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Agent Derek Meister-Geek Squad spoke to Bill about Ways to Incorporate Smart Tech Into Your Patio This Year - Light up the patio - Fill the space with sound - Smart tech can mean less time standing over a grill
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Ways to Incorporate Smart Tech Into Your Patio This Year
Smart tech for the patio can mean less time hovering over your grill and more time chilling with friends.
source: https://lifehacker.com/tech/ways-to-incorporate-smart-tech-into-patio
About this time every year, many undertake the task of opening up the patio for spring. That means bringing out the chair cushions, dust and open the umbrella, and plant all the hanging baskets. Of course, there’s the outdoor grill to clean, and getting the lawn looking tidy. This year, many new additions are going to be smart ones, because the market is flooding with smart tech specifically for the outdoors.
Check out Best Buy's Outdoor Living page for more ways to make bring your home life outdoors.
Light up the patio
Lighting up the space isn’t just about a vibe—it’s a safety issue, too. Keeping the patio well-lit at night means no stumbling around, and a fall can bring a party to its knees. Beyond that, lighting is another architectural detail that can be used to highlight the space and transform it at night. Being able to discreetly turn on those lights or change them at the touch of a button on your cell phone is essential for a host. There are three ways to achieve outdoor smart lighting: through a smart outdoor plug, smart plug-in lighting or smart solar lighting.
Smart plug-in lights are having a moment: The new Nanoleaf outdoor string lights received a generally positive review. Over the past few years I’ve tried a number of smart outdoor plugs, and I’m happy to say that they’re getting more reliable. I’ve been using the GE Cync Outdoor Plug for the last few months and it’s delivered dependably. I’m also excited for the upcoming release of the Eve Outdoor Outlet, which eliminates the need for an outdoor smart plug altogether.
Fill the space with sound
I continue to be impressed by the small portable speakers that have been produced in the last five years, from Wonderboom to the JBL Flip. They do an exceptional job of bringing big sound in a small package, including impressive bass. But there just isn’t any denying the hold that Sonos has on the market—I just prefer my music over wifi instead of Bluetooth, where the beats aren't interrupted by notifications and phone calls. While many people, including myself, found workarounds to bring regular Sonos speakers outside, they now offer outdoor speakers as well as portables. This means you can have consistent sound when people walk inside from the outdoors.
Smart tech can mean less time standing over a grill
Every major grill brand now has a way to offer smart tech as part of the experience, whether it’s baked into the grill like Masterbuilt or a bolt-on device like Weber. Even if you don’t have a smart grill, smart thermometers like the Combustion can allow you to monitor your meat while you chill around the fire pit.