Sweepstakes: Headlamp for your Emergency Kit

Win a Headlamp for your Emergency Kit
    

Last week, we discussed the BEST type of Lighting to include in your Emergency or Evacuation Kits.  We promised a Giveaway too.  Well, here it is!  Techlaurels is sponsoring an Amazon Giveaway for a Headlamp, perfect for stashing in your own Hurricane Kit.

Click here to enter the giveaway on Amazon.com

To enter, you must have an Amazon Account and a Twitter Account.  Amazon will contact the winner and handle prize fulfillment.  No purchase is necessary.  Open to US Residents over the age of 18.  Techlaurels has paid for all prizes and associated shipping costs. This sweepstakes is sponsored by Techlaurels, and NOT by Amazon.  Sweepstakes ends Oct 5, 2017 11:59 PM PDT.

If you want to buy this particular Headlamp, it is available at Amazon.

We think Twitter is a good way to keep up with Techlaurels and with new Blog posts, and our Amazon Giveaways typically bring us a lot of new followers.  But we primarily sponsor these giveaways for fun. We hope you enjoy it.  Good luck to all participants!

We'll finish talking about what we learned during Hurricane Irma, and then we'll get back to our Alexa Smart Home Series. If you do not already, we hope you'll follow us on Twitter and participate in this Giveaway.

The Alexa App, In-Depth, Part 2 (Smart Home Series, Part 3)

The Alexa App, In Depth, Part 2:
Personalizing, Refining, and Customizing Alexa;
News Briefings, Lists, Timers, and Alarms

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This is the second part of a series on using the Alexa app, and the third article in our series on Smart Home Devices.  Part 1 introduced the Alexa app, talked about setting it up, accessing menus, and using Alexa as a media player and audiobook reader, as well as about pairing devices to the app. Today, we continue our in-depth look at Alexa and how to use it, discussing the settings menu, lists, alarms, and reminders. We'll go through the Settings Menu, item by item, so you can customize your device, as well as your Sports and News Briefings.  We will also learn how to change Alexa's defaults. Part 3 will look at calling and messaging, adding additional Alexa skills, and fun things to do with Alexa. Then we will move on to smart home devices, and using them with your Echo device. We are breaking this down as there is A LOT to learn. However, once you finish going through this series, you will be an Alexa Master.  And you'll enjoy having a Voice Controlled Personal Assistant even more.

If you haven't already read Part 1, we suggest you do so before reading this week's post.  And if you want to be notified when new articles are published, please subscribe to this blog and/or follow us on Twitter (@techlaurels.)  You can use the appropriate widgets in the sidebar to do either.

The Settings Menu

You can find "Settings" near the bottom of Alexa's menu. The Settings menu is, of course, where you can adjust the settings of the Alexa app, as well as of your paired Amazon Devices.  The first part of the menu lists the devices, (Echos, Dots, Dash Wands, Fire TVs, etc.,) while the lower half, titled "Accounts,"  adjusts various Alexa functions. At the bottom is a "General" section with your Alexa history, as well as app information. There is also an entry here to add a new Alexa device.  The settings section is where you customize and personalize Alexa and your connected devices.

Part 1 discussed how to set up a new device, so we will not repeat that here.  Instead, we'll talk about adjusting settings on devices already paired to the app, as well as using the Settings section to personalize the way Alexa responds.

Of course, the Devices section lets you set-up and change each Alexa compatible device. The Accounts section helps you personalize the way Alexa responds to various requests. The most important parts of each section are detailed below.

An Alexa Powered Smart Home (Smart Home Series, Part 1)

My Smart Home, Part I:
Powered by Alexa & The Amazon Echo

Alexa is Amazon's Voice Controlled Personal Assistant

Alexa is Compatible with a Plethora of Devices

  

After last week's article reviewing The Dash Wand, I received an email request asking me to talk a little more about Alexa and my own Smart Home.  So today, a new series begins, focusing on the Smart Home. We'll take a look at my own Smart Devices, and how they have changed my life for the better.

This series will begin with an introduction to Smart Devices, as well as an Introduction to Alexa, Amazon's software-based Personal Assistant. Alexa acts as the hub for my own Smart Home devices, and she adds the voice control component to them. Later articles will go into more depth about how to use Alexa, how to integrate various devices into your smart home, and how to use Alexa to tie it all together and make it simple to operate. (In fact, I would not have expanded my own stable of smart devices had I not fallen in love with the Echo's ease of use.)

If you'd like to be notified when new articles in the series are published,we recommend you subscribe via e-mail, using the box in the sidebar of this  blog, or follow us on Twitter.  (Facebook can be flaky at showing followers our posts.) Future posts in this series will include items such as Smart Outlets, Smart Thermostats, and Smart Light-bulbs.  Today's post will concentrate on Alexa, Alexa-enabled devices, and the Amazon Echo.

What is a Smart Home?

Many of us remember the voice-directed computers featured in classic science fiction. 2001: A Space Odyssey had Hal, and on Star Trek, Spock often called to the computer for help. And while neither Knight Rider's KITT nor the Jetson's Rosie have materialized yet, we have made great strides in artificial intelligence over the last couple of decades. In 2017, having a voice controlled home is no longer in the realm of science fiction, nor limited to the wealthy.

Simply put, a Smart Home is a home equipped with lighting, heating, and other devices that can be controlled remotely, usually by means of a computer or a mobile phone. A smart device is merely a single component of a Smart Home. Smart devices usually depend on a live internet connection to function.  Most can be controlled via wi-fi, even if you are not inside your house.

Today, you can buy devices with smart technology built in.  You can also buy accessories to bring smart technology to older devices.  You can find Smart Devices in all categories, from lighting to entertainment to security to appliances. Most devices come with some sort of app to use as a controller. Some devices also use hubs for communication. (We will be covering various smart devices and their capabilities in future articles in this series.  Again, if you have an interest in this area, you may want to subscribe to this blog, and/or follow us on Twitter, so you don't miss a single article.)

Many manufacturers are making smart devices. Some of the more common names in Smart Home Technology are Wink, Nest, Belkin We-Mo, TP-Link, Phillips Hue and Ecobee. Samsung is probably the leader in Smart Appliances, including refrigerators and washers, and is getting into the hub and lighting areas as well.

Most smart devices do not have built in voice control. To control the device, you must open an app on a phone, tablet, or computer.  That is where Alexa, and her Echo Family of devices come in.  Alexa is an easy and economical way to bring hands-free control to your Smart Devices.  Alexa brings voice control to your Smart Home and frees you from the apps.

What is Alexa, and What Can She Do?

Alexa is the name of Amazon's software-based Personal Assistant.  Alexa is not a smart device per se, but rather, can interface with a plethora of smart devices, including those made by other manufacturers.  In addition, Alexa powers Amazon's own array of smart home devices, which in turn, extend voice control to compatible Smart Home devices.

The Amazon Dash Wand: Alexa's Newest Sibling

The Amazon Dash Wand

Amazon's New, Alexa-Enabled Kitchen Assistant

A little over two weeks ago, Amazon introduced the newest member of its Alexa Family: The Dash Wand.  The Dash Wand is marketed as a Smart Assistant for your kitchen. At about the size of a dollar bill, the Dash Wand is the smallest, most portable, and least expensive member of the Alexa family.  It is only $20, and for now at least, Prime Members get a $20 Amazon Credit when they activate the wand. That makes it essentially free.  I managed to get my hands on a Dash Wand before they went on Backorder. I am going to review The Wand for you today.

What is the Dash Wand?

Last year, Amazon introduced its Dash Buttons, which make reordering a single product from Amazon even easier.  The Dash buttons cost $5 each. As single-function devices, I'm not sure the Dash buttons ever really caught on. So Amazon sweetened the pot by adding a $5 credit for the first Dash purchase, and then even reducing the price to $1. They still languished. Personally, I do not know anyone who uses a Dash, despite the fact they're practically free. I haven't even bothered getting one for novelty's sake. So Amazon came up with a better, multi-tasking sibling.

Now, Amazon has introduced the new Dash Wand. Unlike the buttons, you can use a Dash Wand to order any product Amazon carries.  If you want to order a specific product, you can scan a barcode, and Amazon will add that product to your cart. You can also press a button and voice-order a product. I'll discuss how well that works later in this article.

The Dash Wand is designed to be a Kitchen Assistant. As such, it is water-resistant. It is also magnetic so you can stick it on your fridge

The Dash Wand also has Alexa built in, or more like Alexa Lite.  Although The Dash Wand does a lot of things an Echo or Dot can do, it does not do them all.  So depending on your needs, it's probably not a replacement for a full Alexa-enabled device. However, if you're curious, or you're looking for something to extend your Alexa network, the Dash Wand is great for that.  It is probably the least expensive way to try Alexa's assistant capabilities.

May the Fourth Be With You Flash Drive Sweepstakes

Techlaurels is sponsoring an Amazon Giveaway 

for a Stormtrooper Flash Drive

to Celebrate "Star Wars Day."

May the Fourth Be With You!

Techlaurels had so much fun with our last Amazon Giveaway, we've decided to sponsor another one!  This time, one lucky winner will receive an 8 gb, USB 2.0  Flash Drive, shaped like a Star Wars Stormtrooper.  Like I've said previously, I LOVE novelty flash drives, so long as they work.  I have several Star Wars Flash Drives in my collection.  (C3PO resides in my car and is filled with music.)

Entry is handled through the Amazon Widget. Entry requires both an Amazon Account and a Twitter Account.  Techlaurels has paid all fees for the prize, including shipping and handling fees.  Prize will be shipped directly from Amazon to the winner, upon completion of the sweepstakes.  Amazon will select the winner randomly. The contest closes on May 10, 2017.

This is a cute flash drive, even if you are not a Star Wars Geek.

Click here to enter, or visit https://giveaway.amazon.com/p/d050a9e12908b575

And if you want to purchase one of your own, I'll post the link below.

Good luck!  Be sure to share this giveaway with your friends!

Anatomy of an Amazon Phishing Scam

It seems as if my SPAM folder contains several phishing e-mails every time I check it.  The SPAM filters are getting pretty good about filtering these out.  However, every once in a while, one makes it past my spam folder and into my inbox.  Usually these are much more sophisticated, and easy for an average user to miss.

Phishing E-mail