8 Hot Gadgets for Your High-Tech Home
Price: $249
What it does: Home thermostat that learns your behavior and adjusts itself accordingly.
Why it's worth it: The Nest Thermostat has been called the “iPod of thermostats,” because it was designed by the same man who helped design the iPod. That means it also has the same elegant design and easy user interface we've come to know. It has a round shape with colors that are designed to blend into whatever color wall you install it on.
The thermostat is intended to save you energy and money by automatically learning your patterns and behavior and adjusting itself accordingly. For instance, if you regularly come downstairs at 8 a.m. every day and set the temp to 70 degrees, it stores and learns that info. Then, using motion sensor technology, if it doesn't sense your presence every morning, it will figure out you're away and will adjust the temp to save on energy.
Using an iOS app, the Nest can be controlled remotely via a Wi-Fi connection, so you might want to crank up the air conditioning from the train ride home, or turn up the heat before the kids get home from school.
The Nest thermostat comes with the tools you'll need to install it yourself, and there are videos to guide you through the process.
Price: $549
What it does: Brew delicious coffee, just how you want it
Why it's worth it: The Nespresso Maestria is a single-serve coffee machine that uses a high-pressure pump and Thermoblock heating element to deliver a perfect cup of coffee each time you use it.
Barista wannabes will enjoy the professional-style steam wand that lets you control the temperature and frothiness of the steamed milk in your cappuccino.
The Maestria will automatically test the water and adjust itself for hard or soft, and will shut itself off after a certain period of inactivity.
We love the bright red color and all-aluminum body, which brings style to any kitchen.
Price: $59
What it does: An incredibly simple way to stream video to your TV.
Why it's worth it: The Roku 2 is one of the easiest ways to stream media to your television. It's a tiny box that connects to your home's Wi-Fi, letting you watch both free and paid (subscription) content, ranging from Netflix to Hulu to news and tech TV channels. The remotes that come with the Roku 2 feature bluetooth, something that previous models were lacking. This is useful because it can be bundled with the $99 XS version Angry Birds built just for the Roku.
Prices start at $59 for the Roku 2 HD, the Roku 2 XD is $79 and the Roku 2 XS is $99. The Roku 2 XD and XS support 1080p playback, and the XS has an ethernet port and a USB port for playing back music and movies.
Price: $699
What it does: This vacuum has a wireless command center that schedules cleanings and allows users to control the device from anywhere in the house.
Why it's worth it: This is one high-priced vacuum, but oh, the things it can do! Using a touchscreen remote, you can steer your Roomba to any spot in the house. The remote is called a Wireless Command Center, but works much like an RC toy, meaning it might make cleaning fun for the videogame set. You can also use the Command Center to schedule cleaning for when you're not home, or on a different floor of your home.
Roomba can handle most any job; it has a three-stage cleaning process to vacuum carpets, hardwood, tile and linoleum floors, and it will automatically adjust to the different floor surfaces. Unlike you, who may be easily distracted, Roomba will thoroughly clean each room in the home before moving on to the next.
If it's running low on juice, the Roomba heads back to the Home Base to dock and recharge between cleanings. Who said household chores were boring?
Price: $299
What it does: Powerful all-in-one wireless speaker for the home.
Why it's worth it: The Sonos Play:3 is a smaller, less expensive version of Sonos' Play:5 wireless speaker system, which makes it a great fit for the home. At $299, it offers almost the same clear, robust sound in a smaller footprint.
Sonos speakers stream your music library throughout your house using a wireless Internet connection, meaning you can control the music from one room, via an iOS or Android app, while sending it to a different room in the house.
If you have two speakers, connected with a $49 Sonos wireless bridge (sold separately), you can send music from your library to one speaker, while playing music from an Internet source (Spotify, Pandora, etc.) to the other. You can add on from there, with money and space being your limiting factors.
The Sonos speaker can also connect with iOS devices, mobile phones, music players, Android phones and tablets. The Play:3 comes in black or white and has a sleek design that lets it fit in tight spaces.
The Play:3 is rocking three drivers inside; two woofers and a tweeter, along with three digital amplifiers.
Price: $49
What it does: WeMo uses Wi-Fi to turn an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch into a remote control for household devices.
Why it's worth it: WeMo makes home automation simple. The WeMo switch, used in conjunction with the free WeMo app, lets you control any appliance that plugs into an electrical outlet. It runs over your home's Wi-Fi network and can be controlled with any iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch. You can use your phone to start your coffee maker as you come down the stairs in the morning, or turn on the lights before you get home. The app will also let you schedule devices to go on and off at pre-set times.
For $99, you can buy the Switch + Motion bundle, granting you motion-activated switch functionality -- simply walk by it, and it will activate the command. The sensor can read motion from 10 feet away and will turn on or off whatever is plugged into the switch. For instance, if it senses motion in the hallway, it can turn on a light or electric fireplace in the den. No motion for over 30 minutes? Turn them off. The app lets you create a rule or set a schedule.
Price: $18 to $25
What it does: These wall decals feature special augmented reality technology.
Why it's worth it: You've heard the saying, 'if walls could talk?' Well what happens when walls can play games and interact? It's all possible with the introduction of Augmented Reality Wall Decals from RoomMates. They're removable, reusable peel-and-stick wall decals your kids can play with. They can be removed without damaging the walls, and they can we wiped clean.
How does it work? Your kids will know, but here's what you do. Download the BoostAR app from the iTunes store or Google Play and then point your phone or tablet up to the wall decal. The device will unlock and display interactive features and videos or games.
There are six AR-enabled Disney wall decals to choose from and more on the way.
Price: $299
What it does: Video security system with wide-angle night vision and remote viewing.
Why it's worth it: With all the electronic goodies in your home, you're going to want to keep a watchful eye on things 24/7.
The Logitech Alert 750n Indoor Master System offers powerful wide-angle night vision, and a free remote viewing account so you can check in from afar. Motion-triggered recording can be set up to send you notification via email or SMS if movement is sensed.
If you do get an alert, you can use the Logitech Alert Web and Mobile Commander service to access all the controls, as if you were running on a home PC.
Logitech Alert is easily expandable, so you can add cameras throughout your home, inside and out.
Our homes are becoming more and more high tech, from lighting and music you can control with your iPad to gadgets that make things a little easier. The connected homes you see in the movies are becoming a reality, and you can install a thermostat that learns your patterns and adjusts itself accordingly to keep the home cool and energy-efficient, and you can clean the floors with a robotic vacuum you can program and control remotely. And that’s just the beginning. We’ve rounded up some of the hottest gadgets you can get right now to move you one step closer to a wired home.
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