The recent boom of smart home technology has made it easy for anyone with a smartphone to upgrade their home. Here’s 12 gifts that should be at the top of the list of any smart home enthusiast.

Buy This Gift for Someone That Gets Lots of Visitors

Linking your doorbell to your mobile device, the Ring Video Doorbell 3 allows you see and speak with anyone that comes to your front door. You don’t even have to be in the house to speak to the person at the front door.

Interestingly, you can power the button with a built-in rechargeable battery or you can wire it directly to your existing doorbell wiring to power it. In addition, the Ring gadget can send your smartphones when motion is detected at the front of your home.

• MSRP: $179 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: $100

Check Price on Amazon

Buy This Gift for Someone That’s Awful with Routers

Combining smart home feature controls and Wi-Fi access, Google Nest Wi-Fi is a fantastic device that provides Gigabit speed and reliability as well as a simple-to-use design that anyone in the family can setup, not just the tech-savvy of the bunch.

• MSRP: $269 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: $150

Check Price on Google

Buy This Gift for Someone That Has a Bad Memory

Can’t remember if you closed the garage door after leaving home? Enter the Chamberlain Smart Garage Hub, a Wi-Fi enabled device that allows you to monitor the status of your garage door. Linked to a smartphone app, you can also open and close the door from the app.

In addition, notifications will be sent to your smartphone each time the garage door opens. Regarding compatibility, the MyQ opener works with most major brands of garage door openers made after 1993.

• MSRP: $39 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: n/a

Check Price on Amazon

Buy This Gift for Someone That Likes to Ruin Dinner

Ideal for novice chefs that burn food often, the Nest Protect is a combination smoke and carbon monoxide detector that allows you to simply wave off the alarm rather than seek out your step stool to reach the ceiling.

Connecting to your mobile devices over Wi-Fi, the advanced hardware sends messages when the batteries are running low as well as constantly runs a test nightly to make sure everything is working. It also uses a human voice alert to specifically identify the problem as well as the area of the home that set off the alarm.

• MSRP: $119 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: $80

Check Price on Amazon

Buy This Gift for Someone That Likes Design

Connecting your home’s lighting to your smartphone or tablet, the Philips Hue A19 Bulb Starter Kit includes three smart bulbs that can be controlled with a mobile device. If you have an iPhone, it integrates with Siri and includes voice control support. The same goes for anyone with an Echo device & Amazon’s Alexa.

• MSRP: $199 Starter Kit / Lowest Price on Ben’s: $143

Check Price on Amazon

Buy This Gift for Someone That Already Has Smart Home Gadgets

Attempting to simply control within a smart home, the Amazon Echo 15 is a smart device that creates a central hub for controlling smart home functions like lighting and security as well as offering household management tools. Utilizing a 15″ touch screen, users can check temperature, humidity, and proximity sensors as well as turn smart devices on / off.

The bad new is that’s it’s not quite available yet. You can sign up for an early invite on Amazon.

• MSRP: $249 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: N/A

Check Price on Amazon

Buy This Gift for Someone That Has Tons of Mobile Devices

Want all the benefits of USB charging without swapping out outlet hardware or setting up a USB charging station? Take a look at the SnapPower USB Charger, a simple outlet covering that adds a single USB charging station with just a turn of a screwdriver. The unique design of the outlet plate draws power from the screws on the side of the existing outlet.

The SnapPower USB Charger comes in two designs and three colors, based off the type of outlets in your apartment. When moving to a new home, it’s easy to retrieve the hardware and replace it with the old plates.

• MSRP: $20 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: n/a

Check Price on SnapPower

Buy This Gift for Someone That’s Away From Their Pets

Fantastic for dogs that don’t like being left alone, the Furbo Pet Cam is a Wi-Fi connected device with a camera to keep an eye on your pets. Using the connected smartphone app, you can speak to your pet with the attached speaker as well as release one of the treats stored inside the device. The camera delivers 1080p video to your smartphone (w/ night vision) and the Furbo can be positioned on a shelf out your pet’s reach.

• MSRP: $169 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: $101

Check Price on Amazon

Buy This Gift for Someone That Wants to Save Money on Heating / Air

Releasing the 3rd generation of the popular Nest Learning Thermostat, Nest has improved on the device yet again. The new version offers a 40 percent larger, brighter, high-resolution screen, notifications when a home’s furnace is having issues, integration with the Nest Protect for carbon monoxide monitoring and new display settings to show the current temperature or time.

Over time, the learning thermostat saves users 10-12% on their heating bills and about 15% on their cooling bills. Similar to other devices on this list, the Nest thermostat is compatible with Amazon Alexa for voice control. Tip: Check with your power company for additional rebates.

• MSRP: $249 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: $170

Check Price on Amazon

Buy This Gift for Someone Without Central Air

This Wi-Fi ready connected air conditioner is a 10,000 BTU, smart window air conditioner that was developed by LG. Compatible with Alexa, Google, & ThingQ, you can turn the unit on or off, change temperature, control modes and adapt fan speeds all using voice control. You can also use the app to access these functions on mobile devices.

• MSRP: $409 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: $309

Check Price on Amazon

Buy This Gift for Someone That Carries All the Grocery Bags at Once

While there are multiple types of smart locks that interact with your smartphone, the Kwikset Kevo (2nd gen) is one of the few models that provides a physical key to carry. Using Bluetooth connectivity with your mobile device, all you have to do is tap the lock when you arrive home and it will unlock due to the proximity of your smartphone.

You can also provide access to guests by supplying a guest eKey that expires after 24 hours. Basically, you can let someone into your home without having to be physically at the location. Of course, if your smartphone dies, you always have a physical key as a backup to unlock the door. (Also compatible with Alexa)

• MSRP: $229 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: $149

Check Price on Amazon

Buy This Gift for Someone Just Starting with Smart Home Tech

You really can’t go wrong with Amazon’s new revision of the standard Echo. With multiple design options to choose from, you will have all the benefits of Alexa as your disposal. And if you have mulitple units, you can take advantage of features like multi-room music streaming or whole home intercoms. In addition, there are a vast number of devices in the Echo family that you can choose from; the $50 Echo Dot up to the $199 Echo Studio.

• MSRP: $100 / Lowest Price on Ben’s: $60

Check Price on Amazon

2021 Holiday Gift Guide: Best Smart Home Gadgets

Tired of the boring name that’s assigned to your Wi-Fi network? If you have ever browsed the list of networks in your area, you’ve probably found that the majority are named after the brand of router broadcasting the wireless network.

In order to change that name, you simply have to log into your router through your Web browser. Basically, you just enter a string of numbers into the URL of your browser. You can find this by looking on the bottom of your router or simply searching the Net for your router brand. Netgear routers, for instance, use 192.168.1.1 to reach the admin screen. At this point, you just navigate through the admin to find the Wi-Fi network name, then change it. Here’s a good walkthrough on PCMag, if needed.

We’ve scoured the Internet tubes to bring you our 50 favorite alternatives to spice up your home’s wireless network.

1. Abraham Linksys (or John Wilkes Bluetooth)
2. The LAN Before Time
3. It Burns When IP
4. Troy and Abed in the Modem (for Community fans)
5. Bill Wi, the Science Fi
6. Pretty Fly for a Wi-Fi
7. FBI Surveillance Van #594 (scares away stupid criminals)
8. LAN of Milk and Honey
9. Hide Yo Kids, Hide Yo Wi-Fi!
10. Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Lan
11. Skynet Global Defense Network
12. I’m cheating on my WiFi
13. Help, I’m Trapped in a Router!
14. A Van Down By The River
15. A LANnister Always Surfs The Net (for Game of Thrones fans)
16. Series of Tubes
17. Go Go Gadget Internet
18. I am the Internet, AMA
19. The Promised LAN
20. Mom, Click Here for Internet
21. WI-FIght the inevitable?
22. Silence of the LAN
23. New England Clam Router
24. Wi believe I can Fi
25. Occam’s Router
26. Get off My LAN!
27. Click Here for Viruses
28. Router? I hardly knew her!
29. Wu-Tang LAN
30. I Can Haz Wireless?
31. Drop it like it’s Hotspot
32. Look Ma, No Wires!
33. All Your Bandwidth Belong to Us
34. Network Not Found
35. LANdo Calrissian
36. Wi-Fi Network? Why Not Zoidberg?
37. 2 Girls, 1 Router
38. One Does Not Simply Log Into Mordor (for Lord of the Rings fans)
39. Bill Clinternet
40. Winternet is Coming (for Game of Thrones fans)
41. 99 problems, but WiFi ain’t one
42. DHARMA Initiative – Station 4 (for Lost fans)
43. The Wireless-G Spot
44. Please Connect for Identity Theft
45. The Net starring Sandra Bullock
46. Y No You Get WiFi?
47. I Pronounce you Man and WiFi
48. Keep it on the Download
49. I’m Under Your Bed
50. Ermahgerd, Wi-Fi!

Enjoy! Let us know if you have any other great ideas for Wi-Fi network names in the comment below.

Need a Wi-Fi Router? Check Ben’s for the Latest Router Deals

50 funny Wi-Fi names that will make your neighbors smile

If you are interested in making your home a bit more friendly for charging mobile devices as well as add new features like built-in nightlights or Wi-Fi functionality, there are tons of aftermarket plug-in options that you can buy.

However, if you want to keep your home looking clean, there are plenty of options that will blend in with your decor as well as add a small bit of resale value. Some of these options require minor electrical installation, some do not. Check out the list below:

Built-In Mobile Device Charging

If you want fast, powerful USB charging and you don’t mind doing a little electrical work, you really can’t go wrong with the Leviton USB Charger. It provides a combined total of 3.6A charging current and 18 watts of power. You can plug up to two USB devices into the provided USB ports as well as two additional devices with AC adapter.

In addition, Leviton offers models with dual Type-C charging (30W), a version with Type-A and Type-C ports as well as a model with four Type-A ports (that removes the standard outlet plugs completely).

Check Leviton Store on Amazon

Nightlight / USB Charger Outlet Covers

If you live in an apartment and are looking for something temporary that you can remove / take with you when moving out, check out SnapPower’s outlet covers. No electrical work is required. You simply remove your existing wall outlet face plate and replace it with a SnapPower face plate. It installs in seconds.

You have a few options. SnapPower offers a guidelight model that goes over outlets (ideal for hallways), a switchlight model for your light switches (ideal for bathrooms), a safelight model to cover outlets (ideal for babyproofing) and a model with two USB charging ports for your mobile devices (perhaps ideal for a kitchen countertop).

Check SnapPower Store Amazon

Wi-Fi Light Switches

If you are interested in turning your lights on and off with voice control, check out the Kasa Smart Light Switch. Compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Microsoft Cortana, the switch connects via your home’s Wi-Fi network and you can control all switches via the mobile application on your smartphone or tablet.

Personally, I have one of these on the switch controlling my outdoor lights. I have a schedule setup to turn on the lights around sundown and turn off the lights around sunrise. It’s an easy, inexpensive way to make sure my home is lit up in the evening. I also have a few in the interior, which is significantly cheaper than purchasing smart bulbs. TP-Link also sells versions with dimmer options.

Check out the Kasa Switch on Amazon

Wi-Fi Smart Outlets

If you are looking for a permanent solution to Wi-Fi connectivity at a specific outlet in your home, check out the TopGreener Wi-Fi outlet. It works with Alexa and Google Assistant for voice control and includes a built-in smart meter to optimize energy efficiency, ideal for energy-frugal households.

If you are using it with a heater or ac/unit, you can tell it to check the weather each day to turn those device son automatically. It also has a function for randomized light schedules if you are going away on vacation. Of course, you can also set specific schedules as well as run timers.

Check out TopGreener Wi-Fi outlet on Amazon

Smart Home Control Panels

Replacing a 1-switch, 2-switch, 3-switch or 4-switch light switch panels, the Brilliant smart home panel creates a single place in your home to control smart lighting, climate, music, door locks, etc… Offering built-in Alexa and a beautiful display, users can control devices from Ring, Sonos, Samsung SmartThings, August, EcoBee, Nest, Hue, WeMo, Lutron, Kwikset and many more.

In addition, if you have mulitple panels installed in rooms around your home, you can use the system as a wireless intercom system with video chat (each unit come with a built-in camera privacy shutter as well). It also offer a “scenes” function that will run a string of commands. For instance, you can program it to turn off the lights, lock the front door, kill the music and lower the temperature when going to bed.

Check out Brilliant Smart Home Panels

5 Ways to Smarten up your Outlets / Light Switches without Smart Plugs

Up to this point, wireless mesh routers have trended on the expensive side. For instance, crowdfunded options like the Luma and the Eero run $399 and $499 (respectively) for the base models.

There’s definitely opportunity for competitors to compete on price, such as the Amplifi Wi-Fi Mesh Router starting at a $199 price point.

To be fair, people living in apartments and smaller houses likely don’t need Wi-Fi mesh technology. A simple 802.11ac router will do the trick and likely blanket your entire home in a strong Wi-Fi signal. You won’t need additional antennas places around a small apartment.

However, if you live in a larger home with Wi-Fi dead zones, wireless mesh tech is the solution you have been looking for. This type of setup is also ideal for anyone that lives in an older home, in which building materials could include everything from lead lining to chicken wire, ala an inadvertent Faraday cage.

The base model is rated to cover 10,000 square feet while the two more expensive models ($299 & $349) cover 20,000 square feet; the latter two ideal for small business office spaces. In addition, the mesh connection points are 802.11ac rated in the most expensive model while limited to 802.11n on the base model. (The central router is 802.11ac on all three models though.)

Setting up the router is all done on the iOS or Android app; opting for a simple mobile interface over a Web browser setup. With the app you can:

• Track all users / devices connected to the router.
• Setup a guest network that can be used for a set amount of time as well as a maximum number of users.
• Monitor download / upload speeds as well as track over time.
• Assign custom names for the two mesh points (likely the location in a home).
• Figure out connection issues with the diagnosis tool.

You can read more about Ubquiti’s Amplifi router here as well as check out more pictures of the device below:

Shut Up and Take My Money: Amplifi Wi-Fi Mesh Router

Interested in upgrading your home network with faster Wi-Fi or new home automation gadgets? We have put together a list of products that you should buy as well as products that you should avoid when upgrading.

Internet Access

Buy This: Arris SURFboard Cable Modem

You find great deals on Arris SURFboard cable modems nearly all the time as of late and the quality is simply fantastic. Dominating the best seller lists on Amazon, the SB6141 is the most popular option at around $70 brand new ($40 when refurbished). If your cable company is moving to gigabit speeds, you can transition up to models that are still significantly cheaper than competitors.

Not This: Your Cable Company’s Modem

Renting your cable company’s modem is not only more expensive than simply buying a modem, but it can also be a roadblock to getting amazing speeds. Internet providers like Time Warner and Comcast have always invested in cheap cable modem technology to rent to customers at a premium. We also recommend avoiding any option to buy a modem from your ISP as the technology is probably a generation or two behind the curve.

Wi-Fi Coverage

Buy This: TP-Link Routers under $100

Earning high praise from sites like The Wirecutter as well as consumers on Amazon, TP-Link routers are ramping up in popularity due to the low cost and high performance. Be aware that quality control issues do exist with this brand. Amazon reviews seem to indicate that language barriers with customer service is an issue as well as dropped signals in some cases. However, firmware updates are likely to solve the connection issues.

Download Tip: You can find the latest TP-Link firmware for your router here: LINK

Not This: Trendy Routers

What are trendy routers? Google’s $200 OnHub is a trendy router.  Apple’s $200 AirPort Extreme is a trendy router. The $350 Starry Wi-Fi Station is a trendy router. The same goes for $400 to $500 mesh networking systems from companies like eero and Luma. If any of these products actually catch on in a big way, there inevitably be cheaper options down the pipeline. Avoid early adoption until prices come down significantly.

Content Blocking

Buy This: Circle By Disney

Providing an interface that’s simple enough for parents lacking in technical skills to use, Circle By Disney is a product that lets parents filter content on specific devices within the home. In addition, parents can limit the amount of time kids can access content as well as set a specific time when zero content can be accessed on the device, such as bedtime. It’s a great solution for parents that want a simple, straightforward option to protecting their kids from pornography and other bad sites.

Freebie Tip: For a completely free option, check out OpenDNS Family Shield. Be aware that it will require a technical background for installation (not plug-and-play like Circle). 

Not This: Clean Router

While certainly effective at blocking pornography and other objectionable content from the eyes of minors, the cost of Clean Router far outweighs the benefits. Even if you opt for the free 802.11n model (which is already slow for Wi-Fi), you still have to pay $13 a month for service. That’s more than $150 a year for something that Circle by Disney can accomplish for a single charge of $99!

Voice Assistance

Buy This: Amazon Echo Dot

Retailing for $90, the Dot allows anyone with a speaker system to use the Alexa voice assistant without having to purchase the more expensive, $180 Amazon Echo standalone speaker. Of course, Alexa can be used to order items on Amazon, play music, control smart home devices as well as a bevy of other options using just your voice. It’s Amazon’s answer to Apple’s Siri, basically.

Savings Tip: For those that are technically inclined, you can build you own Echo for about $60 with a Raspberry Pi (directions here). 

Not This: The Crowdfunded Options

While Google labors away at building Google Home (probably the only true competitor to the Echo), there are a number of companies that are attempting to offer similar features to the Echo, but are stuck in development. This includes products like the $100 ivee, $150 Mycroft and the Cubic. The odds of these companies building something that’s better than the Echo are slim, especially since Amazon is already leading the pack.

Smart Lighting

Buy This: Soft White / Daylight Bulbs

Priced at $15 per bulb, the Cree Connected LED bulb is one of the most inexpensive smart bulbs on the market (often competing with the GE Link LED Light when it goes on sale). Available in soft white or daylight models, The Cree bulb is compatible with the Wink smart platform as well as any Zigbee enabled hub like Samsung’s popular SmartThings platform and the Philips hub. Bulbs are rated for 25,000 hours (roughly 22 years if used 3 hours a day).

Tip: You can also find relatively inexpensive soft white / daylight bulbs from other companies (usually between $20 to $25).

Not This: Color Changing Bulbs

While Philips makes a fantastic smart bulb, the price is solely what kills any recommendation for color-changing bulbs. A new bulb retails for $60, about four times what a soft white / daylight bulb costs. The $200 starter kit comes with three bulbs and a Hue hub, but that’s not much of a better deal. After subtracting the cost of the $60 hub (when buying separately), you are still paying over $45 per bulb just to get started. These bulbs will burn out quicker than the Cree as well, only rated to last 15,000 hours.

Smart Smoke Detector

Buy This: Roost Smart 9-Volt Battery

Priced at $35 per battery, the Roost smart battery can be installed in any smoke or carbon monoxide detector. Connecting to your smartphone, the battery sends notifications when the alarm goes off (ideal for someone away from home) and provides a warning when the battery life (5 years) is about to expire. Each battery can be assigned a name, like Kitchen, in order to keep track of mulitple installations. You can also get a discount by purchasing the batteries in bulk, roughly pushing the cost down to $32 a battery.

Not This: Nest Protect

While the second generation of the $99 Nest Protect is highly rated and fixes several of the problems from the first gen, the cost is still prohibitive if you are replacing mulitple installations around your home. Replacing alarms in every bedroom as well as the main living areas could easily jack up the total cost between $500 to $1000; a feat that the Roost can accomplish for a third of that cost.

Buy This, Not This: Home Networking / Wi-Fi / Smart Gear Edition

Simplifying the touchscreen router concept that was started by Securifi’s Almond series, the Starry Wi-Fi Station is a new router that lets you see the devices connected on your home’s wireless network.

On the 3.8″ LCD screen, devices that are using more data have larger blue bubbles. It also notes current usage and a red color will be used for devices with issues.

Other data that can be accessed on the screen include the current download and upload speed available on your network. The screen can also be used to limit Wi-Fi accessibility based on device and time, ideal for any parents that want to restrict their child’s Wi-Fi access to specific days of the week. That would be ideal for limiting access during school nights, just to make sure homework gets done.

The router also collects speed information over time, thus you will have hard data for your next call to your Internet provider to complain about slow speeds. Of course, the router offers 802.11ac connectivity. It’s also 802.15 ready, providing the potential for even faster speeds in the coming years.

Of course, the price of the Wi-Fi Station is the biggest problem. Starting at a price point of $349, it’s significantly more expensive than other routers on the market. Even the Almond+ touchscreen router is $100 cheaper than the Starry.

You can check out more details about the Starry Wi-Fi Station on the official site. You can also watch the video below as well as check out more product pictures.

Check Price of Starry Wi-Fi Router on Amazon

Shut Up and Take My Money: Starry Wi-Fi Station

Over the last 15 years, I’ve spent hours upon hours fiddling with routers. Resetting routers, fiddling with the software settings or simply just trying to get my router to work with my cable modem and connecting equipment, it usually ranged from frustrating to infuriating. And I knew what I was doing! I can’t imagine how long it too for someone without any technical knowledge to get a Wi-Fi system up and running.

The Securifi Almond+ seeks to change all that, forgoing the complexity of a traditional router setup process for a simple process that can be accomplished in a few minutes via the touchscreen on the router. What could have taken a non-technical person hours to figure out on their own now takes less than five minutes and doesn’t require any additional help from a tech-savvy friend.

Product Design

Creating a product that can be wall-mountable, Securifi hasn’t changed much from the original Almond design beyond shifting to a matte finish on the plastic casing. However, I did like the kickstand included with the Almond+ and prefer than over wall-mounting the device. It sits on the corner of my desk resting at an angle, ideal for easy touchscreen access. You can use your fingernail to operate the touchscreen, although the included stylus is more effective at tapping the screen since the actual touchscreen is recessed slightly.

If you do decide to wall mount, all the connection ports are easy to access on the back of the router. Facing downward, you will find four Gigabit LAN output ports, one WAN input port, the power connection port and two USB 3.0 ports for network sharing of printers / hard drives. If you are connecting multiple Enternet cables, it can get a little cramped back there. However, everything fits once it’s all connected.

On the front of the device, you will find the 3.5-inch, 320 x 240 pixel touch screen. It’s a full color display that’s very easy to read, although anyone with vision issues up close might have a problem reading some of the text. If the screen is left untouched for a period of time, it will automatically shut off rather than stay on 24/7. This design element forgoes the need for a power on/off switch on the device.

Regarding size, the router is barely larger than my Motorola cable modem, basically the size of a thick paperback book. If you do wall mount, consider choosing a central part of your home. In addition to providing Wi-Fi coverage from a central point, I’ve found that the screen is handy for checking all connected smart home devices as well as looking at data about connected users.

Setup & Performance

This is definitely where the Almond+ shines. You have the option of connecting the device to a computer to set it up, but using the touch screen for the entire process is just as simple. The downside is that it takes slightly longer when using the touchscreen, specifically because you have to slowly touch type the letters to name your 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi networks as well as the password for both. I painstakingly took the time to type out “Pretty Fly for a Wi-Fi” as well as “Keep it on the Download” for my wireless network names.

At the start of the setup, you can choose to setup the Almond+ as a router, a wireless access point or a range extender. Most folks will choose the first option, but using the router as a range extender can be helpful if you are planning to wall mount the unit. That will allow you to forgo all the wired connections, but still take advantage of the smart home features and other options the Almond+ provides.

Internally, the Almond+ is powered by a 750-MHz dual-core processor along with 512MB of RAM and 512MB of flash storage. More importantly, the three Wi-Fi antennas inside the router provide wireless access across your home. Regarding range, I was often able to stand outside of my home, roughly 150 feet away from the router (often switching to the 2.4GHz to accomplish this), and still pull a solid signal through multiple walls on both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi networks.

Regarding speed, I consistently pulled 100+ Mbps on the 802.11ac connection when walking around my home. That was using an iPhone 6 Plus or my wife’s ultrabook. Of course, that speed increased dramatically when within 10 feet of the router, usually pushing speeds up to 300+ Mbps. Regarding capacity, I haven’t had any issues running multiple two high definition streams at once while using my computer to surf the Web and handle mobile connected devices at the same time. This router seems perfect for a large family with significant capacity needs.

Home Automation

If you are into smart home features, Securifi has added some home automation features that make the Almond+ compatible with ZigBee and Z-Wave devices. For instance, it will connect to items like the the Philips Hue LED bulb and Nest thermostat. The Almond+ also comes with a Peanut Plug to get you started. That device allows you to remotely control an AC outlet, ideal for flipping a standing floor lamp on for instance. You can also setup time based commands for devices, like flipping on lights before you arrive home from work.

In addition, you can use the iOS or Android Almond app to check the status on all the sensors. If you forgot to turn off the lights before you left home, you can access the app to flip off the lights. The same goes for checking the locks on the doors or adjusting the thermostat remotely, assuming you have these types of smart home devices installed. All in all, it’s a nifty addition for anyone interested in home automation and will save you money on purchasing a smart home hub separately.

Should You Buy This?

While the $250 price tag is steep for a router, this is one of the best routers available for a home that needs speed and reliability as well as a simple-to-use router that anyone in the family can setup, not just the tech-savvy of the bunch. The home automation features are definitely a plus, although the software is not quite as proficient at smart home tasks as a dedicated smart home hub.

Regarding sales, we’ve seen the Almond+ drop from a regular “always on-sale” price of $249.99 down to a real sale price between $190 to $200. Look for sales around the holiday season on the router, specifically at Amazon and Newegg.

Check Almond+ Price on Amazon

Securifi Almond+ Router Review: Simplicity Achieved

It’s tough to imagine a world without data immediately accessible at your fingertips. While I did grow up in the world that existed before the iPhone was a blip of an idea inside the head of Steve Jobs, I’ve become so accustomed to whipping out my smartphone and looking up something withing seconds. The same goes for accessing digital content, like video games and movies, as well as reading email, watching silly YouTube videos and getting lost in the front page of the Internet.

While many Americans rely on their smartphone’s data plan for all these tasks, we all know that data is a finite resource that comes at a cost. For instance, I pay $70 a month for 4GB of data on Verizon and that’s shared between two phones.

While it’s tough for me (and my wife) to hit that cap each month, there are times when we have come very close. In those cases, it would have been very useful to have some form of wireless backup that didn’t cost me $10 per gig.

This is a situation where the FreedomPop MiFi 4082 nationwide hotspot would have come in handy. The device allows a user to connect a Wi-Fi enabled device (like a laptop or tablet) and consume up to 500GB of 4G data for free each month. In fact, multiple people can use it simultaneously as it supports up to five connections at any given time.

Ideal for travel, the MiFi 4082 is about the same size as those old-school, Razr flip phones. It comes with a A/C adapter for charging the internal battery as well as thin, cloth sleeve to protect the finish from scratches. This is the kind of device that would be easy to whip out in an airport or while riding in a car in order to connect a tablet up to the Internet.

The device is pretty simple to setup. After taking it out of the box, I plugged it in, held down the power button for a couple seconds and the device quickly located the network. The MiFi 4082 will attempt to search for a 4G network and, if not found, will default to a 3G network. You can tell which network is being accessed by the MiFi 4082 as the indicator light will light up blue for 4G and green for 3G.

It’s easy to determine your 4G WiMax and 3G coverage by checking the coverage map on the FreedomPop website.  When I tested the 4G connection speeds, I was able to consistently pull about a 8Mbps download speed. Pretty darn awesome for a company that just gives away data for free! Granted, it’s not the 30Mbps download speed I can consistently pull off Verizon’s LTE network, but it’s also not costing me $70 a month.

Or course, you can opt into paid plans with FreedomPop to increase available data each month. While 500MB is free, a 2GB plan runs about $20 a month and a 4GB plan runs about $35 a month. Hypothetically, you could get away with cancelling coverage on a smartphone, assuming you carried the MiFi 4082 with you at all times and lived in a heavily 4G-coverage area.

In addition, a base $4-a-month plan adds a feature that lets the user rollover unused data each month up to 20GB. This could be ideal if you only need to use the device heavily a couple times a year. There’s also a referral plan in place that offers users the ability to earn 500MB of data when a new user signs up.

If you are interested in the FreedomPop MiFi 4082 nationwide hotspot, check out FreedomPop’s current deal that offers users the device and 2GB of trial data for $29.99.  The device alone is listed at $129.99 on the FreedomPop website, so you’ll be getting over 80% off here!: LINK

Free Internet whenever, wherever: Enter the FreedomPop MiFi 4082

Operating at 4G speeds, the Freedom Spot Photon (developed by FreedomPop) is a Wi-Fi connectivity device for getting all your devices out on the Web.

Offering 500MB of free data each month, this type of device is likely handy for anyone who commutes to work or simply needs to hop on Wi-Fi when in a remote location. It would also be useful for families when in a hotel room, thus avoiding the hotel’s daily Wi-Fi charge.

Slightly smaller than the size and shape of a regulation hockey puck, the Photon allows users to connect up to eight different devices at once. It provides a minimum of six hours of battery life and offers speeds up to 12Mpbs down and 1.5Mpbs using Clearwire’s Wimax network. There’s also no monthly data caps in place or contracts to sign, so you can start or quit at any time.

Regarding data, FreedomPop offers a a social referral program that allows users to earn 500MB of data by referring a friend. Specific to the free plan, additional data costs about $20 per 1GB.

However, people interested in watching lots of video can reduce that rate to $10 per 1GB by signing up for one of the two monthly subscription plans. FreedomPop offers a 2GB plan at $17.99 a month and a 4GB plan at $28.99 a month. So if you plan on firing up Netflix, make sure you have one of the monthly premium plans and aren’t busting through your data limit too quickly.

Anyone interested in the device should check out the coverage map here as well as reviews on the device here. FreedomPop is also running a special deal on Ben’s this week. You can pick up a refurbished FreedomSpot Platinum Edition Photon with 2GB of Data for 1 month and a micro-USB travel charger for $25 here:

Click Here to Get the Deal

Check out some more product shots of the device below:

Shut Up and Take My Money: FreedomPop Freedom Spot Photon

Targeting a launch window of September 2013 in the United States, the Almond+ 802.11ac touchscreen Wi-Fi router is a follow-up to the Securifi Almond Wireless N touchscreen router.

Ranked number one on Amazon for the last nine months, the original Securifi Almond has garnered hundreds of glowing reviews due to its simple design, easy setup and fantastic range. It’s also praised as a range extender for an existing wireless network within a home, potentially boosting the signal an additional 100 to 150 feet within a home.

After the rampant success of the first Almond, the team at Securifi turned to Kickstarter backers to help fund the production of a new product, the Almond+ 802.11ac router. After raising approximately $855,000 from Kickstarter backers, the team has gone into production mode and plans to release the new router in a few months for a retail price of $99.

In addition to a new hardware design, 802.11ac tech will bring 1.17Gb/s transfer rates compared to 300 Mbps Wireless N rates. That’s approximately four times faster assuming you have 802.11ac compatible hardware in your mobile device. Of course, the hardware is also backwards compatible with Wireless N and G. The device will also include tech that’s compatible with ZigBee and Z-Wave devices as well.

At this point, you can’t become another Kickstarter backer. It’s likely that the product will also be sold on Amazon, but it’s not available for preorder yet. Look for the launch in late Q3 or early Q4. You can check out a few pics of the hardware below:

Shut Up and Take My Money: Almond+ 802.11ac Touchscreen Wi-Fi Router