Smart Home

You keep track of your appointments using a calendar that auto-syncs across your devices, but you still forget important dates. You even write down some things to help keep your memory fresh. But some meetings still manage to slip through the cracks. Alexa can help you keep track of your schedule no matter where your calendar is hosted. Here’s how …

VLC is one of the most popular media players among Mac and Windows users alike. This is because it can play almost every video and audio format with ease. And when your computer screen is too small to fully enjoy a movie, you can even use VLC to cast media to your TV. Here’s how to cast VLC to a …

Blink smart cameras give you a cheap and easy way to set up a security system in your home. These smart cameras from Amazon allow you to keep an eye on your home in real-time. Plus, you will get alerts whenever motion is detected, and you can record video clips locally or to the cloud. Here’s how to set up …

Amazon Echo devices have a very long list of things they can do. They can be used to control other devices in your home for entertainment, temperature and light, and many others. And yes, Alexa can be used to manage communication, too.  If you’ve been wondering how to send and receive text messages with Alexa, we this guide will teach …

There are lots of video doorbells that need to be hardwired, which means you will need to replace an existing doorbell to power them. However, Ring has a battery-powered doorbell that can be installed anywhere. Here’s how to install a Ring doorbell without an existing doorbell, and how to charge your doorbell.  Without wiring, your Ring doorbell will not have …

Connecting Spotify to your Alexa-enabled devices lets you listen to songs and playlists using voice commands alone. Then, you can make Spotify your default streaming service, so you can ask Alexa to play your favorite songs and playlists instantly. Here’s how to connect Spotify to your Alexa speakers and make it your default music player. How to Connect Spotify to …

By default, all Amazon Echo speakers will constantly listen for their wake word, “Alexa.” When your device hears this word, it will wake up and listen for questions and commands. However, if you have someone named “Alexa” or “Alex” in your home, or you just don’t want to say “Alexa” anymore, you can always change it. Here’s everything you need …

A Ring Video Doorbell lets you see who’s at the door even before you answer. This smart device will send a notification to your smartphone every time someone rings your doorbell or sets off the built-in motion detector. Then you can talk and listen to your visitors with the two-way audio system. However, your Ring Video Doorbell isn’t a plug-and-play …

Apple’s smart speaker won’t be very smart until you set it up. Luckily, it’s very easy to set up a HomePod as long as you have your iPhone or iPad handy. Here’s how to set up your HomePod or HomePod Mini in two ways, and how you can start streaming music from your iPhone or iPad to your HomePod. How …

Can Alexa read books? Yes. And it’s not just audiobooks either. Alexa can read eBooks too (as long as you purchased it through Amazon or the Kindle Store). Having books read to you gives you more time and energy to focus on other tasks. Additionally, some books may not have audiobook versions. Here’s how to have Alexa read a Kindle …