Google Chromecast: Bringing Streaming Media from your Phone or PC to Your TV

Google Chromecast: See it, Stream It

Cast Your Media from Your Phone and PC to Your TV

Today, we have a sponsored post, brought to you by Best Buy, talking about the latest model of the Google Chromecast.  For those unfamiliar with the Chromecast, it is a small dongle designed to turn any HDMI compatible TV into a Smart TV, bringing internet capabilities to your favorite television set.  

Similar to a Roku or Fire TV stick, the Chromecast plugs into an HDMI port on your TV, and allows you to access online content through a "regular" TV.  However, the Chromecast also allows you to stream media from a PC, Tablet, Smartphone, or other mobile device to that television set, a feature the other streaming devices do not have.

Once you have plugged the Chromecast into the HDMI port on your TV, you use your phone, tablet, or computer to cast your favorite TV shows, movies, music, sports, games, and more to the TV you already own. Chromecast works with your iPhone®, iPad®, Android device, Apple® computer, Windows laptop or Chromebook. 

Chromecast is designed to make the most of the apps and entertainment already on your phone. Shows, movies, live TV, YouTube, photos and more are all just a tap away from all of your family’s devices.  Chromecast also lets you use popular apps, like Netflix and Hulu, without having to have an app-capable TV.  And you get all of this for $35.

Computer Glasses Can Minimize Eye Strain

Protect Your Eyes from Harmful Rays with Computer Glasses

Staring at Screens All Day Can Cause Headaches and Eye Strain;
Wearing Computer Glasses Can Alleviate This

Computers have changed a lot over the last few decades.  We went from green screens, to color VGA, and now, we have 4k capable monitors.  And although the visuals improved, one aspect of computing continues to plague us, and that is the issue of eye strain.

Back in the late 80s, I spent a lot of my day staring into computer monitors.  I began having terrible headaches on a daily basis, and I was convinced it was related to my screen time.  A colleague, who was having similar issues,  and I both sought medical help around the same time. Both of us were referred to an Optometrist, and both of us were prescribed reading glasses with a special coating.

Different optometrists told us that the act of focusing on a screen was tiring our eyes.  As our eyes tired, they lost their ability to adjust focus from closer to farther things.  In theory, reading glasses could help prevent this. They would help our pupils learn to better adapt, sort of like exercise for our eyes.  The special coating would reduce glare, helping to protect our eyes from further damage.  We both started wearing our glasses while focusing on a monitor, and we both experienced substantial relief from eye strain and the associated headaches.

Somewhere over the decades, I stopped wearing my computer glasses.  We were told monitors improved to the point emissions and glare were no longer threats.  We began working on larger monitors with better screen resolutions, which made things easier to see. We learned to bump up text size when our eyes were feeling strained.  But then came the Cell Phone Revolution. Along with it came the tendency to make screens smaller and more portable.  We began trading our desktop PCs for laptops.  And a lot of us started experiencing the eye strain of the past again. Only we didn't realize it.

Fire TV Cube vs the Harmony Hub for TV Voice Control

Amazon Introduces the Fire TV Cube

Combines the Features of an Amazon Echo, Fire TV Stick and Harmony Hub in One Device; Adds Voice Control to Your TV and Components

How Does it Compare to the Harmony Hub?

 

Amazon has announced a new version of their Fire TV, called the Fire TV Cube.  This new device adds voice control to your TV and audio-visual components, much like a Harmony Hub.  But the Fire TV Cube takes things a step further, adding control for other Smart Home devices into the mix.  It's almost like the Amazon Echo, the Fire TV Stick, a Harmony Hub, and a Smart Home Hub all got together and had a baby.

What is the Fire TV Cube?

The Fire TV Cube is a small box, (approximately 3.5 inches square,) that connects to your TV via HDMI, and adds Alexa Voice Control to your TV and associated Entertainment Devices.  With the Fire TV Cube, you can turn the TV on and off, change channels, adjust volume, pause, rewind, change inputs, and much more, all via voice.  Unlike a Fire TV Stick, the Fire TV Cube includes a built-in Echo as well as a Voice Remote.  You can issue voice commands through the remote, or hands free.

The Echo Dot Kids Edition: Meet Alexa Junior

Amazon Introduces an Echo Dot Designed Specifically for Youngsters;
Meet Alexa Junior, the Kid-Friendly Echo Device

Includes Kid-Friendly Skills, Curated Entertainment,  and Parental Controls

Little kids seem to love Alexa and her family of voice controlled devices.  Parents and grandparents often use Alexa to help keep children entertained.  But as Alexa was initially designed for adults, she is not always child-friendly, right out of the box.  Often, users have enabled adult-oriented skills that they do not necessarily want tots to access.

I know a woman who is both a metalhead and a Grandma.  Her Amazon music library is full of songs with explicit lyrics she'd never intentionally play around young, developing ears.  Once, she was in the kitchen fixing a snack for the children, when she was interrupted by the sounds of Staind emanating from Alexa.  She ran out of the kitchen and yanked out the plug. Something her grandkids had said prompted Alexa to start playing the song "Please," which is riddled with the F Word.  

My friend loves her Echo, and so do her grandkids. But the "Staind Incident" has prompted her to put her Echos away when the grandchildren visit, so they are not inadvertently exposed to adult lyrics or adult jokes.  The Echo Dot Kids Edition is here to address issues like hers.  

Harmony Hub: Add Voice Control to Your TV and Entertainment Center

The Logitech Harmony Hub, Part 1:

     

Control your TV, DVR, and Other Entertainment Components with Your Voice

If you have a Fire TV and Alexa, you've probably already played around with voice controlling it.  And you may have wished you could extend these voice-control abilities to your TV itself, as well as your other entertainment system components.  Well, what if I told you there was a way to add this voice control to your existing equipment?  Would you like to learn more?

Today, we're going to tell you just how to do that, using the Logitech Harmony Hub.  In Part 1, we're going to introduce you to the Harmony Hub itself, and talk about how it can enhance equipment you already own.  Later, we'll get a little bit deeper into setting up the Harmony Hub, as well as configuring it to work with your equipment.

What is the Harmony Hub?

The Harmony Hub is a small device that connects to your home wifi and turns your smartphone or tablet into a universal remote control. Additionally, once you activate the corresponding skill, it adds Alexa Voice Control abilities to your home entertainment system. So the Harmony Hub gives you BOTH universal remote and Alexa voice control abilities.

Ask My Buddy and Alexa Can Summon Help in an Emergency

Alert Your Personal Emergency Network
Using Only Your Voice,
 with Alexa and Ask My Buddy

Turn Your Smart Speaker into an Emergency Alert Device

Alexa and other Smart Home technologies can make life a lot easier for people who live alone, people who have disabilities, and a lot of older people.   Smart Home technologies and Smart Speakers can automate a lot of tasks, and make physical tasks simpler for those with physical limitations.  Smart speakers and other assistive technologies can help a person continue to live independently, in his or her own home, for a longer time. But what these technologies cannot yet do is to call 911.  Wouldn't it be great if Smart Speakers, like the Amazon Echo or Google Home, could summon help when an individual needs it?  Well, now they can, thanks to a service called "AskMyBuddy.net."

I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up

Most of us have seen the commercials. A senior citizen is in distress, but s/he cannot get to a telephone to summon help.  However, the individual wears a pendant, and by pressing a button, s/he can summon assistance from a personal emergency alert network.  And although these devices are marketed to seniors, I know a few women and people with disabilities who live alone and wish they had this "yell for help" capability, but they do not want another monthly expense, especially when they figure they will not use it often. Many people in this category have Alexa or a similar Smart Speaker.    However, despite the fact Alexa has limited calling abilities, she cannot dial 911, no matter how many times you ask her to.  Wouldn't it be nice if Alexa could summon emergency help with a voice command?

Alexa Turns Three: The Evolution of Amazon's Alexa

Happy Birthday, Alexa!
The Amazon Echo Turns Three Years Old!

The Evolution of Alexa and the Amazon Echo

Time sure flies when you're having fun, as the saying goes.  It doesn't seem like Alexa has been around for three years! But today marks the third anniversary of the Echo's release.  Let's take a look at how Alexa has evolved over a three-year period.

Amazon Echo, Generation One, 2014

The Amazon Echo was the first Alexa-enabled product sold by Amazon. Initially, it was offered to Prime Members by invitation only, as well as to a couple of lucky Vine Reviewers.  Generation One Echos cost about $200, but early adopters received them at a 50% discount.  Echos remained an invitation-only item until well after the Holiday Season was over, making them a very hot gift item. And of course, by the time Amazon made them available to the General Public, they stopped the 50% discount for Prime Members.

Generation One Echos shipped with an included voice remote, another practice that was soon discontinued.  For most of 2015, the Echo was available in limited quantities, and was a very hard item to get.  In 2016, used and refurbished Echos started hitting the market, and in fact, refurbished Echos were a hot commodity during Amazon's second "Prime Day" in 2016.

Initially, the Echo was primarily a glorified version of Siri, combined with a voice-activated media player.  Few skills were available, and third-party manufacturers had not begun making the dozens of Alexa-compatible devices we can find today.  In fact, although they supported Pandora, Spotify, Sirius XM, and other music service support was yet to come.  In 2014, the most impressive thing about the Echo was its "cool factor." It was the first and only voice assistant that was NOT part of a phone OS at the time. It also performed better than Siri on many tasks.

Tech and a Storm Event Part 2: Communications--What Worked and What Didn't

Surviving a Storm Event, Part 2:
Communications: Winners and Losers

 

This is Part 2 in a series about surviving a Storm Event and its aftermath.  Part 1 discussed Lighting Solutions for your Emergency Kit, and it can be found here.  Having recently lived through Hurricane Irma, Techlaurels is sharing lessons learned from the storm.

As most people know, Irma severely impacted Florida, including the Island where Techlaurels is physically located. While some areas were hit worse than others, most Floridians experienced gas shortages, extended power outages, and a loss of utilities. While power and utilities have been restored, Florida is still cleaning up Storm Debris.  Forecasters warn that we can expect October to be an active Hurricane month. Most of us are NOT waiting for another evacuation to be called. We are restocking our Emergency Kits now. We are also looking at the services that failed us, and reassessing what worked and what did not.

Many of us felt extremely communication-challenged throughout the Storm.  When you are living in the Information Age, it's hard when you cannot access the news or Social Media.  In addition, the little information you're able to receive is plagued with urban legends and false assertions.  Today, we are going to discuss what worked and what did not when it came to communications during the storm.

Tech and a Storm Event Part 1: Lighting--What Worked and What Didn't

Building an Emergency Kit for a Storm Event:
What to Include, and What to Ditch,
Part I

Winners and Losers for Surviving the Storm and What Follows

As some of you know, Techlaurels is physically based on the Florida Gulf Coast.  I live on a barrier island that is 7 miles long, and a mile and a half at its widest.  Originally, Irma was supposed to go up the East Coast, and my part of Florida was supposed to be out of Irma's path.  Even when a precautionary voluntary evacuation was put in place, few of us did much to prepare, other than charging up our electronics and filling a few jugs with water.  The data did not support our area being hit with anything we couldn't handle. We'd need to shelter in place for a day or two, and that was all.

Then Irma changed paths, literally overnight. We awoke to the news that Irma was now projected to make landfall on the West Coast.  We'd been upgraded to a mandatory evacuation, and few of us had done much to prepare.  And now, there were neither available supplies nor sufficient time to do what we needed.  Gas was extremely hard to come by, shelf stable food was unavailable, and there was no bottled water to be had.  The Chief of Police ordered all businesses closed at 2 pm, and we needed to be off the Island before 6, when all bridges would be closed to oncoming traffic. Most of the shelters had already filled, and the interstates were already parking lots. We needed somewhere to run, and choices were few given the circumstances.  However, the rule of thumb is to shelter from wind and run from water, and we were now facing a potential 15 foot storm surge, something that would obliterate our little Island. A five foot surge would be enough to take out a lot of buildings; 11 feet would be enough to destroy us.  It was too late to escape Irma's path all together, so the best alternative was to find an available hotel room somewhere South of Alabama.

We found a room at the Stuart Courtyard, a hotel on Florida's East Coast that was new and built to withstand a Cat 5 storm. It was on high enough ground a surge would not threaten it. When we arrived, we had approximately 18 hours before Irma was supposed to hit that part of Florida, and the feeder bands had already arrived.  We kept utilities at the hotel for approximately 14 hours.  After that, there were no elevators, hotel phones, internet, hot water, lights, or power. That meant no food or beverage service, not even vending machines. And we still had at least 2-3 full days that we needed to shelter in place.

On the second day, Irma again changed her path, and I was looking at not having a home to which I could return.  At the last minute, Irma changed her path once more, and thankfully, that meant the storm surge alert was called off. However, my home was not completely spared from Irma's wrath. We had 92 mph winds and inches of pounding rain. We had huge trees down all over the place, loads of damage from wind-borne objects, shingles littering the neighborhood along with other various debris, and our utilities had been completely wiped out. The Police were running on generators, and the cell phone tower's backup supplies were running low.  If you could get a single bar, your communications were limited to texting. Every time you tried to use a data connection, you'd be promptly cut off. They managed to restore water before they reopened the Island, but it would not be safe for drinking until power was restored, and with only electric stoves on the Island, we had no way to boil it.

Because it was a good five days before most businesses had power restored, and the restaurants and stores had lost their refrigerated and frozen supplies too, there was a food shortage on the Island. It would be days before the delivery trucks made it out.  Restaurants tried to reopen once power was restored, but menus were limited.  Hoarders snapped up what little food there was quickly, and we were beginning to exhaust what was in the pantry.  You had to drive hours, to more populated areas, to try to get gas, batteries, water, and food that did not require refrigeration.  And officials were asking us to limit non-essential trips, as the roads were clogged with evacuees trying to return, gas was still scarce, and we needed the supply trucks and utility workers to be able to get through.  Any place that had supplies had long lines. I joked that  every place open looked like a 1980s era Russia, and they were giving away plush, three-ply toilet paper.  We had a good two weeks of third-world like conditions.  But we all managed to make it through.  And during this trying time, I learned a lot about what worked and what didn't.

TP-Link Smart Outlets, Home Automation, and Alexa (Smart Home Series, Part 10)

The TP-Link Smart Outlet and the Kasa App

Schedule Your Appliances with Kasa, 

and Control Them with Alexa

This is Part 10 of a series on building a Smart Home and using Alexa to control it. Previous articles covered setting up and using both your Amazon Echo and the companion Alexa app.  Again, we recommend you peruse those previous posts if you are interested in learning about all that Alexa can do.

This week, we go back to talking about Smart Outlets.  We previously reviewed the WeMo family of Smart Outlets, as well as the Hue Lighting System.  Today, we're going to discuss the TP-Link Family of Smart Devices, and specifically, the TP-Link Smart Outlet.  The TP-Link Outlet is similar to the WeMo in many ways, but it has a few important differences. Both the WeMo and the TP-Link are worthy entries in the field. Depending on your specific needs, you may find one works better for you than the other.

TP-Link Smart Outlets

We discussed the concept of Smart Outlets when we discussed the Wemo. (If you need a review, please see this post.)  A Smart Outlet is not a plug with a high IQ, but rather, it's a plug that can be controlled remotely.  As we said in that review,, Smart Outlets add WiFi and remote control to standard outlets, and by extension, to your existing appliances.  Whatever you plug into a Smart Outlet becomes a Smart Device, capable of being controlled remotely, from your couch, car, or office.  And for our purposes, we're looking at Smart Outlets that are compatible with Alexa, so we can add voice control to the equation.

The TP-Link Outlet offers all of the above.    With a TP-Link Smart Outlet, you can control your appliances with an app, either while at home, or remotely over the Internet. It also offers Alexa compatibility, so you can control these outlets with your voice.

TP-Link offers several flavors of Smart Plugs.  Some models offer energy monitoring as well as remote control.  One model even integrates a WiFi extender into the mix.

TP-Link Outlet Capabilities

TP-Link Smart Outlets offer all of the functions you'd expect from a Smart Plug.  They offer remote access and scheduling through the Kasa App.  Of course, you can turn attached devices on an off through the app. But you can also do a lot more. TP-Link Smart Outlets are compatible with Alexa "Scenes."   The app has pre-built scenes for "Good Morning," "Good Night," and "Movie Night," and you can create your own custom scenes as well.    "Scenes" may contain one or more of your TP-Link Smart Devices.  (TP-Link offers Smart Lights and Smart Switches as well.)  They're handy for grouping several TP-Link devices together, so you can control them with a single command.

Voice Controlling Your TV with Alexa, Part 1 (Smart Home Series, Part 9)

Add Voice Control to your TV
with Alexa and Fire TV

Use your Amazon Echo Device to Control Your Fire TV

This is Part 9 in a Smart Home series, talking about how to use Alexa to build an economical, voice-powered Smart Home. To learn all about Alexa and what she can do, we recommend reading the previous posts in the series, starting with Part 1, located here. Links to other parts of the series can be found in the sidebar. (And, of course, you can always use the "Newer Posts" link at the bottom of each post to read the next chapter in the series.)  Previous articles discussed the Echo Family of Devices and using Alexa, as well as using other Smart Devices, such as Smart Outlets and Smart Lights with them.

Today, we're moving away from lighting and into the realm of entertainment.  In this post, we're going to talk about controlling a Fire TV Stick with Alexa and your voice. In Part 2, we'll talk about how to extend voice control to other parts of your entertainment center, using yet another third party device.  But read on to find all about how your Echo complements your Fire TV.

What is Fire TV?

Fire TV is Amazon's add on that converts your "regular" TV into one that is app-capable.  It turns a regular flat screen into a Smart TV.  It brings WiFi and streaming to any TV set.  And if you also have an Amazon Echo or Dot, it brings voice control to media playback.

Of course, there are a few caveats. Obviously, you must have Internet service to use the Fire TV.  And you must have a  TV that supports HDMI. So long as you meet those criteria, your TV can probably handle a Fire Stick.

The Fire TV connects to your TV through an HDMI port, typically something only available on "newer" TVs. It must also connect with the Internet, usually through WiFi, in order to stream.  (It IS possible to add HDMI to an older television using a few commercial electronics. But generally speaking, a Smart blu-ray player and an RF Modulator are more practical and economical  for adding apps and WiFi to an older TV.)  The Fire TV Stick is portable, so you can use it in a hotel or take it to a friend's house for a binge-watching party.

If you are a Prime Member, and/or if you use Amazon Photos, Amazon Video, or  Twitch, the Fire TV brings all of that to your television set, and off of the small screen. It does the same for a plethora of TV apps.  Additionally, it brings android games to your TV. The Amazon app store has a whole section devoted to games and apps for your Fire TV.  The Fire TV comes with a few streaming apps pre-loaded, but many are available through the app store, which of course, you can access right from your Fire TV.

Creating Groups with Alexa (Smart Home Series, Part 8)

Make Your Smart Devices Work Together
by Creating Alexa Groups

Control Devices Made by Different Manufacturers
with a Single Voice Command

  

This is Part 8 in a series about building an Alexa compatible Smart Home, and about learning to use the Alexa App.  Previous articles focused on setting up and using Alexa, as well as setting up a Smart Plug and a Smart Lighting System.  You can find Part 1 of this series here, as well as links to all 7 previous chapters in the Sidebar.

Today we're going to discuss something we've touched upon in previous articles: setting up Groups in Alexa. Setting up groups allows you to control various Smart Devices with a single Alexa command.

What is an Alexa Group?

 A Group is merely a collection of devices, gathered together, so you can control all at once.  We briefly touched on Groups in Part 1 of this series, in the section called "How Does the Echo Help with Your Smart Home?"  As noted then, each Smart Device comes with its own app that you typically need to use to set-up the device. Without the help of Alexa, you'd also need to use the app to control the device. This is all well and good when you have only Smart Devices from a single manufacturer, AND if you do not want to control things with your voice. But what if you have some Smart Light Bulbs, like a few Hue Lights, and other lights on Smart Outlets, like the WeMo? Do you really want to have to open a few different apps just to turn on your lights?  Setting up Alexa groups eliminates the need to do that.

A group is simply a set of devices and/or scenes, saved under a specified name. It is very similar to the concept of "rooms" used by the Hue Lighting System, except it's a thousand times more flexible. A group can consist of one or more device.  You may then activate the device or devices with a single command word.

For example, I have Hue Bulbs in both my bedroom and office. Both these rooms are on my top floor. I also have bedside lights controlled by a WeMo Smart Outlet.  I have all of these lights in a group called "Upstairs."  I can turn them all on by saying "Alexa, turn on Upstairs." Without this grouping, I'd have to say "Alexa, turn on Bedroom" to turn on the Hue Light in the bedroom, "Alexa, turn on Office," to turn on the Hue Light in the Office, and "Alexa, turn on Bedside," to turn on the bedside WeMo. Because I have all 3 lights in a group called "Upstairs," instead I can just say "Alexa, turn on Upstairs," and she turns on all 3 lights.

So Alexa allows me to place items from different rooms and  manufacturers into "groups" for easy control, as well as adding voice control capabilities to those devices.  It allows me to control sets of devices without having to open several apps. I can also add "Scenes" from the device's own app into an Alexa Group.  I can then access all those things at once, merely by commanding Alexa with the name of that group. Grouping can take a half dozen different commands, and unite them into a single word.

How Do I Set Up an Alexa Group?

You use the Alexa App to set up your Alexa Groups, of course. You can set up groups using either the ios (Apple) app, the android app, the Fire Tablet app, or the browser-based Alexa Web Portal. Before diving in, you need to make sure you have all of your apps and devices linked and prepared. So it's best to check those things first, and then you can go on and get grouping.

The Philips Hue Smart Lighting System, Part 2 (Smart Home Series, Part 7)

The Philips Hue Smart Lighting System, Part 2

Programming your Philips Smart Lights

Set your Lights to Turn On and Off Automatically,
Learn to Program Light Routines, and Explore New Hue Features

This is Part 2 of a tutorial on using the Philips Hue Smart Lighting System, and Part 7 of our series on building a Smart Home using Alexa.  Last week, we reviewed the Philips Hue System, talked about its various options, and learned how to set up the system. We learned how to use Alexa and the Amazon Echo to turn lights on and off.  This week, we will be looking at programming your Hue Lights so that they turn on and off automatically. You can read Part 1 of our Hue tutorial here, and you can read Part 1 of our Smart Home Series here. Links to other chapters can be found in the sidebar.

Automating your Philips Hue Bulbs

As we briefly discussed in Part 1, Philips Hue Bulbs can be controlled remotely, or programmed to come on automatically. Today, we're going to learn how to schedule your lights using the Hue App. Before setting up schedules, you need to have your bulbs installed and grouped into rooms.  (See Part 1 to learn how to do this.)  You will also need your mobile device, running the Hue App. (You can also do this on a Kindle Fire Tablet using the "All 4 Hue" app.) Presently, you can NOT set schedules and routines through the Web Portal; you can merely turn your lights on and off.  Most programming must be done through the Hue App.

What Types of Automation does Hue Offer?

Currently, the Hue System offers:

• Home & Away Scheduling: Also known as "Geofencing," you can set Hue to turn on certain rooms when you come home. Similarly, you can set Hue to turn off certain rooms (or all Hue devices) when you leave your house.
• Wake Up: You can set certain lights or rooms to turn on "Wake lights," as a supplement to or replacement for an alarm clock.
• Go to Sleep: You can program your lights to fade out or turn off in preparation for bed time.
• Timers: You can set a timer to have certain lights or rooms turn on or off in X number of minutes.
• Other Routines: This is where you can set traditional light timers, and "randomize" turn on/off times to make it look less like the lights are timer controlled. You can set up timers to turn lights on or off, and to dim or brighten lights in up to 4 rooms per "routine."
• Hue Labs Formulas: Hue Labs periodically introduces new "formulas" for lighting automation. These formulas can be installed to your Hue System through the app.

We will discuss each of these features, as well as how to set each up.  With the exception of Hue Labs Formulas, these functions are set up using the "Routines" tab of the app.  This is the tab accessed by tapping the "Clock" icon.

The Philips Hue Smart Lighting System, Part 1 (Smart Home Series, Part 6)

The Alexa-Compatible Philips Hue Smart Lighting System 

Automate Your Lights with Philips Hue and Alexa

This is part 6 in a series about building an Alexa Compatible Smart Home. Previous articles focused on The Alexa App itself, fun things to do with your Echo devices, and how to customize your Alexa and Echo experience. (See the sidebar for links to previous lessons. You can find Part 1 here.) Currently, we are talking about adding third-party devices to a Smart Home set up. Today, we'll be reviewing the Philips Hue System and discussing how to use it with your Alexa-enabled devices.

What is the Philips Hue?

Philips Hue is a wireless Smart lighting system.  Hue allows you to control and customize your lights in many ways.  At its most basic, you can turn your lights on and off via voice or via app.  At the more sophisticated end, you can create lighting groups, automate lighting schedules and tones, dim and brighten, as well as schedule. Hue lights eliminate the need for separate dimmers and timers. Hue bulbs can convert existing fixtures and lamps into Smart Appliances.  Hue also offers a wide variety of smart lighting products, such as lamps and strip lights, to help you light your space in many flexible ways.  They also offer installable dimmer switches and motion detectors to extend control-ability of your lighting.

Phillips Hue systems all begin with a Hue Hub. This is a small box that attaches to your router and pairs with your Hue Products.  Each hub (or bridge) can connect with at least 50 Hue products. (Phillips just released Generation 3 of the Hue Hub. Later generation hubs can handle a larger number of devices. Gen 1 hubs were capable of connecting with "up to 50" bulbs.)

The second vital part of the Hue system is the Hue App.  The app interfaces with your lights, and allows you to control and customize them in all the ways described above. The app is available for ios (Apple), Android, and Fire Tablets.  And of course, there is a Hue Alexa Skill.  Alexa works wonderfully with all parts of the Hue System. Alexa gives you voice control for your lights when you are home, and the Hue App gives you remote control when you are not at home.  Through the app, you can set up all types of lighting "scenes" and "routines."  It is also IFTTT compatible, for aficionados of that app.

And of course, the third part of the Hue System are the lighting products themselves.  Philips offers a full range of Hue-enabled Lighting Devices, from single bulbs, to lighting fixtures.  Their multi-color bulbs and lighting strips are two of their more popular products.  They offer flood light bulbs in both colored and plain white.  So you can buy lamps and fixtures with Hue compatibility built right in, or you can add bulbs to the lamps and fixtures you already own. All Hue lighting products are LED, for maximum energy efficiency and long life. Philips Hue Bulbs can reduce power costs in many ways.

The WeMo Smart Outlet (Smart Home Series, Part 5)

The WeMo Alexa-Compatible Smart Outlet,  Part 1
(Smart Home Series, Part 5)
Building a Smart Home with Alexa and WeMo

Learn to Set Up Your Wemo Smart Outlet
And Voice Control It, Using your Amazon Echo or Dot

This is part 5 in a series about building an Alexa-Powered Smart Home without breaking the bank.  It is a continuation of our in-depth course on using Alexa and the Amazon Echo family of devices.  Our last three parts discussed using the Alexa app, discovering all it can do, and setting it up to best work for you. (Links to the previous parts of this series can be found in the sidebar.)  Now, we are going to talk about using Alexa to control third party devices, starting with Smart Outlets.  And today, we're specifically going to talk about the WeMo Family of Smart Outlets. We'll walk you through setting up a WeMo Mini Smart Outlet, and pairing it with Alexa and your Echo device.

What is a Smart Outlet?

Simply put, a Smart Outlet is one that can be controlled remotely.  Early Smart Outlets came with their own remote controls, and using that, you could toggle the outlet state. As technology developed, they through WiFi into the mix. Now, you can still find outlets that come with their own remotes. But they are of little utility in a modern Smart Home.  Today, you want an outlet that can be controlled via WiFi or Cellular Data, from either inside or outside your house. It is this type of Smart Outlet we will be discussing in this post.

So in other words, Smart Outlets add WiFi and Remote control to standard outlets, and by extension, to your existing appliances.  Whatever you plug into a Smart Outlet becomes a Smart Device, capable of being controlled remotely, from your couch, car, or office. And if that device is a WeMo, it means you've added Alexa voice control to that device as well.

The Alexa App, In-Depth, Part 3 (Smart Home Series, Part 4)

The Alexa App, In-Depth, Part 3:
Extending Alexa with Skills

Adding Additional Alexa Skills, and
Fun Things to Do with Alexa

This is Part 3 of an in-depth look at Amazon's Alexa app and the Echo Family of Alexa-enabled devices. Part 1 introduced the Alexa app, talked about setting it up, accessing menus, using Alexa as a media and audiobook player, as well as pairing devices to the app. Part 2 looked at all the submenus in the settings section, as well as about lists, alarms, and reminders. It covered personalizing your devices, setting up news briefs, setting your location, changing your wake word, and changing other Alexa defaults. Part 2 discussed pairing accounts to Alexa, as well as customizing news and sports briefings, pairing a calendar, changing your music streaming defaults, and voice purchasing with Alexa.  Part 2 covered customizing almost every Alexa setting that can be customized. Today, we're going to get to the fun stuff.  Alexa can do a lot that's fun, inane, or just silly. Some of these things are available natively, while others require enabling skills.

What is an "Alexa Skill?

When you get a new Smartphone, it comes with certain abilities, like voice dialing, messaging, and a camera. It may not come with things like Facebook or a photo editor, but you can easily go to the App Store to add these capabilities. Likewise, a new PC comes with little more than a web browser pre-installed.  You usually download or install additional software.  Your Echo device comes with a lot of functionality built-in, but you can extend it through adding new skills.

An Alexa skill is like a phone app or a software program. It is a little program that will add new features to an Alexa compatible device.  Presently, all Alexa skills are voice-driven.  (That may change as Amazon develops Alexa devices with screens or cameras, like the Look and the Show.) And rather than "installing" a skill, you merely have to "enable" it.

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.

The Alexa App, In-Depth, Part 1 (Smart Home Series, Part 2)

The Alexa App, In Depth, Part 1: 

Getting the Alexa App,
Adding your Echo, and

Using Alexa as a Media Player
    

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The Alexa App is the Companion to the Echo Family of Devices;
Use the Alexa App to Set Up and Customize your Echo Device.

Part one of this series introduced Alexa and the Amazon Family of Echo Devices.  This week, we're starting our in-depth look at the Alexa app. This app is the companion to the Echo and other Alexa-enabled devices.  You set up your Echo and other Smart Home Devices using the Alexa App.

There is a lot to Alexa and the app itself, too much really to cover in one post. Thus, we're going to start with how to get the app, and what the app is compatible with. Then we'll go on to show you how to pair an Echo device with the app.  Finally, we'll talk about using Alexa as a media player. Part 2 of this article, (which will be Part 3 of the series) will continue our review of all the things you can do with Alexa.  After that, we'll review various Smart Home Devices and how to integrate them with Alexa.

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.