With each new year, comes new technology. It’s designed better than the year before to make life easier and simpler. Not everyone is tech savvy yet. Here is a list of the top 10 new tech options that any grandparent would love to have.

1. Amazon Fire TV

The tech device has been a rave since it hit the market. It is a favorite for all ages. The Amazon Fire Tv gives viewers a choice between many different channels including Netflix and Hulu. It is relatively easy to use and install and will keep the grandparents entertained for a long time. With a retail value of only $40 it is a steal.

2. Eight Smart Mattress

What better gift to give than a good night’s rest. For many that is one thing that is hard to find. The Eight Smart Mattress is more than just a bed. It has built-in features that know the pressure and temperature of your body. This lets it know when you are awake and helps to relax with controls that are accessible through any smartphone. It also has an alarm clock for those early morning days.

3. iRobot Roomba

This is a new tech device that anyone will love especially grandparents. The iRobot Roomba is an instant handy helper to anyone who can use it. It does all the work while grandparents sit back and relax to wait for a clean home. The device uses Wi-Fi and found for sale online and in stores worldwide.

4. The Quell Wearable

This is a great buy for those grandparents that are health conscious. The device fits around the calf and helps to relieve pain that grandparents experience. Whether it’s from a chronic illness or something temporary, this FDA approved device will help them to ease their pain and have a more productive life.

5. Nest Cam

The one thing about being a grandparent and being retired is the ability to travel. It is often during this time that people choose to travel and see the world. It can often be daunting to grandparents to leave their home unattended. The Nest Cam can put their mind at ease. At a cheap $10 a month the Nest Cam will track the home and send alerts if there is any movement within the home detected. The device itself costs $300.

6. Echo Spot

This new smart device gives grandparents the opportunity to connect with others. They can connect with grandkids and spend all the time they want with them. Its merchandise total is an estimate of $130. The device connects to Alexa and can be found at any electronic sales store.

7. Ring Video Doorbell

The Ring Video Doorbell is for grandparents who like to stay at home and those who like to travel. Keeping our loved ones safe is our top priority. The Ring Video Doorbell gives grandparents and their loved ones peace of mind with the ability to see whose at the door and around the property before answering a knock. They can also catch robbers in the act.

8. August Smart Lock

The August Smart Lock is another great tech tool for safety for grandparents. It’s an easy to use lock that is accessible through a smartphone. It gives users the ability to access their home without having to dig in their bag for keys. It is safer and easy to use. Pricing begins at $150 and goes up to $250. An investment well worth the money.

9. Lyric Smart Thermostat

It can sometimes be hard to keep warm in the winter months. To keep a home temperature just right, you have to keep it running all day while your out. The Lyric Smart Thermostat is a great find for grandparents. It gives them the ability to lower heat and air conditioning remotely with their phone. This is great when they are away from home. It also gives them the ability to turn it up before they head home as well. The device helps to give them a home at the perfect temperature while saving on fueling costs as well.

10. Tile-Mate Combo Pack

The Tile Mate Combo Pack helps those who have a tendency to misplace things. This great new device will help grandparents find their missing keys or phone. All you have to do is tap the tile and a ring lets you know exactly where your item is. Simple and easy to use, it’s a great gift for any grandparent.

You may be looking for a simple gift to help grandparents with finding their keys or you may want to give them something to help entertain them. Either way, technology is on the rise and makes gift giving simple and easy.

Adrian Rubin is a millennial humanitarian with a love of video games. His love of these games is what he contributes to his success in the technology degree. He is also an avid traveler and loves to use his expert photography skills in bringing everything to life for viewers.

The post 10 New Tech Options for Grandparents appeared first on BadFive.

Installation process, the App, system integrations, user experience. Here is  the complete BadFive review of the [amazon_textlink asin=’B07543MM1Q’ text=’LIFX smart-lights’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’badfive-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’1c9222c4-fcec-11e7-84cf-d1c3e8d3eaf5′].

who is the lifx team?

The Lifx team started back in 2012 as a kickstarter project ,  a multicoloured LED Wi-Fi controlled light . The project was succesfully kickstarted in  just 60 days!!! More than  9,000 backers pledged $1,314,542 to help bring this project to life. Soon after that Lifx launched their fist smart light. Now the company offers 12 products with the same mentality: to make smart lightning a must in every  room.

installation process

The installation process is easy as 1-2-3! All I had to do was unscrew my old bulb and replace it with the new LIFX one.  Then I downloaded the free LIFX app (Available for  Android, iOS and Windows  ) and set up my account. In under 5 minuets I was good to go! The lights work independently without the need of any expensive central hub (Take a hint Philips).

the app & user experience

The LIFX App is very straightforward and intuitive to use and it is packed with many useful features. From the main screen , the user can control the lights individually or by groups and schedule their behavior. Under the “color” section the user then has the ability to adjust the color and the brightness of the lights using color wheels and sliders. Additionally under the “temperature” section the user can adjust white color temperature (2500-9000K).

There are also various preset theme colors like “Epic”, “Sports”, “Warming”, “Halloween” and many more. Furthermore, the user can add special effects like “Spooky” , “Flicker” , “Pastels” and more on their LIFX lights and dynamically adjust their settings . My personal favorite is called “Music Visualizer”. This effect uses the microphone of the device (phone/tablet/pc) to adjust the lights accordingly to the beat of the music. (Trust me its awesome !!!). Here is a “Music Visualizer” demonstration video.

Ecosystem integrations

The [amazon_textlink asin=’B07543MM1Q’ text=’LIFX smart-lights’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’badfive-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’cdabecef-fceb-11e7-b2cb-116e174df153′] family made friends with digital assistants too! The user can now control the lights using voice commands via their favorite digital assistant like Siri (HomeKit), Google Home and  Amazon Alexa. I personally found this feature very convenient . For example I would get settled and cozy in bed and then I would just say “Hey Siri, turn off the lights” to turn off the lights . (That easy!!!) LIFX ligts are also IFTTT integrated . What that means is that the lights can “blink” , dim or change color when something happens. A simple example is that the lights can blink blue when a Facebook notification is received or even brighten up when the sun sets ect. You can find more on the IFTTT’s webside.

conclusion

How is the LIFX lights experience in one word? AWESOME!!! 

The lights have an incredible color accuracy, saturation and brightness. The installation is nearly effortless and there is no need for a central Hub to control the lights. The LIFX app is very easy and simple to use and is packed with many useful features. Voice commands and IFTTT integrations take the smart lighting game to a whole new level.

Lastly, I really enjoy and love the “Smart-Lighting lifestyle” and I can’t imagine living without it. It was about time to make home and office lighting “smart” and LIFX managed to accomplish that with great success.

LIFX VIDEO

I would like tho thank the  LIFX team for allowing us to get the products at half price for the purposes of this review.

The post LIFX Smart-lights | BadFive Review appeared first on BadFive.

Can you imagine that day? When you wake up and a new morning has begun, brushing your teeth in front of a mirror that notifies you for the weather or your schedule through the day? When you could unlock your door automatically as you approach your home? When you can instantly create mood lighting for any occasion or the television will be automatically switched on to a certain program of your choice? There are so many imaginable features, which by having them makes our life pretty easier and ergonomic. Things that we routinely do can now be automated somehow.

We are passing through an Internet of Things era that enforces the existence of smart homes in general

The Internet of Things is a phrase that refers to the objects and products that are interconnected and identifiable through digital networks. This web-like sprawl of products is getting bigger and better every day. All of the electronics in your home are fair game for this tech revolution, from your fridge to your furnace.

Let’s see a few paradigms of really helpful and cool smart homes’ features.

“Smart home technology promises tremendous benefits for elderly people living alone. A smart home could notify the resident when it’s time to take medicine, alert the hospital if the resident falls and track how much the resident is eating. If an elderly person is a little forgetful, the smart home could perform tasks such as shutting off the water before a tub overflow or turning off the oven if the cook had wandered away.”

“Smart homes can also provide some energy efficiency savings. Electric bills go down when lights are automatically turned off in empty rooms, and rooms can be heated or cooled based on who’s there at any given moment. Some devices can track how much energy each appliance is using and command power hogs to use less.”

As you can see there are so many potentials that smart homes can really make our life better. You could think much more features that really fit your own daily routine.

But in a world with a heaven there is always a hell. That’s the case with smart homes. Their features are not only the coolest thing in the whole theory around them.

You could realize that with all that comfort comes the laziness . Many tasks in your home environment are really helpful for your memory or your physical state. People will be living an unhealthier life.

What about security? Is your home hackable? Hackers have found security flaws in most connected devices inside your home. Many of these problems have been fixed, but hackers keep finding new ways to break in. They could also cause mischief like turning devices on and off rapidly, which could ruin some electronics or (in an extreme case) possibly cause a fire.

Smart homes are really expensive too! The cost of a smart home varies depending on how smart the home is. One builder estimates that his clients spend between $10,000 and $250,000 for sophisticated systems.

Smart homes exist. Bill Gates has maybe one of the greatest smart homes in history until nowadays. He spent more than $100 million building his smart home.

We don’t know how the world will be in a smart home era yet, but we know that this era is getting closer day by day.

So, how you to make your home smarter? We’ve listed some of the best and efficient practices in here!

The post Smart homes in our life appeared first on BadFive.

We are getting closer to a smart home era that will change our life. Everyone wants to know about ways to make his or hers home smarter and have some extra comforts. Making a smart home isn’t only building a high budget house from scratch, but it’s also expanding its capabilities. This of course works also for people who live in an apartment and it’s more flexible.

There are several really cool and low budget gadgets that most of the people fear to use or they do not even know them. So, we’ve searched a lot to list some of the best gadgets that are a must for your own smart home expansion plan along with a few pieces of advice.

It’s good to mention that this guide is not an absolute solution to make your home smarter. People are different from each other, having their own specifications about what kind of smart home features fit on their needs.

1. Security comes first

What is a smart home if it can not protecting its self? Well, security is a really serious factor on how your estate can be protected or not.

• SensFloor

Cutting-edge carpets and floor textiles track your every move and show you the way. Laid under conventional flooring, SensFloor (shown) detects motion via integrated sensors and transmits messages. future-shape.com “Such technology might sound trivial at first but truth be told, there are a number of potential uses. For example, a SensFloor system was recently installed in a nursing home in Alsace, France, to help monitor the elderly. Whenever a resident falls to the ground, the system is able to alert the nurses’ station and send help immediately.” – techspot.com

Price: $(Depending to the scale)

• Nest Protect: Smoke Plus Carbon Monoxide Detector

Your family’s safety is top of mind, and a reliable smoke and carbon monoxide detector can give you the security you need. Alerts to your phone let you know when there’s a problem or if batteries are running low. You can choose among wired or battery-powered models. It supports also human voice warnings and traditional alarm signal. It’s also simple and easy to install in minutes. nest.com

Price: $99*

• Simplicam

A camera that streams video — with a face-recognition option. It also offers several notification features that you will like. simplicam.com

Price: $149*

2. Simplify your life

Just sit for a moment and think; “What are my primary needs?” or “What are my daily standard tasks?”. Those are really good questions that will help you decide about which of all those gadgets out there are made for you.

• LAYKOR Automatic Touch-Free Lavatory Bathroom Sink Sensor Faucet

This automatic touchless faucet turns on and off automatically, helping you save water and prevent the spread of germs. It’s easy to install (under 10 minutes in most cases). You can choose from wired or battery-operated power version. It has a sleek, modern design that you will love. laykor.com

Price: $56.99*

• Kohler Touchless Toilet Flush Kit

All it takes to flush your toilet is a swipe of your hand thanks to this easy-to-install kit. Retrofits to most toilets, and features a streamlined design. Fits most standard toilets to allow touchless flushing, easily installs in about 20 minutes, batteries last up to 12 months of use and helps you protect your family from the spread of germs. kohler.com

Price: $66.65*

• Google Home

Google Home is a voice-activated home product that allows you and your family to get answers from Google, stream music, and manage everyday tasks. google.com

Price: $TBA

3. Stay informed

Do you want to know who’s outside your door? Who visited you while you were gone? If you forgot to do something in your house? I think that you should also need to know how much water or electricity you spend during the month. There is a solution for all these concerns and much more!

• Nest Learning Thermostat

Stop fiddling with your home’s thermostat and save on your energy bills by installing a smart thermostat. The longer you use it the smarter it gets, adjusting your home’s heating and air conditioning automatically. Works with both forced air and radiant heating systems. Senses who’s home and adjusts temperature accordingly. You can easily control it online or from your smart phone via a Wi-Fi connection. nest.com

Price: $249

• Belkin Conserve Energy Saving Outlet

You can cut down on your home’s energy costs by installing a timer on devices that draw the most energy, but that you don’t need to run if you aren’t home. It won’t draw power until turned on, and a green light lets you know it’s working. belkin.com

Price: $9.99*

• NUCLI

Speak to Visitors in Real Time. If you don’t answer they can leave a voicemail, listen to Nucli voicemails on your smartphone or from your computer! Optional SIP Call incurs no data fee from your carrier. Talk to visitors without having to open the door. westinghousesecurity.com

Price: $TBA

4. Control from distance

Forgot to switch off the lights, the oven etc.? Want to switch on the air-condition before you get home? Just relax and control all of them from distance with your smartphone or any other compatible device.

• Samsung SmartThings Home Monitoring Kit

The SmartThings Home Monitoring Kit has everything you need to start monitoring, controlling, and securing your home from anywhere. Once you’ve set up your Home Monitoring Kit, you can add compatible cameras, locks, alarms, and more to enhance your monitoring solution. smartthings.com

Price: $249*

• Belkin WeMo Insight Switch

Quickly and easily connect any appliance or electronic in your home to your wireless network. Multiple users can then control devices, program custom notifications, and change device status from anywhere. belkin.com

Price: $49.99

• Quirky + GE Aros Smart Window Air Conditioner

Ditch your dumb window A/C for Aros, because Aros is smart. It learns from your budget, location, schedule, and usage to automatically maintain the perfect temperature and maximize savings for your home. What’s more, it can be controlled from anywhere using the Wink app on your mobile device. quirky.com

Price: $249*

5. Just for fun

Some things are just for fun. Be relaxed or take care yourself.

• KOHLER K-9245-CP 2.5 GPM Moxie Showerhead and Wireless Speaker

Take your tunes with you into the shower with this wireless speaker and showerhead combo. It connects via Bluetooth to stream your music, news, or playlists right into the shower. It comes with a 32-foot range capability, water resistant feature and a rechargeable speaker that can be used independently. kohler.com

Price: $199*

• Philips 431643 Hue Personal Wireless Lighting, Starter Pack

This smart lighting pack is seriously cool – you can create and save custom light modes that replicate your favorite images or even a sunset. Control your home’s lighting right from your iOS or Android device. Change light levels and colors to suit your needs. Controls up to 50 bulbs with just one bridge device. philips.com

Price: $199*

• SONOS Wireless Speakers

Just choose your favorite kit from the SONOS official website and control the music of every room from a single app. sonos.com

Price: Starting from $260*

Some extras

Choose from a variety of smart TVs or enchant your existing TV into a smart one by using a Kodi, a Chromecast or an Android system. If you are a hardcore tech person, you can build your own smart appliances by designing, programming and applying your own smart ideas with a Raspberry Pi Model, Arduino or Intel Galileo.

Just be creative!

*Prices are estimated

The post How to make your home smarter appeared first on BadFive.