In theory, all tech gadgets make our lives easier or better in some way – otherwise why would we buy them? A big screen TV makes watching your favorite sports that much more enjoyable, and a powerful computer helps you play the latest and greatest games as they were meant to be enjoyed. But there’s a different category of tech gadget, one that really makes improving your life, organizing your schedule, optimizing your work and minimizing your stress a part of its very reason for being.
Just think about heated coffee mugs, designed to keep your java warm on the go, or smart plugs that take your once-unconnected devices and bring them under the control of your smartphone. In the spirit of optimization, we’ve put together a list of some of the most useful, clever and downright cool gadgets that can help free up your hands, automate your chores and help you streamline your life, so that you can focus on the things that really matter to you.
The 8 Best Tech Products To Make Your Life Easier
Featured: Verizon Fios Home Internet – Plans Starting at $25/Mo.
The first step to a fully functioning smart home is ensuring you have proper internet and WiFi coverage to handle all of your devices. With Verizon’s Fios Home Internet services, you can have ultra-fast, reliable coverage in every room with plans based on your personal streaming, searching and viewing habits. Internet plans start at just $25 a month, with guaranteed, locked-in prices — so you don’t have to worry about unexpected price hikes. New customers can even take advantage of a free $200 Target GiftCard when they switch to a Fios 1 Gig plan.
Most Useful Feature: With Verizon Fios Home Internet and the next-generation WiFi 6 Fios Router installed in your home, you can enjoy lightning-fast speeds for all your connected devices. That means even if your little ones are watching their favorite shows and you’re working from your home office, you’ll still be able to keep your smart vacuums, doorbells and home security systems connected with no lag in internet speed.
Amazon Echo (4th Gen) – $99.99
If you’re going to seriously optimize your life, you’re going to need a command hub — or a central intelligence that can translate your desires into action. While there’s no shortage of digital personal assistants, Amazon’s Alexa is the current leader of the pack. Pick up the latest Amazon Echo and you’ll not only gain access to a beautiful and functional piece of tech, but you’ll also unlock Alexa’s full potential. She can create grocery lists, curate your evening music, schedule your next dentist appointment and even lock your doors or dim your lights.
Most Useful Feature: Alexa can provide a “flash briefing” of information you deem relevant, from news about current events to last night’s sports scores or the weather forecast for the day. It’s a great way to start your day, and completely customizable to the info you need.
iRobot Roomba i3 – $204.05
If people enjoyed cleaning their homes, it wouldn’t be known as a “chore,” but thanks to iRobot’s famous Roomba, you can automate the drudgework and devote your time to more important things. The Roomba i3 has learned some seriously impressive new tricks compared to its predecessors. Not only can it navigate around your furniture and other home obstacles with ease, it also creates a digital map of your home, distinguishing between hard floors and carpets. The i3 can even empty its own dirt into the included wall unit, giving you up to 60 days of hassle-free cleaning. And if you’re a pet owner, you’ll appreciate its tangle-free brush system that makes short work of cleaning up normally difficult dog and cat hairs.
Most Useful Feature: You can pair your Roomba with your Amazon Echo or other Alexa-enabled device, allowing you to control your automatic vacuum cleaner with just the sound of your voice. You can even set a personalized cleaning schedule, so that it turns on when it’s least inconvenient for you.
Apple AirTag (4 Pack) – $84.99
You’re a busy person with important things on your mind. You don’t have time to hunt for your misplaced car keys, wallets or other easily lost items. Apple’s AirTags use Ultra Wideband technology to recruit nearby iPhones (your own and the phones of strangers) to pinpoint the exact location of your AirTag, and even offer you guided, step-by-step directions to your lost item. The AirTag itself even has a tiny built-in speaker, allowing it to play a noise when you’re within earshot of whatever it is you lost.
Most Useful Feature: You can set any given AirTag to Lost Mode if you’re unable to find it, and you’ll be automatically notified when it enters the Find My network created by the world’s hundreds of millions of iPhones.
Google Nest Learning Thermostat – $249.99
Google’s Nest home thermostat has won all kinds of design awards for its physical beauty, but we’re still in awe of its sheer functionality. It costs under $300 and can earn that money back by reducing energy costs in no time thanks to its predictive intelligence. Want to start warming your home up from your smartphone as you prepare to return home from work? No problem. The Nest can even schedule service reminders for you, so you never fall behind on repairs. And in case you’re wondering, yes, the Nest is fully compatible with Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant, so you can change the temperature with just the sound of your voice.
Most Useful Feature: The Nest actually learns your own habits better than you know them yourself, and once it’s got a sense of your schedule, it will start optimizing your home temperature settings to reduce your energy bill. And you won’t have to remember to lower the temperatures when you leave — the Nest will detect that and adjust automatically.
Anker PowerWave Wireless Charging Pad – $17.75
You can’t live an optimized life when you’re dealing with five different power cords for all your devices, or having to untangle wires on the regular. We love the set-it-and-forget-it convenience of the Anker PowerWave charging pad, making it convenient for a coffee table, desk or nightstand, as well as the crazy broad range of devices it’s compatible with, from Apple and Samsung phones to wireless earbuds.
Most Useful Feature: The Anker PowerWave can charge through most silicone phone cases up to 5 millimeters in thickness, so there’s no need to remove the case every time you need some juice.
Philips Hue Smart Bulb, White and Color – $168.99
Once you’ve installed the Philips Hue Smart Bulbs, you’ll wonder how you ever lived your life without them. It’s literally as simple as screwing in a light bulb, but in this case you’ll be granted smartphone-control over not only the brightness of your home lighting but also the color. Want to create an ambience for your next house party or set a romantic mood for a date night inside? It’s as easy as hitting a few buttons on the Philips’ app.
Most Useful Feature: If you own an Amazon Alexa-enabled device, you can skip the app entirely and simply tell Alexa to change your home lighting to suit your mood. You can even set a schedule for yourself, so that the lights dim as bedtime approaches and then turn on again in the morning when you’re set to wake up.
Ring Video Doorbell 4 – $115.05
It was only a matter of time before the humble doorbell got a “smart’ upgrade, and now we can’t imagine life without the Ring Video Doorbell. The latest generation offers 1080 pixel HD video, improved motion detection (including in low light), and WiFi connectivity, notifying you any time someone approaches your door or rings your doorbell. The Ring provides peace of mind, allowing you to know when your children get home from school or that your latest package delivery has arrived safely — even if you’re out of the country on vacation. Installation is also a breeze, and you have the option of using the built-in rechargeable battery pack or connecting the Ring to your home’s electrical current, so you can truly set this device up anywhere.
Most Useful Feature: If you have a smart home device with video, such as the Echo Show, you can broadcast a live feed of your front door to your screen inside, allowing you to see when guests arrive without even having to take out your phone.
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