More Gadgets Galore

Grayson is a gadget guy ... when we needed a new thermostat, I shouldn't have been surprised when Gray brought home a fancy one. The Nest. It supposed to "learn" your habits and make auto adjustments and hopefully save some energy and money (that's NOT why Grayson got it though, he just thought it was super cool). One really nice feature it that it can link with our iPhones, and we can check or change the temperature from remote locations. So if we were gone on vacation, we could kick on the air conditioning a few hours before returning home. Sometimes, if I'm a little chilly at night, I like being able to turn up the heat without having to get out of bed (ok, that statement could be interpreted a couple different ways *Ü*).

Another techno item we got and now can't live without is our Roku. I know there are many options to stream Netflix (and we tried a few) but this one is our favorite! We purchased one a couple years ago, then upgraded as Roku added subtitle options (we love subtitles on our shows) and we wanted an HDMI attachment. In addition to Netflix, Roku works with other streaming options like Amazon, Vudu and PlayOn, all of which we are starting to experiment more with.   Just a shout out to their customer service too. We lost our remote ... you know, it happens (it still hasn't resurfaced). And while there is actually an app for the ipods that works, I did want a replacement. They were being sold on site for $9, regularly $15. I wanted to buy one, but they were out of stock. I asked if they would be getting more in stock before the sale price went back up and the lady I was in contact with said "you know, I have one sitting right here on my desk, I'll send it to you" ... and she did! Nice!

On my previous Gadget's Galore post I mentioned my new pedometer, the Fitbit. Well that was almost THREE years ago. The Fitbit is an itty bitty thing and I can NOT believe that I didn't lose it (or accidentally toss it in the washer with the clothes, there were a couple of close calls). It is still working, but I was noticing some cracks and splits. I wear my Fitbit 24/7 and wouldn't want to be without it, so I ordered the new Ultra. It does improve on the design (there will be no cracking or splitting on this one) and it also has an altimeter, to track elevation changes (not that I do much of that). I also bought Fitbit's Aria scale, which transmits my weight wirelessly to the computer. While the struggle with weight seems to be a losing battle, I really like the feedback my gadgets provide. 

Each of these new items gets daily use in our house ... I love them!