More homes are starting to use smart technology with the fastest growing in 2019 being speakers, pet technology, thermostats, sound bars, portable devices for hands-free calling, and watches. What are you putting in your letter to Santa this year?
The Yamaha YAS-109 includes a built-in sub. It’s perfect to pair with tv in the family room because when you’re not bringing movie night to life, you can enjoy using it’s built in Alexa and Spotify Connect features for an instant dance party, chill background tunes, or evening listening to the day’s headlines while sipping your coffee. Price point: $240 Amazon
Have a four-legged family member? With DOTT, you can easier find them whether they are a kitten curled up in the box spring of the bed or your golden years dog that’s wandered off to the neighbor’s house. Additional features include tracking medication, walks, and potty breaks. Price point: $40 Amazon
If you are a road warrior, you can upgrade your car to sub as a home office with the Motorola TX 500 Universal Bluetooth In-Car Speakerphone. Designed to eliminate roadway noise so you can communicate clearly, you’ll also benefit from it’s powerful speaker to make those on-the-go conference calls a lot more enjoyable – or at least more productive – and then bring it back to your desk with you when you are done. Price point: $60 Amazon
Smart thermostats have been on the market for a few years but until you wake up chilly in the winter and turn on the heat without leaving bed, you don’t know what you are missing! With the Google Nest Learning Thermostat, you can remotely start the heating or cooling on your way home from a weekend out of town and track trends over the year to see if your home is being energy efficient. It’s a smart investment for even the biggest technophobe. Price point: $240 Amazon
Ready to go all in? The Echo Show (2nd generation) can integrate many of your favorite features into a single hub. Streaming of media apps, integrate with productivity features like calendars and to-do lists, make video calls with voice command. You have a central point of control for home features like your front door camera and, yes, the privacy settings are very configurable. Price point: $230 Amazon
