When talking to homeowners about the cost of renovation, you quickly learn that everyone has a story, and most of them are punctuated with a headache. McKenna Medley and her husband Michael bought a home […]
There are a ton of laws in America — some of them obvious, some of them not so obvious. While in some states you can own your very own flamethrower, in others, you could go […]
Between playing music, reading the news, sounding morning alarms and playing games, the Amazon Echo smart speaker and its Alexa assistant can be useful all over the house. The kitchen, though, is arguably where Alexa […]
I’ve spent my entire life turning struggling companies around. After working with dozens of organizations, I’ve begun to see the patterns that led to their challenges. Unfortunately, these patterns are not unique to them. It […]
Summer may be winding down, but it’s not over just yet. At GearBrain, our attention is still focused on keeping the smart home cool and comfortable. Air conditioning units have existed for years, and even […]
As fun as it is to switch lights on with your voice, activate your robotic vacuum cleaner and talk to the postman through a video doorbell, smart home technology offers more benefits than just everyday […]
Your freshman college roommate is often the first and most important relationship you form at school. But it’s a crapshoot. This person might become a lifelong friend. Or they’ll just become another stranger after that […]
At GearBrain we have have already talked about how Alexa and other smart home gadgets like Philips Hue lights can be used to wake you up gradually each morning. Now, Google Assistant on the Google […]
Planning for the financial impact of a single baby is challenging. But if you just learned you’re having twins, triplets or more, you may be wondering how you’re going to afford those extra bundles of […]
It’s safe to say life wouldn’t be as wonderful, or active, without your dog. For all the love they give, dogs don’t ask for much in return. That’s why it’s important to celebrate your pup […]
Because I write about smart shopping, you’d think that I’d be adept at shopping in all forms. Not always! As a new member of Costco, it took several visits to get my bulk shopping under […]
Along with smart speakers like the Amazon Echo and Google Home, a common first step into the smart home world is lighting. These LED bulbs connect to your Wi-Fi network (either directly or via a […]
When conducting a job search, millennials often scroll down to see the perks a company offers before reading the general description. They’ll likely search for the company on annual “Best Places to Work” rankings from Glassdoor, Forbes […]
Alejandro got his first job out of college in 2009 as an associate buyer at a grocery store warehouse in Louisiana. He was responsible for ordering incoming merchandise. His first big order was supposed to […]
Grocery shopping isn’t fun, like shopping for clothes or gifts. We tend to form habits around our weekly shopping outing – finding the closest store and walking every aisle like a zombie, anyone? By doing the […]
Left-handed people, who account for roughly 10 percent of the world’s population, experience distinct challenges, benefits, and quirks of daily life that most right-handed people usually never even consider. Over the years, there have been […]
“Alexa, wake me up before you go-go.” Amazon Alexa can add an alarm clock to her list of tricks, able to wake people up with music thanks to a new skill. Apart from the Fire […]
Summertime is the perfect time to head outdoors. The extra long days provide ample opportunity to explore the woods, head to the beach or even train for an upcoming marathon. While these adventures are the […]
Millennials get a bad rap (full disclosure: I am one). In fact, we get dragged for a lot. We’re apparently ruining the housing market, living at home longer, getting married later — or not at […]
Chips are meant to be thin and small — but rarely can they be sprayed from an aerosol can. Yet that’s exactly the size of new microscopic chemical sensors developed by researchers, who imagine they […]
Root beer floats are delicious treats all by themselves, but with National Root Beer Float Day falling on a Monday this year, we thought that some might appreciate the addition of a little kick to […]
It’s one thing to have your lights, music, and television switch on with voice commands or the tap of a smartphone app, but to give your home a truly futuristic vibe you need motorized window […]
Not long ago, the idea of traveling by flying car was pure science fiction. The Jetsons made the concept famous, but turning such a machine into reality seemed like a step too far. How should […]
These days presidential popularity is frequently in the news. President Trump’s numbers rise and fall (his overall popularity recently dipped below 40%, though his popularity among Republican voters remains very strong). But how does his […]
Google is about to make your smart home even more intelligent, with a whole range of updates set to hit Assistant, Android phones, and Google Home over the coming months. Revealed at the company’s massive […]
As fun as smart home technology can be, there is a more serious side: Security systems. These can start off as simple as a single camera in your hallway that’s focused on the door and […]
Visit Mars, swim with sea otters, and trek to Mt. Everest’s Base Camp. Parents and teachers eager to weave fun into learning might consider using virtual reality (VR) apps to deliver educational lessons as play. […]
As COVID-19 restrictions relax and summer approaches, more and more farmers markets are resuming normal or close-to-normal operations. If you’re ready to break out your canvas bags and take a stroll through the farmers market, […]
If you’ve never bought a smart home device — or if you just don’t know where to look — the search can get pretty frustrating. You don’t know which stores will give you the best […]
In this, the golden age of digital media, few things have the power of the puppy when it comes to attracting eyeballs. One need only poke around the Buzzfeed archives – a site that has […]