Can it be done? You bet it can!! Full-designed systems are for people who can throw £10k at a system that will just close your blinds and dim your lights which is nuts!

Im gonna show you how to set up a smart home on a budget that can have the same functionality as a high end Schneider system which costs around £1500 for the control screen alone!

Smart home isnt going away, check these stats on usage increase

I need to know How to set up a smart home on a budget!

I’m going to assume you understand what you mean by smart home systems and devices, if not check my post here which explains more you might just want to be able to control your heating from your phone or be able to dim your living room lights without having to get yourself off your couch!! Or you might want to control everything possible via phone or by a smart hub like an Echo dot or view.

What could I make Smart in my house ?

Lights

CCTV

Central Heating

Each Radiator

Door bell

Any plug socket

and of course, you need a ‘hub’ that can control all the above with either an app or even better by using your voice.

I’m going to list a few of the devices that i think will transform your house without breaking the bank.

Hubs/Control Units

These are the main connective control units of your smart home, (let’s call them hubs for simplicity) to be honest, you don’t need one to start out with, if you just want a smart thermostat, you don’t really need a hub for example, but once your smart home starts growing in connected devices, its better to have one device to control them all or you will end up with as many different apps to control then as devices themselves!!

For A more detailed reviews of smart hubs, check this post here

Hub choice is down to your preference and what the hub will control ( you have to check with each device if it can be controlled by the hub you have bought) Also all these hubs are at the end of the day smart speakers so they can play various media from your phone or connect to streaming services or internet radio.

Echo Show by Amazon,

£150

You’ve probably heard of “Alexa” right? well this is Amazon’s flagship echo model, this is literally 100’s of smart devices with either the app or your voice. It’s the one I use even though most of my tech is Apple!!

Apple Home Pod.

£299

High-quality hub that connects seamlessly with Apple’s growing army of compatible devices.

Google Nest hub Max.

£219

Like the Echo Show has a screen so if you connect your smart door bell to it you can see who’s at your door without relying on your phone.

Ok, so we now have the main ‘engine room’ of our smart infrastructure up and running so whats next in our how to set up a smart home on a budget guide?

Smart Thermostats

This is usually most people’s first step into the world of smart, smart thermostats are the go-to in heating controls when people change the boiler or when builders are building new houses, They have many features that will defo change your life for the better!! You can control your heating from your phone no matter where you are, they can also ‘learn’ your schedule, so your heating will be off whilst you’re at work and be nice and warm when you get home! The Nest one will also use geo-fencing to know when you’re coming home to have the heating ready for you!! Again for a more detail review of smart thermostats read this

Nest

£219

Feature-packed smart themo that ‘knows’ when you’re coming home!!

Hive

£90

The Hive is a cheaper option than the Nest, it also can learn your comings and going with Geolocation, Mini knows if you’ve gone out and left the heating on – and sends you an instant reminder to turn it off. Or better yet, connect it to a Hive Door Sensor and it’ll automatically switch off when your front door closes. Handy

Tado Smart Heating Kit

£99 for the thermostat £210 for the radiator starter pack

The benefit of the Tado system is it has small thermostatic controllers for you attach to your radiator valves so you can literally control the temp of each room with either your phone or your hub.

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Lighting Control

Smart lighting is one of the next systems you buy as you build your smart home and is a logical step in our how to set up a smart home on a budget list.

Smart lighting has a couple of benefits as well as it being super cool to control your lights with your voice (I have mine set up as Wesley Snipes did in Demolition Man, to switch on I say ‘illuminate!) You can set a schedule for them to come on or go off which is good for security and saving money. Again these systems operate with their own apps or check to see what works with your choice of hub

Phillips Smart Led Strip

I personally use this system in my kitchen above my units and I love it, you can change the colour, the time it comes on and goes off, you could put it behind your telly and you can cut it to size.

Tapo Smart Bulbs

If you want to be really budget-friendly, this 4 pack of smart bulbs will save you a nice chunk of change.

easily controlled by the tapo app or your choice of home hub.

Phillips Light Bar

Need something more directional? check these cool light bars from Phillips, which works with all the above hubs and their own smart App. This is perfect for creating a certain ambiance behind your telly.

Smart CCTV and Doorbells

Finally, to show you how to set up a smart home on a budget we come to CCTV and doorbells. The main benefit of smart CCTV over the regular camera and dvr system is, that you can access the footage wherever you have a decent internet connection plus they will notify you whenever they get triggered, thus prompting you to check your phone to see what’s happening or talk to whoever’s at your door.

Blink Outdoor

I use this camera to monitor my garden, and its quality and performance has been second to none. Hi-def pictures even in the rain, reliable alerts and a battery that has upto lasted 2 years! Also connects with amazon alexa so you can get voice notifications when theres a alarm event.

Arlo Cctv

Arlo is the main competitor of the Blink system and for most of the features there’s not much to choose from between the 2 ( they would probably disagree with me!) Again Good battery life, hi-def images and real-time notifications

Smart video doorbells

These have revolutionised front door security and convenience, now you’ll never miss another parcel, all the doorbells on offer door mainly the same thing although they do now charge to store your footage..boo! for a more detailed review check my post here

Smart Plugs

For the ultimate how to set up a smart home on a budget device, check out a smart plug, this way you can control any device ( that dosn’t need extra input to switch on) such as a heater, a lamp or a radio to boost your home security, again the tapo is as good as any

For this option, you don’t need a hub, just the app that controls it. From this app you control switch the plug on and off, set up a schedule or set holiday mode so the plug will switch on a telly, radio or lamp randomly to make it look like your house is occupied

Conclusion

So that’s the end of our how to set up a smart home on a budget, as you can see it is possible to do the smart home thing on a shoestring but still retain full functionality. Take my advice when you can and buy a hub, as you can literally control any device or full room or floor with just one tap. Believe me, once you start buying smart home gear you will keep going and before you know it you’ll have 8 different apps to control it all!. Trust me once you go smart you’ll never flick a light switch again!!

The post How to Set Up a Smart Home on a Budget appeared first on toptech7.com.

My Review of Private Internet Access

I have written a couple of articles on whether you need a VPN (check it out here if you’re in doubt) and how to use one but as there are sooo many options how do you pick? so I thought I would post a review of the excellent VPN that I use and that’s Private Internet Access.

Why Do i Need Private Internet Access?

So, to quickly recap, the benefits of a VPN are:

• Your ISP ( or anybody else) can snoop in on your internet activity
• Your speed can’t be choked if you do a lot of streaming or other high-usage devices
• No Geographic Stream restrictions
• More secure connection

But Why ‘Private Internet Access’ ?

The initial draw for me was the fact I could connect unlimited devices to Private Internet Access without extra charge, in my research I found many would only allow 7,5 or in some cases just 1 device, which let’s face it, isnt worth the lecky it would use to download it in the first place.

Installation

If you can download and install a game then you can download this easy. it auto installs, totally basic stuff.

Set Up

Again, really easy, just run the set up file, open up the app you can then select what server you want your connection to ghost from.

A point to remember is that, the further away you are from the sever that you have selected, the slower your connection will be.

This is the screen you get to select the server you want your data to go through

Performance and Use .

There is a slight slowdown in download speeds, but remember that’s the price you’ll pay for bouncing your data worldwide to be encrypted. Cnet reckons you’ll see slowdowns of 50% ( check here) but I tested my connection with the VPN on and off and I got no more variation than you would doing a dozen speed checks over an hour, check my speed check data:

This picture shows a speed test on my phone with the Private internet access switched off (note the red ❌) 107 mbps download.

Here I have switched on Private Internet Access. (Green Tick ✅) There is a slight slow-down but at 107MB A 6mb drop isn’t going to make much difference is it? and it’s certainly no where near cnets claims of 50%!!!

Here’s the setting screen, all nice and simple no Nasa jargon, here private internet access’s awesome ad/malware blocker is activated, which is amusingly called PIA Mace, ( under the privacy tab) as sometimes i’d like to squirt pepper spray at Ad creators!!

Conclusion

For me the biggest downside to having a VPN is the possibility of detrimental speeds, we have all become so demanding when it comes to internet speeds, remember the little blue line that you used to watch whilst waiting for a page to load?? When i read the post on cnet stating a 50% speed drop I thought, there’s no way i could handle that much, and after testing a couple of rivals, i did notice a drop in speed that would be enough for me to delete to VPN and never go there again! But with Private Internet Access the drop is so minimal you’d hardley notice it, so the main objection has been answered.

We all have a world of devices to connect and as streaming becomes ever more popular, to have a VPN to protect your connection as well as having dedicated streaming-optimised servers, this seems a no-brainer to me, Did I think I needed one before my free trial? NO! Would I spend less than 6 coffees a month on a piece of software to protect my internet security, prevent speed chokes and shield my privacy? Damn right, I would!!

Click this button for a free 30-day trial of Private Internet Access today

The post <h1>Private Internet Access Review</h1> appeared first on toptech7.com.

VPN use in the UK has grown rapidly over the last few years due to becoming aware that our ISP (internet service provider) can ‘spy’ on our digital journey including the very contents of our emails!!!

Check this usage data on Forbes about VPN usage here

I’m going to give you a brief overview of what a VPN is, what it does and why you need one in your digital life. I’ll show you how to use one, set it up and, in my view, the best allrounder on the market right now, (which is the one that I use!!!)

What is a VPN

Simply put, a VPN ( or virtual private network) is a piece of software that basically keeps what do online, a secret from anybody you don’t want to see it. I’m not just talking about some questionable internet search history if you get me!! Im talking about your emails, online passwords banking details, everything!!

Think of it as Imagine you’re sending a secret message to a friend across town. A VPN is like a secret tunnel you build to deliver that message. Here’s what it does:

Encrypts your message: Jumbles up the message so only your friend can understand it, even if someone peeks in the tunnel.

Hides your location: disguises where you sent the message from, like using a secret mailbox instead of your own address.

This way, your online activity is encrypted and hidden, making it more difficult for others to track you or steal your information. VPNs are especially useful on public Wi-Fi, which can be less secure, but if you ask me, never use public wifi to access your bank.

Are you still wondering is you need one? if so read my post on do i really need a vpn here

How to use a VPN

But do you need to be a Tech genius to know how to use a VPN?

The honest answer is no, if you can install a game on your device, be it Pc Mac, ipad or android then you can install a VPN:

• Sign up
• Download
• Install
• Pick the country you want your server to feed your connection through
• Enjoy full privacy on your connection

Your VPN will then run invisibly in the background, It’s that simple, all you will see is a small icon possible flashing in your app tray.

Benefits of Internet Anonymity

• No one (including your isp) snooping on your emails, internet usage and data
• Geo selection, even gone on holiday and you cant watch your favourite netflix programme because “its not available in this region?) simply select your home country for your chosen server and then watch as much “married at first sight ” as you want!
• More secure connection, so hackers cant intercept your data packets sent via your wifi
• No more bandwith strangling. If an isp can see you streaming load of Hd films, downloading whatever(?) or gaming they have the power to basivally turn down your connection to make it ‘fairer’ other users in he area, booo!!! you pay for 70mb/sec so thats what you should get right? Use an VPN and they don’t know whether you use your internet to send 1 email a month or watch 9000tb of films a day!!!

But how do I choose?

As you can imagine theres 100’s to choose from, My first suggestion to only select a product that has some kind of free trial or money back guarantee, cos if the company is confident you’ll like the product why wouldn’t they let you test it? Make sure its in your budget and it has great reviews and most importantly, will work across all your devices, which leads me to:

Why Use Private Internet Access?

• Award winning product
• 24/7 customer support
• No bandwidth restrictions
• Easy set up ( couple of clicks and you’re done)
• Unlimited device protection ( some give you only 5)
• Dedicated Ip Address (perfect for gamers and avoiding CAPTCHA)
• Ad blocker built in
• All devices compatible, PC, Mac, apple devices, android and smart tellys

Is there something a little lighter that i can use whilst travelling?

As I saoid before a lot of streaming content might not be available when you are on your travels, so you need a VPN to ‘fool’ the TV you are trying to watch your favourite show whilst you’re travelling for business or on your holiday that you are still in your home country.

That can also work in reverse, for instance, your favourite American show is being aired in USA but us in the UK cant stream it yet, change the server through CyberGhostvpn and boom! Get the snacks and drink whilst your watch your favourite show before your mates!!

Cyberghost has dedicated streaming servers optimised for all the major streaming platform for you to use on upto 7 devices

CyberGhost

Best for streaming .

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• Up to 7 Devices
• Optimised Streaming Servers
• Perfect for travellers
• No Bandwidth Restriction

£1.78 a month (yearly Plan)

Private Internet Access

Best all round protection .

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• Unlimited Devices
• Unlimited Data
• Unlimited Bandwidth
• Dedicated IP addresses
• 24/7 Customer support

£1.58/month SPECIAL OFFER!

The post How to use a VPN appeared first on toptech7.com.

A.I tech has been around for a while now, but Chatgpt only really came into use 18 months ago, you may have heard people saying how it’s going to revolutionise the world, make us all unemployed or end the world so we end up as soldiers fighting for John Conner!! If you are a total beginner then you need my guide on how to use chatgpt for beginners.

What Is ChatGpt?

ChatGpt is an A.I (artificial intelligence) application, it can be used for a range of questions, demands and tasks which we will go through later. The worldwide use of chatgpt is growing at a crazy rate check the stats here. But to give you a quick idea, think of it as a human-programmed search engine that can give you answers to questions in any context, so you could ask it to write you a poem in romantic form or comedy if you get me, or something more technical, like ‘tell me how to secure my smart home if I was 10 years old” ( whic hincidently you can find here !!)

How To Use Chatgpt, its Uses and Applications

The uses of Chatgpt are only really limited by your own imagination, all chatbots you find on today’s websites are powered by A.I bot/software, you can get it to write job applications, simple websites, your CV, love letters literally anything text-based.

Below is a list of the top uses for chatgpt ( by chatgpt!!)

• Conversational Companionship: Many users engage with ChatGPT simply for conversation and companionship, particularly those who may be feeling lonely or seeking social interaction. There’s a world of different chatbots that you can actually have a full conversation with like you were texting your mate!
• Educational Assistance: Students and learners use ChatGPT to ask questions, clarify concepts, or seek explanations on various academic topics. Please note: Teachers know how to use chatgpt ! Be very careful with this as more and more schools and uni’s are banning A.I in coursework and actively use various original content checkers and they will not accept content generated by A.I for obvious reasons.
• Creative Writing Support: Writers and content creators utilise ChatGPT for brainstorming ideas, overcoming writer’s block, or generating prompts for stories, articles, or poems. You will find a world of content creators churning out 100’s of blog posts a month using A.I
• Language Practice: Language learners practice speaking and writing in their target language by conversing with ChatGPT, receiving corrections and suggestions in real-time.
• Information Retrieval: Users ask ChatGPT for quick facts, definitions, or explanations on a wide range of topics, from history and science to pop culture and current events. The common opinion is that Ai. applications are a direct challenge to search engine requests.
• Problem Solving: Individuals seek advice and solutions to personal or professional problems, ranging from relationship issues to technical troubleshooting. You can train it to write your code for a simple website in less time it would take you to make a cup of tea!!
• Entertainment: Users engage ChatGPT for entertainment purposes, such as playing text-based games, storytelling, or exploring hypothetical scenarios.
• Productivity Tools: Some users integrate ChatGPT into their workflow as a productivity tool, using it to set reminders, manage tasks, or generate ideas for projects.
• Therapeutic Support: ChatGPT serves as a non-judgmental space for users to express their thoughts and feelings, providing a form of therapeutic support for those dealing with stress, anxiety, or mental health challenges.
• Personal Assistant: Users leverage ChatGPT as a virtual assistant for tasks like scheduling appointments, making reservations, or finding relevant information online.

How To Use Chatgpt for a Beginner

Simply put, you just ask it what you want it to do or what you want to know. In search engine-based queries, i don’t need to explain, but what is really clever is the way you ask the question, what i mean is you can ask the same question but request the answer in a different tone.

When i Say.how to use chatgpt these are the simple steps:

• go to chatgpt website
• write your request in the chat bar being a specific or simplistic as you want
• check the anwser
• ask it to rewrite using your chosen parameters such as more words, different tone, simpler grammar etc.
• copy your content ( using the copy command)
• start a new chat or expand on the current one

Writing Poems

see how changing the prompt changes the whole theme of the poem? Im not poet by any means but im sure you get what i mean.

Writing Job Applications

I’ve asked chatgpt to write me a fictitious job application cover letter, my point here is don’t be afraid to include as many details in your prompt as necessary, that way you’re more likely to the answer you want:

User

You

write me a job application letter to a company that fits windows. mention im a qualified astronaut, ive been to the moon, i play professional footballer for liverpool fc and i like to juggle chainsaws as a hobby

Dear [Recipient’s Name],

I am writing to express my interest in the [Position Title] position at [Fitting Windows Company Name], as advertised. With a diverse background and a keen interest in contributing to your esteemed company, I am confident in my ability to excel in this role.

As a qualified astronaut with experience in space exploration, I have developed exceptional problem-solving skills and attention to detail, both of which are crucial in ensuring precise and accurate installations. My time spent on the moon has instilled in me a deep appreciation for meticulous planning and execution, qualities that are directly transferable to the meticulous work of fitting windows.

Furthermore, my experience as a professional footballer for Liverpool FC has honed my teamwork and communication skills, allowing me to collaborate effectively with colleagues and clients alike. I understand the importance of coordination and cooperation in achieving common goals, qualities that are invaluable in a team-oriented environment such as yours.

Outside of my professional achievements, I am an avid enthusiast of unconventional hobbies. One such hobby is juggling chainsaws, which requires a high level of concentration, coordination, and risk management—skills that translate seamlessly into tasks that demand precision and focus, such as window fitting.

I am drawn to [Fitting Windows Company Name] not only for its reputation for excellence but also for its commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction. I am eager to bring my unique blend of skills and experiences to your team and contribute to the continued success of your company.

Enclosed is my resume, which provides additional details about my background and qualifications. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss how my skills align with the needs of your company in more detail. Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the possibility of contributing to [Fitting Windows Company Name] and am available at your earliest convenience for an interview.

Yours sincerely,

[Your Name]

Now, for the record, unfortunately i don’t play for Liverpool !! but here you can see my point on being specific as possible, that way you’ll get the best answers for your query

Using Chatgpt

as you can see your recents chats are stored on the top lefthand side of the window, the current “emphasis” is on the last question, like the poem above you can make subtle or dramatic changes to same request, like asking it to rewrite using more words, a different tone or to omit something. To get chatgpt to start a new request click “new chat”

Crazy Prompts

Heres a list of some amusing prompts you could ask chatgpt to play out for a laugh:

• “Write a conversation between two AI assistants, each representing a different technological era—one from the 1980s and one from the present day. How do their perspectives on technology, society, and humanity differ?”
• “Imagine a world where humans have the ability to communicate with animals. Write a dialogue between a curious scientist who has just discovered this capability and a wise old elephant who has many tales to share.”
• “In a society where emotions can be physically transferred from one person to another, explore a conversation between a renowned Emotion Broker who deals in the trade of emotions and a disillusioned individual seeking to understand the true nature of happiness.”
• “Two time travelers accidentally meet in ancient Egypt. One is from the distant future, and the other is from a more recent era. As they try to navigate the complexities of time travel and their impact on history, what lessons do they learn about the interconnectedness of time?”
• “Write a dialogue between a human who has just made first contact with an extraterrestrial visitor and the alien who has arrived on Earth seeking knowledge about human culture. What misunderstandings arise, and how do they overcome the barriers of language and perception?”

The above are for amusement only and believe me there is literally 1,000’s of things you could ask it just for a laugh even if it’s just a joke the world is yours, you can even ask it how to use chatgpt and cunt me out completely but remember, you won’t get my unique take on it that way!!!

The post How To Use Chatgpt for Total Beginners appeared first on toptech7.com.

What is a smart thermostat and what does it do?

Ok, for the uninitiated in the world of smart tech, a brief explanation into the basics of smart heating controls.

A Smart thermostat is an I.O.T ( internet of things) device that you can control remotely with an app on your phone, So say for instance you get off work early in the middle of winter and you’re thin my house is going to be freezing when i get home, you can fire up your App and switch your heating on so your house will be toasty warm when you walk through the door.

The really cool ones even know when you’re coming home through a geo-fence and switch your heating on anyway!!

For a beginner guide to smart home systems check my post here

Ok, I’m in what is the best smart thermostat uk

There’s a couple of main players that you might of heard of, Nest and Hive. Honeywell who have made thermostats in various guises for ions have also brought out a smart model. Lets get into to features, benefits and shortcomings of each one.

Nest by Google

Nest brag that this thermostat ‘can’ save you 60% on your yeary heating bills. Pretty bold claims if you’re asking me, possibly if you just turned your heating on at the end of September and left it on till May then yes I suppose that 60% could be achievable.

This is probably my favourite of all the smart heating controls and why I’ve listed it first on my best smart thermostat uk list

I don’t know about 60% but using this “learning” thermostat you will defo save money, as it will ‘learn’ your heating preferences in the first week you’re using it and then uses this pattern going forward.

Features

• Self-learning: The Nest Learning Thermostat is perhaps best known for its ability to learn your heating and cooling preferences over time and create a personalised schedule to keep you comfortable while saving energy. It does this by observing your adjustments and routines, and then creating a program that meets your needs
• Home/Away Assist: This feature uses your phone’s location to automatically adjust the temperature when you’re home or away. This can help you save energy by preventing the heating or air conditioning from running when nobody’s home.
• Hot water control: Unlike many other smart thermostats, the Nest Learning Thermostat 3rd generation can also control your hot water heater. This means you can create a schedule for hot water, or turn it off remotely when you’re away from home.
• Farsight: Nest Learning Thermostat 3rd generation has a built-in Farsight feature that lights up the display as you approach, so you can easily see the temperature and adjust it if needed.
• Easy to use: The Nest Learning Thermostat is easy to install and use, even for those who are not tech-savvy. It has a clear and user-friendly interface, and it can be controlled remotely using the Nest app.

Price

£189

We Love ❤️

• Self Learning- no trying for hours to programme
• Heating Controls- easy way to turn down the water temp in summer
• ⭐️Super easy to fit and use

What we Hate 🤬

• Price. – not the cheapest
• No room sensor: This relies on the thermostat’s own temperature reading, which may not always reflect the temperature in other parts of your home, or you have to buy separate room sensors.
• Limited phone compatibility: Not compatible with all phone models, so check before you buy.

Verdict

Still my fav

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hive Smart Thermostat

Hive say this thermostat can save you £200 a year, which depending on your house and usage I’d say that it is achievable.

the main feature I love about the Hive is the Geo-fencing, so say you rush out to work and leave your heating on, the Hive will send you a message telling you about the heating and giving you the option to turn it off. It can aslo tell when your coming home and make sure your house is nice and warm, although unless you work like 40 miles away and set the geo-locater according i doubt your house will be warm if you working 10 minutes drive away , if you get me., but i still love the idea of it. For that feature alone this makes it onto my best smart thermostat uk list.

Features

• Heating schedules – set up to six daily time slots
• Heating and Hot Water Boost – for up to six hours
• Automatic Frost Protection – helps prevent frozen pipes
• Geolocation – heating alerts when you leave or return home
• Holiday Mode – tell Hive your holiday dates and come back to a warm welcome
• Hive App: turn your heating on and off via the Hive app or with your voice

Price

£129

What we Love ❤️

1. Smart Scheduling & Geolocation: Create schedules and receive alerts if you forget to turn off the heating, promoting energy efficiency and peace of mind.
2. Multi-Zone Heating (with add-ons): Offers the ability to control temperature in different rooms for targeted heating and potentially significant energy savings (requires additional purchases).
3. Voice Control: Integrates with popular smart speakers for convenient hands-free control.

What We Hate 🤬

• Subscription for Advanced Features: Some key functionalities, like detailed energy reports and extended warranty, require a paid Hive Heating Plus subscription.
• Reliance on Hub (Some Models): Earlier Hive thermostat models rely on a separate hub for internet connection, adding an extra piece of equipment to set up.
• Limited Multi-Zone Control (Without Add-Ons): Without purchasing additional Hive smart radiator valves, the multi-zone functionality is unavailable, limiting its room-by-room temperature control capabilities.

Verdict

A definite contender, maybe more down to personal choice

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

tado° V3+ Smart Thermostat

The one differing feature of the Tado from the others is the amount of add-ons you can buy to customise your smart heating exactly how you like, the main one for me is the individual radiator controls. So you buy a smart radiator thermostatic controller, like the one below:

And you can control, programme and adjust each room totally separately from the others and places it on my best smart thermostat uk list, for instance, someones ill in bed and got the shivers, you can turn that room to 23 degrees, but you don’t want to be melting in the kitchen whilst you’re cooking your pie and mash so you simply turn that one down, totally love that, for me that could save you a fortune, although if you buy one for each radiator and you’ve got like 13 rads in you house at £75 a pop not many people are gonna have £975 to spend on room stats?????

Features

• Multi-Zone Heating: Control the temperature in different rooms of your home using smart radiator valves (often sold separately). This allows for targeted heating and potentially significant energy savings.
• Intelligent Geofencing: Automatically adjusts heating based on your phone’s location, saving energy when you’re away. It can also learn your routines over time.
• Open Window Detection: Identifies sudden drops in temperature that could indicate an open window and temporarily pauses heating to prevent wasted energy.
• Detailed Insights and Reports: Provides reports on your heating habits and energy consumption, helping you identify areas for improvement. (Some advanced reports may require a subscription).
• Voice Control Compatibility: Works with popular smart speakers like Alexa and Google Assistant for convenient hands-free control of your heating.

Price

£180

What We Love ❤️

• Multi-Zone Heating & Efficiency: Offers targeted heating in different rooms with compatible valves (often sold separately), potentially leading to significant energy savings.
• Intelligent Features: Learns your routines, utilizes geofencing for automatic adjustments, and detects open windows to optimize energy use.
• Detailed Insights & Voice Control: Provides reports on heating habits and energy consumption for better control, and integrates with smart speakers for hands-free operation.

What We Hate 🤬

• Higher Cost & Potential Add-ons: The base unit may be more expensive than some options, and achieving full multi-zone heating requires additional radiator valves, adding to the overall cost.
• Subscription for Advanced Insights: Detailed reports and some advanced features might require a separate tado° subscription.
• Installation Complexity (for some): Installation can be more complex compared to simpler thermostats, especially if you need to install multiple radiator valves.

Verdict

Love the customisation, hate the price of customisation!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Honeywell T6 Smart Thermostat:

The Honeywell smart thermostat makes it onto my best smart thermostat UK list purl;y for its simplicity and no fuss unit. For me it is definitely a no-frills, does what it says on the tin type of set-up. Yes you can control it with an app like the others, programme when it comes on and goes off but that’s about it. As you can see from my feature list, i could of even highlighted that is a nice black colour!!

Features

• Smart Scheduling: Create personalized schedules for heating and hot water to ensure your home is comfortable when you need it and energy-efficient when you’re away.
• Mobile App Control: Control your heating and hot water remotely from anywhere using the Honeywell Home app on your smartphone or tablet. This allows for adjustments on the go and additional convenience.
• Broad Compatibility: Works with most boiler systems, including combi boilers, OpenTherm technology, and heat pumps (check compatibility for your specific system). This makes it a versatile option for various heating setups.
• Voice Assistant Integration: Integrates with popular smart speakers like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, allowing for hands-free control of your heating with voice commands.
• Large Touchscreen Display: Features a user-friendly touchscreen display with clear visuals for easy temperature adjustments and viewing current settings. This provides a simple and intuitive user experience.

Price

£150. no add ons!!

What we Love ❤️

• Easy to Use & Affordable: Offers a user-friendly interface with a touchscreen display and mobile app control, making it accessible for users of all tech levels. It’s also generally priced competitively compared to other high-end thermostats.
• Broad Compatibility: Works with a wide variety of boiler systems, including combi boilers, OpenTherm technology, and heat pumps. This makes it a versatile option for many homes without requiring additional compatibility checks.
• Smart Features & Convenience: Provides smart scheduling for energy efficiency, remote control via the app for adjustments on the go, and integrates with voice assistants for hands-free control.

What we Hate 🤬

• Limited Multi-Zone Control: This doesn’t offer multi-zone heating capabilities, unlike some competitors. This means you cannot control the temperature in different rooms of your home independently.
• Subscription Might Be Needed (uncertain): While core features seem readily available, there may be a possibility of needing a subscription for advanced functionalities. It’s important to check with the manufacturer or retailer for clarification.
• Lacks Some Advanced Features: Compared to some high-end models, it might lack features like detailed energy reports or intelligent geofencing for automatic adjustments based on your location.

Verdict

Good no frills, but if we’re going smart, it needs to be smarter for me!

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Conclusion

The question is do I need one? yes, you could jump up and down changing the temperature in your house, but why do that if you can get an app to do it? I’d have an app for everything if they existed!!

Well, if you’re reading this you like smart tech, so I’d say, yes you need one. It will save you money over time, and you can pay 3 figures for a non-smart 7-day programmable thermostat so it would serve you well to splash another £50 and be able to control your heating from your phone or cooler still shout orders at your smart speaker. If you just starting the world of smart this could be your first step in the arena of smart tech so take my advice and make the jump.

The post Best Smart Thermostat Uk in 2024 appeared first on toptech7.com.

Some of the tips you’ll read here may not work in your house due to its construction, if you live in a 1 bed flat you might have no dead spots or problems at all, but by implementing some of the tips here you’ll definitely your steaming, gaming or uploading will thank you!

Yes, my network sucks, give me the best wifi hacks please

Upgrade your router:

If you’ve had the same router for a few years, it may be outdated and hindering your internet speed. Consider upgrading to a newer model that supports faster connections.

You might think it’s everything but your router, but as new tech comes out in components and data transfer speeds maybe your free router just isn’t up to the job.

Just compare what you used to use the internet for 5 years ago when your isp might of either limited your data usage (yes that used to happen!!) compared to now when in 1 room someone is watching a HD film through Netflix and in another your son is playing a next-gen game online your data demand will be massive, so its fair to say your old router might not to be up to the job!

Even a decent-priced router from Netgear like this one will amp your wifi coverage massively

Update the routers firmware

You might not think this is important or belongs on a best wifi hacks list, but when a device’s firmware is outdated if won’t work at it’s optimal performance, its like telling a footballer just to run up and down the pitch without telling him who to mark or whereabouts to play.

Nearly every piece of tech will update its operating system either automatically or will let you know via a push message or text but when was the last time you logged into your router management page and checked its firmware? Probably the last time you opted for the healthy option for your chippy tea and before that it would of been when you got it right???

How do you check this?

• Open up a new browser page and type in your router’s address which will probably be 192.168.1.1 ( if you didn’t get an app with it ) you might have a login when you signed up or most probably the routers login might be on the back of your router.
• Go to settings or maintenance
• Click check or update firmware
• If it needs updating, the process is done automatically and your router will restart.

Optimise your routers placement

This best wifi hack is a free one! But its a biggy,

The best place for your router is a central one if at all possible but your router placement will be determined by the phone socket in the house, so unless you’re at the development stage of your house or you can run an extension from your phone socket ( not ideal because your extension will be dog slow copper cable)

Ideal Placement tips

• Central place in your home
• High up
• In a room with the least amount of connected devices.

Use an extender/ booster

Sometimes you can’t move your router to the optimal place and you may be a dead room where the signal just won’t reach.

This wouldn’t be the best WiFi hack list without a cheap, simpler option, would it?

The best solution to this problem is to buy a wifi extender, which is a simple device that your plug into a power socket, connect to your network and your dead spot is gone!! Check this cheap one from Netgear here it’s only £35.

Depending on the layout of your house and its power sockets, it’s possible to cover your entire house and garden with extenders, some of the higher-end ones have more coverage than the routers themselves for instance this Netgear nighthawk is £300!! so it will probably extend your signal to the moon!!

Use a power line adapter

‘What’s that?” I hear, a power line adapter defo earns its place on a best wifi hacks list as it will provide uninterrupted internet to a device at your current connections maximum speed

As you’re probably aware your wifi speed and coverage is controlled by a number of factors.

• Router placement
• Number of devices demanding bandwidth
• House set up
• Electrical interferance

So what if you could create an ‘office-like’ home network that you can literally plug into the ethernet port of your regular devices like your smart telly, ps5 or set-top box?

” Yeah I’m up for that, but my wife will kill me if I try running metres of ethernet cable along the top of the skirting boards or try pulling up the carpets to bury the cable”

No probs, a power line adapter will solve this, you /plug the sender unit near your router and plug the supplied cable into your router, then plug the receiver unit near the device you want to feed via ethernet. The starter kit which lets you connect 1 device costs about £35 and you can add up to 15 devices on one network

This solution is perfect for gaming or streaming, the 2 most bandwidth-heavy devices you can install into a home network. You will notice a massive difference in your speed and connection, it may also solve the problem you may have with your in-game chat created by NAT-type issues.

Consider a Mesh Home Wifi

What if you want a super quick, state-of-the-art powerful top-of-the-range wifi system? Money no object, A mesh system is the way to go.

A mesh system should be seen as the ultimate wifi system rather than just the best wifi hacks solution. If you’re bang into your gaming, streaming or you require a super fast stable wifi system for working from home, then this is the system for you.

For a more detailed explanation on mech check my post here

But beware, they’re not cheap This expandable wifi 7 system starts £1499 check it out here

The benefits are as follows

• NEW: Orbi ^® 970 Series with WiFi 7 unleashes speeds up to 27Gbps for unparalleled performance and coverage for your whole home, from the front door to the back yard and the basement to the rooftop
• NEW: WiFi 7 delivers 2.4x faster speeds than WiFi 6 and is fully backward compatible with older WiFi devices
• From 8K streaming to video conferencing, gaming, VR, and more, Orbi ensures your family can accomplish it all at once
• NEW: Exclusive, patented Quad-Band technology with Enhanced Dedicated Backhaul ensures WiFi stays fast across all devices simultaneously

Secure Your System……Please!!

This sounds like a given, and you may ask why I’m putting this into a best wifi hacks list but the amount people I know that haven’t even changed the SSID and/or password of their router AND the router admin password.

If you have weak security on your home wifi this can be the digital equivalent of leaving your bank details, passwords, PIN and credit card blu tacked to the back of a public toilet door! If i can access your wifi unchallenged, the least i can do if piggy back on your wifi for free, the worst i can do is log every keystroke and any data sent to your bank, credit card or investment company, then off to Barbados I go all thanks to you!!!

For more detailed info on securing your home system or smart tech check this post

Change Your Wifi Channel

Here’s free tip for the best wifi hacks list!

If you have a good network management app, it can tell you the SSId of your neighbour’s wifi and the channel it broadcasts on. So you could change the wifi channel of yours to try and keep interference to a minimum.

If your closest neighbour system is on channel 9 then select yours to channel.

Access this setting in your router management page in the wifi section.

Try This, but don’t blame me if it doesn’t work!!!!

This could be at the top on my best wifi hacks list or one to be deleted!

I have read and watched this on various posts online and was sceptical but interested in this principle to basically create a reflective aerial.

Place a tin foil ‘aerial” behind your router and apparently this will amplify your signal and help illuminate dead spots in your house.

I tried it and it didn’t do a thing, but you’re welcome to give it a try maybe just my tinfoil was shite!!

The post The 7 Best WiFi Hacks For Your Home appeared first on toptech7.com.

Like it or not Ai is already in your home, check out this forbes list telling you where AI is in your home already

Some people are fearful of AI, personally i think a lot of this fear is fuelled by both the media and Hollywood.

• “A.I robots will take over the world and exterminate humanity”
• “AI frightens me”
• Is AI going to take my job?”

I don’t think I need to dismay these crazy ideas here but some people may not be too keen on adopting new tech ideas, but have no fear, even if you’re sat there in your tin foil hat and listening to your police scanner, the gadgets i’m going to show you, will not kill you, take your job or try to control your life.

If you are going to adopt smart controls in your home check my post on smart home security here

Ok, I’m not scared anymore, show me the best AI gadgets, please

Tapia Robot Companion

What is It?

Think about an Amazon Alexa but on steroids!!

What Can It Do ?

It can be your digital friend by playing your music, monitoring your home whilst you’re out, hosting video calls as well as becoming your smart home hub.

But more than that, which could be of benefit to both older users and people with social anxieties, you can actually interact with Tapia and he will respond back to you with an almost human-like response. Some people can go for days without talking to people this robot could fill that gap as the A.I used will learn new responses and reactions.

How Much?

At time of writing, its still at crowd funding status, but £500 will get you one!!

Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. I love it defo should be on a best ai gadgets list

Skynet end of the world chances. 🤖. being a robot it might take over your life but i doubt it!!

Duo AI Home Computer

What is it

On first looks, it’s just a mirror, but give it a touch and it turns into a smart home hub powered by Ai

What does it do?

Again based around smart home hub, so it boasts the usual music, I.O.T based info system which can control your entire smart home set up, but also its fully customisable in appearance and even voice responses, it can even have a conversation with you as you get ready in the morning ( mirror, mirror on the wall springs to mind!!)

The 27-inch HD screen weighs only 8 pounds and is about 2mm thick, it has 5 touch points on the screen, can follow voice commands and has an AI assistant built into it, but what I was most impressed with, was the feature of its own app store so that throw open a whole world of open source apps to modify your mirror to do exactly what you want

How Much?

pre order at $400

Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️ like a designer take on an Alexa but the app store could be a game changer and for its potential should be on the best AI gadgets list.

Skynet end of world chances 🤖 about as much chance of killing you as your phone!!

V.I The Worlds First A.I powered P.T

What is it ?

An AI personal trainer geared towards joggers

What does it do

When it comes to running training, what doesn’t it do? She will coach you during your run, telling you how far to run at your current stage of training, how fast to run, and how hard to push she will monitor your heart and breathing rate and it you keep it connected during the day carry on monitoring your vitals and fitness levels

Knows what the weather will be and adjusts your schedule to suit your needs, adapts your training to your physiology for instance if you’re really struggling one day she will go easier on you, and if you’re really smashing it she will push you more.

You can also play your music as you train through super high-quality Hama/Kardon speakers and take calls for me this is a game changer for running ( not that i do any!!) its like a mobile pelaton!! and 100% on the best AI gadgets list.

How much is it

Retails at $249

Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ if i was into running any further than across the road to the chippy id defo get one

Chances of it killing you 🤖 unless she tell you to run in front of a bus, you should be ok!

Chris Digital Ai Co-driver

What is it ?

This is a Virtual Ai powered co-pilot that connects to your smartphone to extend various functions whilst driving

What does it do?

according to the kick starter campaign

Chris supports:
– Messaging: WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, e-Mail, SMS (sending on Android only)
– Calls: Hands-free calling, voice activated address book and recent calls
– Music: Spotify, Apple Music, Google Music and music stored on the device like MP3 files, your iTunes music library – also FM radio
– Navigation: Offline turn-by-turn navigation, real time traffic-navigation, find gas stations, parking, restaurants and other points of interest

its AI assistant will learn your driving style and behaviours and adapt accordingly, its controlled by voice commands so you wont get into trouble by using it, which i gather is the main selling point of the device.

How much

e299

Rating ⭐️⭐️. to be honest i don’t see the point, i could just buy a mount and use ‘hey siri’ but thats just me. Probably not going to be on a best ai gadgets list but ive got to tell you whats new and out there!

Chances of it killing you, 🤖. unless you swallow it….none!!

Conclusion

There certainly is some exciting gear in development out there that could really enhance peoples lives, i’ve seen robots that can cook for you, not sure how much id trust them like, but when you think how much an lonely single old person could benefit from having a virtual friend that could remind he or she when to take tablets for instance and could talk to them about the weather or the footy, id be into that and that would be on my best ai gadgets list!!

The post The Best AI Gadgets You Need in 2024 appeared first on toptech7.com.

So, what does a gagdet have to do to get on this list?

• It must be New (ideally 2024 or late 23)
• It must be useful
• It must be smart
• It must make your mate’s want one!!

Let’s Do This Give Me Cool Gadgets

Amazon Astro Home Monitoring Robot

Into home security but having a fixed camera is too linear for you? Then try this, Amazon have created a robot that literally patrols your home ( on the same floor as it can’t go upstairs!!)

You can get it to go into a room of your choice for instance to check on your pet or whatever, it can even follow you round when you’re home ansd play your musci or rerad out your texts so you don’t even have to look at your phone!!!

This is the coolest feature though, which because it’s from Amazon will cost you more!! (plus you will need a ring subscription to record the footage) a pet add-on that will throw your pet a treat!!

Features

• Keep home closer – Meet Astro, the household robot for home monitoring, with Alexa.
• Introducing Intelligent Motion – Amazon Astro uses advanced navigation technology to find its way around your home and go where you need it. When you’re not using Astro, it will hang out close by at the ready.
• Stay connected from anywhere – Remotely send Astro to check on specific rooms, people, or things. Plus, get alerts if Astro detects an unrecognised person or certain sounds when you’re away.
• Alexa Together subscription – Remotely care for aging loved ones, giving you peace of mind while helping them live independently. Set up reminders, manage shopping lists, receive activity alerts, and more.
• Put Alexa in motion – Astro can follow you with entertainment or find you to deliver calls, messages, timers, alarms, or reminders.
• Designed to protect your privacy – Turn off mics, cameras, and motion with one press of a button and use the Astro app to set out of bounds zones to let Astro know where it’s not allowed to go.
• Accessorise your Astro – Astro can carry a variety of accessories (sold separately) like a Ziploc container, the OMRON blood pressure monitor, and a Furbo Dog Camera that tosses treats to your pet. You can also dress up your Astro with an It’s a Skin wheel decal!

Cool Gadgets Rating 🥶🥶🥶🥶🥶

I love this, for me a motorised home monitor has so many uses and I really want one but at this point, you have to apply to get one and it’s only available in the Usa

Moen Smart Faucet with Motion Control and Voice Control

How much do you hate having to turn the tap on? Seriously though at first to idea of a tap you can switch on and off with an app seemed pointless to me.. But when you look closer it really could upscale your kitchen activities to a new level.

You need 500ml of water for your cakes but you’ve smashed your measuring jug, use voice control to get the tap to dispense exactly the right amount of water, it can even give you 1 tablespoon of water! although I’m not sure how vital that is!! Got an older person who lives with you who keeps leaving the tap on? well, this tap will switch off after a programmable amount of time. Although its not cheap (£785!) I think this would be a great selling point if you sell your house.

Features

• CONTROL YOUR KITCHEN FAUCET WITH FOUR METHODS: Features four unique methods of control that you can mix and match, independent of the handle position – Voice, App, Hands Free, or Manual
• PRECISE WATER MEASUREMENTS: Precisely dispense water at desired temperature, up to 120 degrees F, and volume, as little as 1 Tbsp. or as much as 15 gallons
• CUSTOMISABLE PRESETS: Fully customizable presets for exact measurements and exact temperatures will make daily tasks a breeze
• VOICE ACTIVATED CAPABILITY: Combine specific temperature and specific measurement or mix generic commands with specific commands, for example “Alexa/Hey Google, ask Moen to dispense 1 cup of hot water”; Create your own personalized presets in the app to facilitate quick delivery of common tasks, for example “Alexa/Hey Google, tell Moen to fill the baby bottle”
• HANDS-FREE CONVENIENCE: Wave sensor positioned at the front of the faucet, starts and stops the water flow with a simple hand movement without touching the faucet

Cool Gadgets Rating 🥶🥶🥶🥶

How much you need this, only you can decide but if your house is fully smart why on earth wouldn’t you have a smart tap

E-skin tattoo

Think you know wearables? well, check this out, who still wears a smartwatch to monitor his/her health? not any more, the e-skin is a super thin piece of material that sits on your skin and replays important health data via bluetooth to your phone for more on e-skin check this page out here

ELECTRONIC TATTOO APPLICATIONS

• Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) monitoring
• Managing the symptoms of neurological disorders/
• Controlling robots, prosthetics and machinery
• Blood pressure monitoring
• Scientific and medical research
• Consumer fitness
• Virtual reality and the metaverse

Cool Gadgets rating 🥶🥶🥶

As this is still in the final stages of development, i think 2024 will see more and more health-monitoring developments and most probably used to send data to your doctor or health professionals, which presents with data privacy issues, for more info on ethical gadget use click here

Rabbit R1

This little box of A.I-based tricks ‘could’ revolutionise your life, or make your phone a little less cluttered at least. Think of it as a smaller, voice-activated extension of your phones apps

So you can use it for anything A.I or smart home-based tech like turning your lights on or adjusting your connected central heating Want to order a pizza from Uber Eats? Just press the push-to-talk button on the side and ask it to order you a 16-inch Hawaiian pizza, then watch as the order comes up on the screen and tap to confirm. You’ll be able to do the same for requesting an Uber, booking a hotel, adding a song to your Spotify playlist, as well as searching the web for the latest information. No apps, just one unified interface.

Features

• Rotating camera: The “Rabbit Eye” camera can rotate 360 degrees, allowing you to take photos and videos from different angles or use it for video calls.
• Touchscreen and scroll wheel: Navigate through the interface using the touchscreen or the convenient scroll wheel on the side.
• Voice control: Talk to the Rabbit R1 using your voice to activate features, ask questions, and control your smart home devices.
• Press-to-talk button: Alternatively, use the dedicated button for voice commands.
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and a SIM card slot for cellular connectivity.

Cool Gadgets rating 🥶🥶🥶

Xreal AR Glasses

Thin kof these ar glasses as your own personal movie screen for your head! they boast 2 cinema grade sony screens and cinmatic spacial sound for the ultra emmersive experience.

Pair them with the xreal beam and you’re streaming any one of your many wallet-draining subscription services to your glasses.

You can hook up your consoles to them as well, Call of duty has never been so in your face!!

Features

• Incredible Visuals: Featuring custom SONY Micro-OLED panels, 46° FOV, and an enormous 120Hz ultra-sharp display, each Air 2 Pro is meticulously calibrated for color accuracy – the first to receive TÜV Rheinland color accuracy certification.
• Immersion On Demand: Instantly switch between 3 Electrochromic Dimming levels with a simple touch and block out the right amount of light, ideal for using the glasses in any lighting conditions, both indoors and outdoors.
• Unparalleled Comfort: Enjoy all-day wearing comfort with only 75g of weight, zero-pressure nose pads, and ultra-soft temples. Air 2 Pro has an industry-first three-level temple adjustment and 1:1 weight distribution ensuring maximum comfort.
• Cinematic Sound: Our upgraded sound system delivers rich and immersive audio. Directional Audio technology reduces sound dispersion, offering better privacy and minimal disturbances to others.

Cool Gadgets rating 🥶🥶🥶🥶🥶

This is a winner for me and possibly the future of large-screen viewing. 85 inch for a telly now is the norm but not everybody has the wall space or the funds for a decent 85 inch qled this way you can have a wall-sized telly but on your head!!

looking for New Ai tech check my post here

The post The Best Cool Gadgets of 2024 appeared first on toptech7.com.

You’re right, I’m going on holiday what are the best travel gadgets?

Universal Travel Adapter

We take a lot of gadgets with us, so in those foreign countries we need power to charge those phones, ipads and whatever else. So it would make sense to have one charger that can provide us with power no matter which country we are calling our temporary home.

This should not just be on the best travel gadgets it should on the vital travel gadgets.

You will have adapters that can charge multiple devices at once, but be warned to check the local voltage because if you charge 3 devices at say 110v your charger will generate a lot of heat and burning down your holiday let just might make you lose your security deposit!!

• Pay about £20-£70. spend more if you want to power a mac book for instance
• Beware Cheap Ali Baba crap see note above regarding burning down your accommodation
• Tip Look for chargers with G.A.N technology. See my post on chargers here to explain.

Power Banks

So, you’ve travelled to the airport, waited to check in, waited to go through security, waited some more, then waited for the gate to open and finally, you get to your seat on the plane before your 5 hour flight, ‘let’s have a quick game of angry birds before take off, your phone shows you the dreaded symbol of DEAD BATTERY! noooo!! But you need your phone for your car hire voucher and the address of your villa, put ineloquently… you’re screwed!

You need an emergency power back up, depending on your holiday theres 2 options for you here. You can just buy a standard powerbank i suggest you get one in the region of 20,000 mAh which in my experience should give your ipad about 5 hours of additional uptime.

If you’re going camping or somewhere totally off grid you can try a solar power bank which as the name suggests can be charged by the Sun!! But be warned these will only be charged either very very slowly or in the case of the solar back up power devices, will only provide your phone with enough power to make an emergency phone call, so you can forget about live streaming yourself jumping off that waterfall!!

• Pay About £30 depending on the capacity
• Beware Low capacity powerbanks or cheap solar ones
• Tips Get the lightest but most powerful one and remember to charger it for the way home!!

Waterproof Phone Case

We love waterparks don’t we? I’ll tell you who dosen’t love waterparks your beautiful new £900 phone!! As most places now either insist on you having entry tickets for attractions on your device or when you’re actually in the waterpark they don’t take cash which to me seems insane so you have to take your phone with you end of story.

The option of sticking your phone down the front of your speedoes whilst on the slides is no no, so you need a waterproof case for your phone, most you can use the screen through the case and use the NFC to pay for stuff or access your park tickets.

• Pay £5-£15 or probably £1000 in a Disney park!!
• Beware Check the reviews if you’re buying cheap off Amazon they might leak!!
• Tips make sure your case has a strong lanyard because if you like violent water slides your phone might end up in the filters!!

Noise Cancelling Headphones

Holidays are a time for relaxing and whats better to destroy the early hours of your holiday than either a screaming baby or a boring passenger sitting next to you that wants to talk to you about how much cheese has gone up by in the last 12 months.

Solution… noise cancelling headphones!! this way you can blot out the screaming and send unspoken hints out that you don’t want to be disturbed!!

• Pay depending on your budget anywhere from £30 to £300!!
• Beware of buying cheap crap that sounds like cats getting tortured!!
• Tips buy a decent brand and you’ll get your monies worth when you get home.

Luggage Tracker

You get off the plane, go through passport control and boom the worst happens, everybody else is loading their rental cars up with their bags and you’re still there at the baggage carousel looking at an empty rotating belt..your has gone to a destination that only God himself knows.

Its not your fault and the problem isn’t going away, check these risk factors of checking your luggage here

Although not a solution, a GPS luggage tracker will definitely make it on to the best travel gadgets list. A small gps device that will track your luggage that you can see through an app in real time, believe me this could save you having to shell out on a Bermuda shirt/shorts combo for every day as you can give the airline your bags exact location so hopefully you’ll be reunited with your favourite underpants sooner rather than later.

You could also use the tracker (or Apple Air tag) to leave in your hire car whilst your out and about just in case you get a little lost in the middle of Marbella for instance and you can’t remember where you’ve parked your rented Fiat 500 in periwinkle blue!!!

• Pay £20 to £40
• Beware make sure you don’t buy one that charges you to access the location
• Tip If you’ve got a apple airtag for you keys, use that instead save the £30 or so for 2 drinks on the plane!!

Go-Pro or Action Camera

This may seem an uneccessary luxury to be on a best travel gadgets list, but the last time we went to Florida I literally filled a SD card with memories even if its just whilst your messing about in the pool, on big roller coasters or in the water park my Go-Pro 8 captured some great footage.

Theres some super good value accessories out there now you don’t have to spend massive money on original Go-Pro stuff. Have a look on amazon.

Conclusion

This list may not cover every eventuality, I would of mentioned multi-tools or water purifiers etc but I’ve aimed my best travel gadgets list at resort based holidays rather than camping etc, last piece of advice as always, enjoy your holiday but stay safe and be aware always check foreign travel advice if you’re going somewhere unusual.

The post The 7 Best Travel Gadgets You Need appeared first on toptech7.com.

we will have a look and some tricky new smart door locks an AI pillow!!! ( tinfoil hat wearers will be quaking in their boots!!) and an awesome ceiling light that doubles as a projector

Enough of the intro lets check some of the best new smart home tech of 2024

We love smart home tech right? i would literally have an app to control my entire house if i could and i probably could if i had enough money.

Roomba Combo® j9+ Robot Vacuum and Mop

Now I know this is a robot hoover and its not really smart home but if you have a house and it needs hoovering so whats smarter than getting a robot to hoover an mop it?

This J9 Hoover and mop is the top of the tree when it comes to smart robot floor cleaners, not only can it hoover your house when you’re out it can mop your hard floors and self empty!!! How cool is that? For a detailed look at robot floor cleaners check my post here

Motion A.I powered pillow!!!

Yes you read it right. this is an A.I powered pillow, don’t worry it wont kill you in your sleep i promise you!

An AI-powered pillow might sound like tech overstepping the mark, but bear with us – what if we said it might stop you or your partner from snoring? That’s the pitch behind the Motion Pillow

This inflatable pillow (don’t worry, it’s made of memory foam, like many of todays best pillows is joined by a Motion System Unit, which identifies snoring sounds and will slowly inflate the offending person’s pillow. This gently turns their head to the side, opening their airways to create some peace.

It won an award at CES2024 too

The companion app also handily gives you insights into your sleep as well as letting you adjust settings just like the sleep app on your apple watch

How does it work?:

If it identifies the sound as definitely a snore, the pillow itself is activated. It will slowly inflate, causing the sleeper’s head to turn to the side – a sleep position that opens the airways and is much less likely to induce snoring. The inflation process is designed to be quiet and gentle, to cause as little disruption as possible, and you can adjust the height to which the pillow inflates to suit the sleeper’s build. 

The whole thing is operated via a companion app (available for Apple and Android). As well as using it to adjust settings, the app will also provide you with data around how long you were snoring for and how often the pillow had to intervene to keep you quiet. And if you want an insight into your partner’s experience of spending the night with you, it’ll even play back a recording of your snoring sounds for you, which might cause problems but hey ho

Lockly Visage Facial Recognition Smart Lock

Ok we’ve all lost our keys at some point, need a solution for that? here you go the Lockly Visage Facial Recognition Smart Lock will recognise your face and unlock your door for you.

First thing I thought of when I saw this was, what happens if you’ve got a twin who you hate? What happens if you get your head kicked in on a night out and finally what happens if you go in for some plastic surgery but I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s thought of these things!! The Lockly Visage Facial Recognition Smart Lock is available now at about £350

Ring Always Home Cam

How Resident evil is this? The Ring Always Home Cam actually patrols your house in a customised flight path recording and or stream the footage. Features include:

• A new kind of camera – The Ring Always Home Cam is a first-of-its-kind flying indoor security camera for your home that flies along custom flight paths so you can see what’s happening around your home no matter where you are.
• Get better perspectives – See what’s going on in 1440×1440 HD video, with a built-in LED that automatically lights up the path when recording at night or in dim environments.
• Look in anytime – Left a window open or the stove on? Create custom flight paths ahead of time so you can manually check in with the Ring App from anywhere.
• Security when it’s triggered – If your Ring Alarm contact sensors or motion detectors are triggered, Always Home Cam will automatically fly to see what’s happening.
• For your privacy – Always Home Cam’s camera never records when the device is docked and only records during trained flight paths.

First reports are saying the noise of the drone is actually quite loud but the only way I can see this being a problem is if it spooks your dog out which depending on the temperament of your dog could be an issue

Think this is only available in Usa right now. Check the ring website for more details and pricing https://ring.com/always-home-cam-flying-camera

Kohler Smart Shower System:

This is the newest smart home tech for showering, features a ton of different customisable settings to provide you with the ultimate shower experience:

• Digital control with easy-to-read configurable colour touch screen
• Can control shower outlets, audio output, chromatherapy, steam and lighting
• Ability to upgrade to the KOHLER Konnect® platform for voice-enabled control of the showering system​​ ​​
• Can control one or two digital valves to provide two different shower temperatures
• Six user-definable presets for saving your favorite settings
• Integrated preprogrammed temperature and hydrotherapy programs for spa-like showering experiences
• System warm-up and pause feature
• Up to three interfaces can be connected to each system.

Philips Hue Sync Box Kit 2

into gaming or movie nights? then the Philips Hue Sync Box Kit 2 is your next purchase, you plug the smart box into your telly and the smart box syncs the light strip with the audio transmitted from your source which will give your gaming experience a new cool, although at £300 it seems a bit pricey when my under-cabinet led strip also syncs with audio it that certainly wasn’t £300!! but Hue has always been on the top end of smart lights.

The RCA Automatic Cat and Dog Feeder

No list of Best New Smart Home Tech would be complete without a device that makes our lives easier when we forget to do something, now you can set up a schedule for the RCA pet feeder to serve dry food to your pet at a pre-determined time or by the touch of a button via the app ( we love companion apps don’t we?) It also boasts a 1080p wifi enabled camera so you can see your pooch or moggy whilst they have their lunch. All we need now is something to clean up the poop from the garden!!!

This Concludes our Best New Smart Home Tech list

There is some pretty cool tech coming out this year, I really want the patrolling CCTV drone from ring, i think smarter home security could be a game changer in the next couple of years, would i buy a walking A.I powered robot walk the floor of my house? If it stops my house from getting robbed then my answer is Hell YEAH

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