KL Techs

I, too, would be excited about the new robot vacuum you unwrapped for Christmas that will roam your floor or the smart oven that promises to never over or undercook, but the truth is that the average smart home runs on an undercurrent of pretty unexciting stuff: plugs, wall switches, sensors, and the like. They’re not the splurge a robot vacuum is, but they’ll add up, so I always try to remember to stock up this time of year when there are deep discounts. Here are nine sales I’m paying attention to, and why.  Tile Bluetooth Stickers Credit: Tile I can lose anything, even in my home. Keys, wallet, dog leashes—but the item I was constantly scrounging for was the remotes. Tile stickers solve that problem by sticking to the remote to help you locate them. Unfortunately, you can’t replace the battery on these...

Checking how much juice is left on your AirPods is not as straightforward as checking the battery on your iPhone. Depending on what device the AirPods are paired with, the steps will be different. Before we begin, make sure your AirPods have the latest firmware update . Check your AirPods battery with an iPhone or iPad If you’re reading this from an iPad or your iPhone, follow these steps to check the battery on your AirPods (steps are the same for both iOS devices): Step 1: Pair your AirPods with your iOS device. Start with your AirPods in their case with the lid closed and have them near your iOS device. Step 2: Go to Settings > Bluetooth and ensure Bluetooth is on. Step 3: Select your AirPods from the list of devices to connect them. Step 4: Open the lid of the AirPods charging case to see a pop-up with the battery percentage on your device’s screen. ...

Even without devices like the Google Mini or Google Nest Displays, the Google Home app can accomplish a lot when it comes to your smart home: it works like a dashboard for all your smart devices. And if you’re using Google Wifi routers , all of the information about your wifi network—including current connection speeds and what devices are using the network—is contained there. You can even prioritize or block devices from the network or change a network name. In short, the Google Home app can serve as a digital hub for all your automations, and a record of all the activity across your devices from Google Home. It is a powerhouse of an app, and it takes almost no time to set up.  Download the Google Home app for your mobile device You might think Google Home is an Android exclusive, but if you prefer to skip Apple's Homekit app, you can use Google Home on your iPhone , too. While you’ll need a Google account to set up the app, you don’t actuall...

International travel is expensive enough before factoring in how much mobile carriers charge for data packages, but this aloSIM digital SIM card comes with $50 of data credits and is on sale for $19.97 right now (reg. $50). aloSIM saves you the hassle of physical SIM cards; instead, you download the eSIM to your device and keep it forever. Just like regular SIM cards, this one will only work on one device, so if you also want data access on your laptop—or you eventually upgrade your phone—you’ll need a new eSIM. Once you download the eSIM, all you have to do is add a data package that meets your needs. There are over 170 locations available, and a variety of data allowances and time frames to choose from, so you can only pay for what you’re actually going to use. Data doesn’t rollover, though—any leftover data will disappear after the time stated at redemption. One crucial tip for using aloSIM, though: install your eSIM and activate data plans befo...

If you’re looking to have a hands-free experience with your smart home, you need a voice assistant. By merely talking in the direction of a device enabled with the assistant, you can get information about the weather, time, local businesses, or anything else from their knowledgbase. You can control smart devices or send an email or SMS, and it’s all done by interacting vocally with the assistant, who speaks in a human-ish way. There are three well-known voice assistants: Siri, which is exclusive to Apple devices, Alexa , which is operated by Amazon, and Google Assistant . Since people are generally Apple or Android loyalists , it makes sense that if you run Apple products, you’d stick with Siri for your assistant. For everyone else, which voice assistant should you choose: Alexa or Google?  When it comes to smart home technology, there are two factors to consider: the hub you’ll use to connect your smart devices so you can control them, and what voice assi...

If you’re looking for the Wordle answer for December 26, 2023 read on. We’ll share some clues, tips, and strategies, and finally the solution. Today’s puzzle is medium difficulty; I got it in four. Beware, there are spoilers below for December 26, Wordle #920! Keep scrolling if you want some hints (and then the answer) to today’s Wordle game. How to play Wordle Wordle lives here on the New York Times website . A new puzzle goes live every day at midnight, your local time. Start by guessing a five-letter word. The letters of the word will turn green if they’re correct, yellow if you have the right letter in the wrong place, or gray if the letter isn’t in the day’s secret word at all. For more, check out our guide to playing Wordle here , and my strategy guide here for more advanced tips . (We also have more information at the bottom of this post, after the hints and answers.) Ready for the hints? Let’s go! Does today’s Wordle have...

Aging in place , or staying in one’s own familiar home environment during the later years of life, is often beneficial to people with dementia. However, as dementia progresses, their home may not be perfectly suited to your loved one’s needs. Healthcare designer Barbara J. Huelat shared some solutions for modifying a home environment to improve safety and comfort for a loved one with dementia. Huelat has spent her career implementing design principles that support healing, comfort, and safety. Through her personal experience, she has a special interest in environments that support people with dementia and their caregivers. Huelat recently collaborated with her daughter Sharon T. Pochron to write Taming the Chaos of Dementia: A Caregiver’s Guide to Interventions That Make a Difference . “Science shows that as dementia sufferers lose their cognitive functions, they do not lose their ability to enjoy life, love and be loved, laugh, cry, and connect with relations...

Automations are really the best part of smart home hubs, and Google Home has one of the best automation engines out there. In the simplest terms, these automations allow you to set a trigger and a resulting action, like, "At 10 p.m., turn off the speakers,” or, “When I say, 'let there be light,' turn on all the household lights.” If you’ve only set up personal routines, you probably thought the only option for triggers were the limited options offered around time, voice command, or location. These basic actions are great for most of your needs, but at some point, you likely found yourself wondering how to set up automations that were based around another home device condition. For instance, “When the TV turns on, turn off the reading lights.” The secret is using Google Home household routines instead of personal routines. What triggers you can use with Google Home personal automations Personal automations are a great way to get into basic routines ...

LG is looking to revolutionize the way that gamers pick up new monitors: Instead of forcing them to choose between super-fast refresh rates or high-resolution visuals, the company's new UltraGear OLED lineup will offer a toggle that lets you switch between 480Hz at 1080P and 240Hz at 4K. It's the first time we've seen a "dual Hz" feature on a monitor, and I can't wait to add one to my desk. Unveiled this past week before the tech world becomes lost in the throes of CES, the LG UltraGear 32GS95UE will let you easily swap between resolutions and refresh rates with the flip of a switch. It's an intriguing feature that caught me off guard at first, but I'm honestly surprised we haven't seen something like this sooner. There are, of course, a number of reasons why a dual Hz monitor is enticing—the most important is being able to switch between resolutions and refresh rates depending on what game you're playing. Many competitive gamers like to pla...

It’s estimated that a million e-bikes were sold in the United States in 2023 , and the holidays have no doubt brought an army of excited new riders to the fold. If that’s you, congratulations on your new ride and hobby! But please read this before you ride off into the sunset. E-bikes are faster and heavier than normal bikes, making them more dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing. The following tips will lessen your chances of breaking your fool neck on your new ride.  If you didn't get an e-bike this year for Christmas, show Santa that you can take care of yourself by buying one these awesome e-bikes. Suggested products Aventon Pace 500.3 e-bike Five Ten Freerider DLX Mountain Bike Shoes CXWXC Road/MTB Bike Pedals AstroAI Tire Inflator Portable Air Compressor Pump Before you go on your first ride Read the manual Don't take your first cruise around the neighborhood until you've read the manual. Most e-bike controls are easy to understand but some ...

Google Nest Minis are the most affordable way to make your home a heck of a lot smarter. First of all, they're adorable, like pastel M&M's that can sit or be mounted almost anywhere. And as cute as they are, they're also powerful little speakers that can interact with you in all sorts of ways—and when you add in the power of Google Home automations , you'll feel like you're living in the future. Google Nest Minis are the cheapest way to get Google Assistant throughout your home The affordability of the Nest Minis ($49, but often on sale) means you can reasonably deploy a fleet of them throughout your home. For instance, drop a Nest Mini in your bathroom to listen to music in the shower—and even change the song by shouting at the speaker while you’ve got shampoo in your hair. A kitchen Mini can translate cups to tablespoons or remind you what temperature chicken needs to be cooked at. It can even read you a recipe, step by step. A Mini in my office is great f...