Like most baby boomers and Gen X-ers, we grew up in a home with a wall-mounted thermostat that had four setting choices: on or off, heat or cool. It had a little dial that hid a mercury-filled glass tube on a bi-metallic temperature-calibrated metal spring. There was no formal timer function other than a parent reminding us that money doesn't grow on trees, so turn down the heat and put on a sweater. Now, Honeywell brings us a new kind of thermostat that improves upon digital efficiency, and then some. The Honeywell Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat – RTH9580 allows full internet connectivity, the ability to create detailed personalized schedules, and more. Read on to see our experiences with HVAC and the internet using the Honeywell Total Comfort Connect app.

Harris Fogel and Nancy Burlan, Posted 12/1/2013

The annual International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas always offers a wonder of technological invention and surprise. Sometimes the surprises aren't big or flashy, or have a large marketing campaign or a sports star behind them. Sometimes they are simple, small, why-didn't-think-of-it ideas that can really make a difference. The Luci solar-powered inflatable light source is one of those rarities. First seen at the ShowStoppers press event during CES in January, the Luci lit up the room – pun intended! To find out the idea behind this novel invention, read on. And for under $15 you can donate one to help out folks in need around the world.

Harris Fogel, Posted 11/29/2013

Most of us have no problem creating and saving data. Movies, music, word processing, images - you name it, and we probably have it. The problem is how to keep all that data organized, how to find it when we need it, and how to share the data. Over the past few years we have seen a steady increase in network attached storage (NAS) with Seagate having a lot of experience in this area. Their recently introduced Seagate Central and Wireless Plus storage solutions are their latest refinement of their vision of shared data. Read on to see how the Wireless Plus worked in practice.

Harris Fogel, with additional reporting by Frank Schramm, posted 11/13/13

In this review we look at the ever-present need to charge and manage your accessories. For chargers, the Bracketron Twist & Charge USB Charger, Ventev’s R2200 Wallport Dual-USB charger, TYLT’s Y-Charge Dual USB Car Charger and Band Car Charger, and to hold it all, the STM Cable Wrap. What do we think of these cool gadgets? Read more in our review.

Harris Fogel & Nancy Burlan, Posted 10/2/13