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  • 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.

  • SmartPhone Spotlight: BLU R2 PLUS

    SmartPhone Spotlight: BLU R2 PLUS

    BLU R2 Plus is a mid-level smartphone that has a good design and build quality. It ships with Android 7.0 and is not for the camera phone junkies. It takes ads to another level by presenting them in the Lock screen.

    The Great

    • Fingerprint sensor
    • Good display
    • Low price
    • Decent cameras for a budget phone

    The Not

    • The Ads
    • Odd design
    • Poor battery life
    • Laggy performance
    • Outdated software

     

    The Conclusion

    While the budget line gets a timely and worthwhile refresh its still crappy. The phone’s price wows, but that’s about it

    But It Sells

    At $129 unlocked on Amazon, the Blu R2 Plus is one of the least expensive Android phones out there. It supports GSM networks including AT&T, T-Mobile, MetroPCS and Cricket, meaning you can easily take it to one of those carriers, pop in the appropriate SIM card, and enjoy service immediately.

    The display in Blu’s big budget offering notched a peak full-screen brightness of 481 nits, represented 119.2 percent of the sRGB color space, and delivered a Delta-E color accuracy score of 0.38 when we put it through our round of tests. Those are among the best numbers in the budget class, and even more impressive considering how little the R2 Plus costs

    The camera hits and misses, not worthy of any real explanation. Its just cheap and terrible

    Quick Spec Look

    • Unlocked Dual SIM smartphone; Android 7.0 nougat
    • 5.5” Full HD 1080p curved glass display, metal housing design with finger Print scanner
    • 13 MP Main Camera with flash + 13 MP selfie Camera with flash
    • 32GB Internal memory 3GB RAM Micro SD up to 64GB; Mediatek 1.3 GHz Octa core processor with MALI T720 GPU
    • 4G LTE (1/2/3/4/7/12/17/28) 3G(850/900/1700/1900/2100):

    The Final Thought

    Blu is back with a successor, the appropriately named the R2 Plus, which sports a new processor, improved cameras, a fingerprint sensor and a slightly refreshed design. It’s even a bit cheaper, going for just $129 this time around. However, Blu made some sacrifices to hit that more attractive price, which leaves the R2 Plus feeling like a step backward

  • SmartPhone Spotlight: Essential’s Essential Phone

    SmartPhone Spotlight: Essential’s Essential Phone

    Essential was founded by Andy Rubin, one of the creators of Android. Essential Phone works on all major carriers incl. Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile and features a beautiful edge-to-edge full display, titanium enclosure and a scratch-resistant ceramic back.

     

    The Great

    • No logo
    • No pre installed bloatware
    • Stunning design
    • Decent specs

    The Not

    • Accessory port needs to prove itself
    • Missing many features
    • A total fingerprint magnet
    • No headphone jack
    • Battery life is merely OK
    • No photo or video stabilization

    The Conclusion

    This is a decently powered Android with out all the stuff that makes us roll our eyes at Android. With no logos or identifying markings and a bevels less screen it looks unique. At half the price of most other premium Androids this is a steal at $499

     

    Andy Rubin, co-founder of Android, made waves earlier this year when he released the $500 Essential Phone. According to Rubin, the purpose of creating the Essential Phone was to address some of the problems people have with smartphones such as getting rid of “planned obsolescence”, having an open ecosystem, and premium build quality without the premium price.

    Its Hipster Cool Design

    The titanium body and ceramic back, coupled with this unique all-display front design really do make for an attractive phone. I’m sure some of you still hate that front camera notch at the top, but it has never really bothered me. While there is a solid black block of bezel at the bottom of the phone, the way the display carries all of the way up to the top front curved corners offers a uniqueness that no other phone really does. This is one of those phones that just looks cooler than everyone else’s. With no logo, company or identifiable markings it is the ultimate hipster design and it works.

    The Screen

    Of course, the display is the star of the device. Despite the Essential Phone’s small size, the display is an impressive 5.71-inches in a 19:10 form factor. It has a resolution of 2,560 x 1,312, making it very sharp. It’s a beautiful panel, though it could use a little more brightness. You can’t see individual pixels whatsoever and the colors are vibrant and accurate.The only down note is it has an LCD instead of an OLED display, meaning you’re not getting the same black levels and bright colors as you’re getting with the iPhone X or Galaxy Note8.

    What the Camera Mod

    There is a camera addition you can buy. it lets you capture you world in complete surround with the world’s smallest 4K 360 degree Camera that is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 . There is also no need for any dongles or chargers. Connects to Essential phone’s magnetic connector. The modular camera is neat, and magnetically clicks to the phone perfectly, but you have to keep track of it and keep it on you at all times to use it. And chances are you won’t. Also, 360-degree cameras haven’t caught on yet. The biggest thing is that the camera isn’t quite as good as other high-end smartphones. Even if the specs dual 13MP system sounds exciting, it wasn’t that impressive and  there was no setting that resembled a portrait mode, either.

    The Quick Specs

    •  5.71-inch 2,560 x 1,312 19:10 with rounded corners
    • Snapdragon 835
    • 4GB Ram
    • Camera: Dual 13MP rear (RGB + monochrome), f/1.85 lens rear, 8MP front
    • Battery: 3,040mAh, 27W fast charging
    • Operating system: Android 7.1.1 Nougat

    The Final Thought

    The Essential Phone legitimately feels different from any other smartphone I’ve tested in 2017. It’s heavy, in a good way, and has a beautiful edge-to-edge display that’s bigger the iPhone 8 Plus’s. The phone is fast, built with the latest Snapdragon 835 processor, and runs like a top-tier smartphone. Its Android OS is bloatware-free, which, as a lover of the original Google Pixel, I found refreshing.

     

     

     

  • Top Five Cable Tv Providers

    Top Five Cable Tv Providers

    As hard as we try to cut the cord, go to a entertainment on demand premise we still need that live cable goodness. Streaming CNN or ESPN makes you fell like your behind the actual breaking updates. Not to mention the constant and consistent back round noise that cable TV can provide. I just want to watch something I can ignore. The final and one of the biggest necessities of cables is it give you the option to watch something when you don’t know what you want to watch.  I know, I know even as I am writing this I just keep thinking ooooh shut up with your first world problems, and since these are my concerns my only conclusion is its a wonderful time to be alive in America.  Lets take a look at the Top Cable options, some of these are location based and you may not be lucky enough to be in their footprint… uhg again with the first world problems. These are the best for cable TV options.

    1.At&t Uverse

    While this can be one of the more pricer options and only available to a limited footprint in limited areas, if you are lucky enough to fall in the Uverse green zone you have the best option available. With four TV packages to choose from with a selection of 200–550 channels. It uses a fiber optic network, which makes the service more reliable than satellite or cable TV. U-verse’s pricing is more competitive if you bundle it with Internet and/or phone service, but on its own, it’s priced higher than competing packages. Big benefits of Uverse is the standard whole home DVR, advanced interface, and no degradation on bandwidth. At&t has since decided it has more lucrative options for its Fiber network so it has begun aggressively switching all its uverse users to Directv.

     

     

     

     

    2.Spectrum

    This one was quite a surprise to jump to number 2 and take the silver. With the Charter/Time Warner merger the T-1000 of internet cable providers have Spectrum offering an affordable 100 Mbps internet options, with quality cable for a reasonable price. They offer all the latest features like whole home DVR and VOIP telephone options with on screen caller ID. While its great they do not make you sign a long term contract, there are installation fees and the price does jump from time to time.

     

     

     

     

     

    3.Verizon Fios

    This is a great service that has dropped to bronze due to Verizon cutting off expansion plans for Fios and their fiber game.Verizon’s Fios internet service is one of the best money can buy. It’s lightning fast, and thanks to its fiber infrastructure, it’s also reliable. Add in customer service that exceeds the expectations you have a top tier cable option, if you are lucky to be in the footprint. The company has established areas,  but it’s mostly major cities with no further plans to expand.  They have an array of customizable  plans to fit your needs and budgets. They have the speed, channel lineup, on-demand and features and functions that you could want. Did I mention they offer Gbps? a gigabit!!!

     

     

     

     

    4.Optimum

    This was another surprise from a traditional cable provider. One of the smaller guys offers the best bang for you buck. Optimum has the 100Mbps, full channel lineups, great interface all the basics are there. Where they stand out is there whole home DVR allows you to record 15 shows at once. This is nice for the prime-time Sunday nights. They are even offering up to 400Mbps in some areas and at a great price.

     

     

     

    5. DriecTV

    You cant count Directv out, and being the focus of At&t’s cable service they are adding more and more features and functions you see in the Uverse system constantly. The Sunday NFL package is legendary and a necessity for all die hard football fans. The downsides are still the contract, the hardware and the outages when it rains, additionally you still have to bring your own internet connection.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    The Worst: Comcast Xfinity

    Billing its self as a premium provider but sorely missing on features function and execution Comcast Xfinity is by leaps and bound the worst dollar spent in the cable business. With constant freezes, reboots, outages and interface lock downs it is a frustrating mess. Just this morning I was forced to watch the Talented Mr Ripply when the menu on Infinity froze forbidding me to change the channel until it has performed its 5 min interface reboot sequence. Nope, just nope.

     

     

     

  • New Apple AirPods 2

    New Apple AirPods 2

    In another update release for March 2018 is that we will see an update to the Airpods. There are 3 main updates to the Airpods, lets take a look at each of them

    New Chip

    The AirPods 2 will get a chipset upgrade from the W1 to the W2. The updated wireless 2 chip is already in place on the new versions of the apple watch and in the AirPods will make the connection between phone and headphones can be a little more time-consuming than you’d like. This was the main complaint with AirPod users is the connection was too slow when trying to answer a phone call. This new chip should make a significant difference in that overall AirPod experience.

     

    Water Resistant

    This is a biggie, as big a deal as the Watch 2 being water resistant. I’m not looking to go snorkeling with these, that would be cool, but I do need sweat and water proofing. It will be nice not to have to disconnect my AirPods just because its raining. This was a need and big upgrade.

    Hey Siri

    There will be a wireless addition to Siri for connecting with out hitting the button. Just the HomePods the Hey Siri function in to the AirPods will now launch the digital assistant. I mean why not? It is everywhere else, this just seems logical and convenient. While this will be a welcomed function I don’t think this will be a big reason to trade up for the Airpods 2.

     

     

    Bonus

    We know there will be an upgrade to the battery case. The Airpods 2 will have a wireless charging battery case. This will be another bonus and probly the deciding factor for anyone looking to update their Airpods. Considering Apple is releasing its multi device Charging mat very soon, this will be other big feature boost to the 2.

     

    In Black?

    Nope. while there are rumors we will see a black colored Airpods 2 it is highly unlikely. Henry Ford use to place a purple light in the brake lights of the Model T just so he could see who was driving his cars on the road. Steve Jobs has a similar thought on the iPod earbuds, he wanted an identifiable white earphones so everyone would know it was an iPod. This has stuck through apples earphone to EarPod to AirPod lines and there is no indication that it is changing.

  • New iPads this March!

    New iPads this March!

    Good News Everybody, the highly top secret Apple company has leaked a little bit of news. IT looks like we will be seeing two new iPads in march. While the details are still fuzzy here is what we know and what we can gather.

    A  product filing from app was discovered this week that received approval from the Eurasian Economic Commission on two devices codenamed A1954 and A1893, The product description in the filing was labeled as ‘tablet computers’. The codes are in line with Apples current product ID’s. Apple is working on new iPads that it could announce in March. Those reports say that the design will be slimmer and have less bevel on the screen, similar to that of the iPhone X. Additionally, Apple could be planning to deliver the Face ID options we have in the iPhone X in the iPads.

    In the past we have seen a release event or announcement on the iPhones and recently AirPods two weeks after a similar EEC approvals. My guess is we will see the event March 6th, with it featuring two new iPads, but not the iPad Pros. Replacement for the current, consumer-level 9.7-inch iPad seems likely, and judging from the product numbers I would guess they are both the same device with one of them being a cellular model.

    Probably nothing earth shattering here but its always cool to get new toys from Apple, but maybe just maybe it will be. iPad X?

     

  • Which Marvel Character Are You? – Outcome Quiz

    Which Marvel Character Are You? – Outcome Quiz

    Ever wondered which Marvel Character you were?

    Now you can find out with our short quiz! Just click on the answers that apply the most to you and see what your Marvel Match is! Afterwards, share your results in the comments down below!

    Looking for more Marvel?

    Read some of our articles on the latest Marvel movie, Black Panther here:

    Black Panther Smashes Biggest Monday Records

    Celebrities are Raving about Black Panther

  • Celebrities are Raving about Black Panther

    Celebrities are Raving about Black Panther

    Celebrities including Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres, and Michelle Obama are praising the new Marvel film.

    This past week, Black Panther hit the big screen and it hit hard, smashing past President’s Day Weekend records with a $235 million debut. Here’s what celebrities high and low are saying about the latest Marvel action flick.

    [rev_slider alias=”bptweets20180220″][/rev_slider]

     

     

    For one pair of viewers on a budget, they were willing to go to even greater lengths to get into the movie theater. Take a look:

     

    Kids Attempt Trenchcoat Trick at Black Panther Viewing

     


    View the full video here: https://t.co/SFlJ7o9b3i

     

     

    According to this article by Essence, here are some of the milestones Black Panther has reached:

    Milestones

    1. Biggest February Debut Ever
    2. Fifth Film to Debut with over $200M
    3. Second Biggest Marvel Movie Opening
    4. Second Best Sunday Opening Ever
    5. Biggest Global Debut Ever for a Predominantly Black Cast
    6. Biggest Domestic Debut Ever for a Predominantly Black Cast

    Do you think Black Panther is just another Marvel action rehash or an incredible cultural phenomenon? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

    For more, check out trending tweets at https://twitter.com/hashtag/blackpanther and Instas at https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/blackpanther/. You can also read more on our article about all the records the movie has set here: Black Panther Smashes Biggest Monday Records



    Ever wondered which Marvel Character you were? Take our Marvel Character Quiz today and find out!

    Which Marvel Character Are You? – Outcome Quiz

  • Black Panther Smashes Biggest Monday Records

    Black Panther Smashes Biggest Monday Records

    Black Panther Smashes past Deadpool, Star Wars, and other blockbusters with a massive President’s Day Monday

    By JAKE COYLE, AP Film Writer
    NEW YORK (AP) — With a massive $40.2 million in ticket sales Monday, “Black Panther” has set another box-office record: biggest Monday ever.

    The Walt Disney Co. again raised its box-office estimates for the Marvel sensation on Tuesday. The film’s updated Monday performance — $7 million higher than Disney earlier forecast — narrowly topped the previous record, set by “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” in 2015 with $40.1 million.

    The higher Monday figure gives “Black Panther” the second biggest four-day weekend, behind only the $288.1 million of “The Force Awakens.” With $242 million over the Presidents’ Day weekend, “Black Panther” moves ahead of December’s “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” in the ranks of four-day starts.

    Ryan Coogler’s film, starring Chadwick Boseman, is the first big-budget tent pole release featuring a nearly all-black cast. The movie’s three-day gross of $201.8 million ranks fifth highest of all time, not accounting for inflation.

    Internationally, “Black Panther,” which cost $200 million to make, is also outperforming earlier estimates. It has made $184.6 million overseas thus far, giving it a worldwide total of $426.6 million.

    More Stats

    Here are some more records Black Panther smashed:

    Record for Largest…

    • February Opening Weekend – $202M

      • (Previously held by Deadpool at $132.4M)

    • Winter Season Opening Weekend – $202M

      • (Previously held by Deadpool at $132.4M)

    • President’s Day Weekend Opening – $242.2M

      • (Previously held by Deadpool at $152.2M)

    • February Thursday Preview – $40M

      • (Previously held by Deadpool at $12.7M)

    Source: BoxOfficeMojo.com

    Could Black Panther Join the Marvel Big 4?

    With these numbers, it’s definitely possible to see Black Panther join Marvel’s top movies of all time, joining the likes of The Avengers ($1.51 billion), Age of Ultron ($1.41 billion), Iron Man 3 ($1.22 billion), and Captain America: Civil War ($1.15 billion). Interestingly enough, like the aforementioned movies which all featured the incredibly popular Iron Man character to some extent, the protagonist of Black Panther follows in some of the same footsteps.

    Born into a position of power? Check. Incredible genius-level talent? Check. Has an awesome exosuit? Check. Let’s hope that Black Panther follows through with even more movies as well!

    If you watched the movie, what did you think of it? Was Black Panther all the hype made it out to be? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

    Read what others are saying about Black Panther here:

    Celebrities are Raving Over Black Panther
    Celebrities are Raving Over Black Panther

     

    Read our article on the rave reviews Celebrities are giving Black Panther here

    Also read the NYTimes article on Black Panther here

     

     

     

    Ever wondered which Marvel Character you were? If so, then you can find out by taking our Marvel Character Quiz here!

    Which Marvel Character Are You? – Outcome Quiz

  • Bose SoundSport Free are Spot On

    Bose SoundSport Free are Spot On

    The Bose SoundSport Free are the the companies first exclusively wireless earbuds. They have a lightweight body with an IPX4 rating for water resistance, a seamless fit, and up to a rather impressive five hours of battery life. The bundled battery case provides an additional 10 hours of wireless tunes. Users can also connect the SoundSport Wireless to a mobile app and tweak their sonic experience. 

     

    The Great

    • Noise canceling
    • Wireless
    • Water resistant
    • Quality Bose Sound
    • Charging carrying case
    • 15 total hours use with case

     

     

    The Not

    • electronic interference
    • left bud drops connectivity

    The Conclusion

    These headphones have an unmatched combination of comfort and stability. They sound great, stay in place in all activities. The volume-optimized EQ and Bose digital signal processing make music sound full and balanced at any volume. They are great Wireless headphone, if that is what you need.

     

    The Bose  SoundSport Free have a compact and comfortable design. They fit nice in the ear and Im not insecure they will fall out while exercising. The sound in fantastic, its Bose, you cant go wrong with Bose and they never disappoint with sound quality. Set up is easy and they have a very nice charging/carrying case that add to an overall pleasant usability.  Lets take a look at some of the little things if you want to nit pick.

    Battery

    I gave it a full charge out of the box before pairing. It has since been a few weeks since I first started the test.  while generally the batterlife is good, I found that occasionally even though you leave both not-fully-charged-earbuds in the case that supposedly charges your Bose earbuds, it actually does not. Even after sufficient time, the earbuds do not fully charged.

    Noise Cancelling

    As far as I am aware there are not any true noise cancelling bluetooth earbuds. To do proper noise cancelling you need a signal processing module that in the QC20’s is in the external controller and in the QC 25’s is in the ear cans. There are bluetooth noise cancelling cans but I haven’t found any that both have good noise cancelling and excellent music quality. For example, the Bose bluetooth QC35 music quality is inferior to the wired QC25’s and the Sennheiser Momentum’s have good music quality but inferior noise cancelling.

    Connectivity

    This is the most significant issue Ive come across. It occasionally drops the connectivity between the left and right earbuds without apparent reason. This is massively irritating.  I have had quite a few instances where, for no apparent reason, the left has gotten disconnected from the right. At that point the only way to reconnect them is to put them both into the case, which essentially means that they have to go thru the bluetooth disconnected/connected.

    The Final Thought

    These are easily the most comfortable, best-sounding truly wireless earbuds to date. In the wireless earbud landscape the little things are non issues and the buds will do exactly what you need and do it well.