection gives you real-time alerts and control the cooktop and oven remotely. You just have to  download the app for iOS or Android devices.

     

    I was able to get both devices with a bundle package at best buy, factoring the money I was going to spend anyways im only out ($2130)

    Lighting

    Next step set the mood, for 3 main light switched I installed the Brilliant Smart Panel. With the digital touch screen or simple verbal commands, this switch can control your homes lights, air conditioning, intercom system, video surveillance, music and has a built in camera and even the ability to make video calls.

    I replaced all light bulbs with Phillips Hue Smart Lighting, this will allow the lights to be controlled from the 3 smart-panels, with the color bulbs setting different lighting and the colored light strips in the kitchen.

    This has added a great wow factor, adding in the Sonos speakers already through out the house. I can set music and lighting with just a shout. ($1000)

    Little Things

    The Smart Panel for Brilliant can control a lot of smart devices, so I upgrade my thermostat to the Nest, a Smart lock from August, Skydrop 8-Zone Smart Sprinkler Controller, Smart Security Video system from Nest with a video doorbell and an Amazon Eco Show for Alexa integration with all the new devices. ($1500)

    Bathrooms

    This home has 2 bathrooms so I’ve updated both toilets to the Smart 1 Piece by OVE. Little expensive, but a heated seat, warm bidet water, and air drying features are a big sell for small price. This looks great and comes with a remote control. You can adjust the power and temperature right from your remote.

     

     

    I also updated the 2 shower-heads and added the Moen U Shower Smart Home Connected Bathroom Controller. The Moen U integrates smart temperature control, timers and also an app. You can even pre-time your morning shower, walk yourself to the bathroom and it turns on automatically as soon as it senses your presence!

    I have effectively updated my home and prepped it for sale. With these little upgrade I have moved my home from the bottom end of its appraisal to the top by making it a cutting edge smart-home and increasing my value and netting me an extra $18, 000 after the sale.