Smart Phones, Smart Homes and Smart TV's.

Hello Everyone.

This time around I thought I would talk about some of the smart electronics that are available. First off is the Smart Phone. What is a Smart Phone? Usually it's a Phone that has a full qwerty keyboard like your computer and has Internet access. Android, Apple and Blackberry phones usually top the list. They are so inexpensive these days, I wonder why some people still have a standard phone and eek out text messages with the number pad. You can do so many things with a smart phone. Need quick directions, hit Google and poof, there it is. Or fire up the navigation software and you have a gps in your hand. Coupons for your local store, on your phone, no scissors required. Games,of course. Need the news or weather and want to see the radar map of that impending storm, done. Forgot to set your DVR, no problem, grab your phone and do it! Yes, a smart phone is correctly named because it can make you smarter! And make your life easier and fun. You can even access your home computer or track a family member. And if you have a Smart House, you can keep tabs on that as well.

Speaking of a Smart House, you can get yours up to speed in many different ways. Home Automation has become even less expensive and super easy to install in a house. Plug in modules to control lights, appliances etc., are really easy to set up for the novice. For instance, I can control the outside flood lights in my home from any where in the house. If I hear a noise, I just grab a wireless remote and hit the floods on. I can turn on and dim lights without even touching them. Holiday lighting turns on and off like magic. This is great tech for anyone as well as for elderly or handicapped individuals. You can even view web cams set up in your home on your Smart Phone and control lights and a host of other functions.

Smart TV's are becoming very popular. What can you do with one? Well  a lot of the newer models can be connected to your home network and internet. Either with a wired cable or with a wireless adapter. They can be set up to view content from your laptop or desktop computer. This is great for family gatherings. You can show pictures on the big screen instead of huddling around a smaller laptop or monitor. You can also view pictures from a thumb drive that plugs into a port on the TV. Also, now you can pull up YouTube, Netflix or facebook or tons of other internet services. This is loads of fun when the family is over. Or if you want that "In your face" experience!

But if you don't have a Smart TV, you can make yours smart with an Xbox, PlayStation or other compatible game console. These have many of the above services built in. If you already have one, your dumb TV can get a Smart upgrade!

Don't forget to pick up the milk your Smart Refrigerator just messaged you about!

Any questions or suggestions for future topics, drop me line!