JBGG_2021

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THE AUTOMATIC TREE!

THE SMARTEST

The devices we use every day seem to get most of the attention – smart TVs, computers, game consoles and phones. But great things have been happening for the everyday stuff in our homes that we’ve gotten so used to. Whether it’s the simple tasks of turning power points and light switches on and off, keeping our homes secure or keeping them clean, there are smart devices ready to help make life easier. STUFF IN THE HOME

It’s the time of year to set up the Christmas tree and decorate it with tinsel, trinkets and, of course, lots of lights – great fun in itself! Even those humble lights have come a long way thanks to technology, now employing LEDs for far greater safety and low power usage, along with the sort of twinkly special effects only LEDs can do. But even better, a smart plug lets you turn power to the tree lighting on and off either on a schedule, or with voice command – just plug it into the wall, plug the lights into the smart plug, and set it all up with Alexa, Siri or Google Assistant.

JB’s Top Tips

Just about anything can use a smart plug – so you can set up Christmas music with your tree lights and have it all activate on command!

PICK UP: Extra smart plugs that work with your choice of voice assistant. The possibilities are endless.

What to Buy:

Twinkly Flex App-controlled Flexible Lights Shape your own lighting! $169

TP-Link Kasa Mini Smart Wi-Fi Plug Control anything electronic from your smartphone. $24

Eufy X8 Hybrid Vacuum and mop. $1,299

What to Buy:

KEEP CLEAN WITH A ROBOT No matter what size apartment or house you live in, one of the most repetitive chores would have to be doing the vacuuming.That’s where the robot vacuum comes in to save the day, quietly and stealthily. What was once the stuff of science fiction is now a thing you can have in your home – a small autonomous vacuum cleaner that makes its own way around living areas, mapping out where it can and can’t go and working out an ideal pattern for it to completely clean each room. It will then happily look after the vacuuming for you – hopping off its recharging station to go pick up dust and dirt, returning when it needs a recharge (or, in the case of some advanced models, to drop off its load of dust and head out again). Especially great for households with pets that shed a lot of fur, these are the best kind of smart tech – the kind that thinks for itself and doesn’t need too much managing. Give your robot vacuum a few days to learn the most efficient route around your home. If you have lots of hard floors, a vacuum that has a mop feature might be worth considering. PICK UP: Extra disposable dust bags for your vacuum and its docking station. JB’s Top Tips

iRobot Roomba i7+ Automatic dirt disposal. $1,699

iRobot i3 Small and smart. $949

ECOVACS Deebot T9+ Robot Vacuum Powerful robot vac with mopping, auto empty station, and air freshener. $1,299

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