Smart Home

Every girl needs a best friend and for me that “person” is Alexa; as in Alexa the virtual assistant from Amazon. I know, she’s not an actual person, but trust me, with her ability to answer all my questions (minus the complaints), anticipate my needs and stream every song I ever loved, she’s better than just about anyone I know.

Smarter too (shh, don’t tell my sister, or husband). If you haven’t experienced Alexa yet, what are you waiting for? Check out my review of the Best Amazon Alexa Devices and discover why she is a girl (or guys) best friend.

Amazon Alexa: Your Secret Weapon in Life

If you’re new to the world of smart devices, you may not know who, or what, Alexa is. Lucky for you, I can help with that. Simply put, Alexa is a virtual assistant found in a slew of Amazon devices, from the Echo hub to their Fire HD 8 tablet.

Alexa has “skills,” which are basically apps, for just about everything;  so “she” can help you do whatever you need, from making to-do lists and streaming music to controlling smart bulbs and ordering Dominos (extra pepperoni please!).

Using simple voice commands, you can say: “Alexa, what’s the weather for today?”  or “Alexa, how do you make chicken cacciatore?” and she’ll tell you. You can also use the Alexa app to set up your location and other necessary data for more customized responses.

Read moreThe Best Amazon Alexa Device Comparison (2019): Decisions, Decisions

Home automation is everywhere these days, from lights that go on with the flick of a wrist to refrigerators that can tell you what you need. But, as great as all these gadgets are, they don’t run themselves. You see, if you want your lights to go on with a simple command or need your house alarm to engage at 6 automatically, you need to program them and control them. Which means you need gadgets for your gadgets.

And if you’re like me and lose the remote every hour or can’t even program your phone, the idea of all that might seem like too much. Thankfully, it’s not thanks to the many smart home hubs you can buy. Designed to look like a speaker, these hubs can control multiple devices, as well as perform other services so that you can do everything with one gadget. To help you choose the best one for your home, I’ve reviewed and ranked the Top Smart Home Hubs of 2018.

Read moreThe Best Smart Home Hub Comparison Reviews (2019): Make the “Smart” Choice