Tag Archive: Smart Home

Privacy Settings Every Smart Home Assistant User Should Consider

May 5, 2023

Smart home assistants like Amazon’s Alexa and its Echo and Dot smart speakers, Apple’s Siri and its HomeKit, and Google Home Assistant and its Nest product line have become extremely popular in recent years. Also known as voice-controlled smart devices or digital assistants, it's getting harder and harder to find a home that doesn't have at least one smart home assistant device in it. As smart home technology continues to improve and better integrate into the home, more and more families are finding them indispensable. But some consumers are less-than-enthusiastic about the seemingly ever-present smart speaker just waiting to be woken by its trigger word—and they’re rightly concerned about their privacy. Fortunately, there are privacy settings you can implement and adjust for the most prominent smart home assistants and devices on the market today.

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Nest Pro

Preparing Your Furnace for the Winter

December 13, 2019

The weather turned cold, and the snow fell a little sooner than we anticipated in Northeast Iowa. While cold weather has been upon us for over a month, it’s not too late to prepare your home for freezing temperatures ahead. Check the following to be sure your furnace is ready to handle the wrath of winter, so you and your home are warm and cozy this winter. Turn on the thermostat. Switch from cooling to heating and set the temperature...

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Alpine Nest Pro

Smart Devices – DIY or DIFM

June 27, 2019

Alpine Makes the Choice Clear Spare time is a rare commodity these days. Between work, families, school, chores, and other commitments – who has time to tackle technology? If you are part of the 1-in-4 Americans who are interested in a video doorbell this year, what is keeping you from installing one? For many, the first step holding them back is choosing the right technology.  The vast array of smart home devices to choose is overwhelming, and selecting the right...

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