home automation and av news

mac_pro_2013_ram-580×4781

The Mac Pro Refresh

The Mac Pro desktop computer by Apple hasn’t seen much change since 2006. Besides small internal upgrades like a more robust CPU, GPU, and additional memory, the chosen desktop for the creative professional has pretty much remained the same through 7 years. A bit unusual for a company that is know to innovate its products [...]

xbox_one

Xbox One

With Xbox One, Microsoft is introducing many new features as well as changing the way we game, watch TV, and interact with other gamers online. Let’s take a look at some of the things to expect once the console is released later this year. With the Xbox One, Microsoft is moving away from the usual [...]

google_drive_logo_3963

Top 5 Free Cloud Storage Solutions

Cloud storage is more widely available than ever and at very cheap rates. Moving your personal files to the cloud is great for preventing data loss in the event of a disaster, and accessing files on demand from multiple locations (without the need to carry around a drive.) Many of the solutions available today offer [...]

fusiondrive

Understanding Apple's Fusion Drive

With the release of the recent iMac and Mac Mini lineups, Apple also announced a breakthrough technology called Fusion Drive. Fusion Drive is a feature that combines both the capacity of an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) and the speeds of an SSD (Solid State Drive), allowing Mac OS X to serve users with the best [...]

kevo3

Unlock your front door with Kwikset Kevo and an iPhone

Kwikset recently announced a new deadbolt that will allow you to unlock your door with a simple touch of your finger – all thanks to your iPhone. The Kwikset Kevo deadbolt pairs with the iPhone 5 and 4S via Bluetooth. As long as you have your iPhone in your pocket or bag, the deadbolt will [...]

thunderbolt-dock-back-diagram

Belkin releases Thunderbolt Express Dock

Belkin recently released its Thunderbolt Express Dock for Macs, taking advantage of the new Thunderbolt interface (only available on Macs from February 2011 and on). The Thunderbolt interface is an input/output technology, similar to USB, but up to 20 times faster. With the Thunderbolt Dock, users will be able to connect up to 8 devices [...]

iphone-parental-controls

Parental Controls for the iPhone

Kids today have a whole world of information at their fingertips. Nowadays, most kids from the age of 10 and over (sometimes even younger) are already carrying around iPhones. It’s great that we can stay communicated with our children all day, but smartphones can be a double edged sword. Out of the box, kids can [...]

video_gaming

Why Gaming isn't a Complete Waste of Time

Video Games and their effects on children has been a widely discussed topic over the last 20 years. Even after much research, many groups are torn on whether or not video games can cause violence in children. What seems to be discussed far less often are the benefits. Let’s look at a few of them: [...]

airplay_logo

AirPlay Explained

AirPlay is a proprietary protocol developed by Apple that enables users to stream multimedia such as audio, videos, and photos between devices. Although the AirPlay protocol is open to developers to implement in their software, it can only be used from an iOS device. There are two types of AirPlay devices, those that are capable [...]

airfoil

Airfoil - Multiple AirPlay Speakers Unite!

Anyone with AirPlay enabled speakers or an AppleTV knows that iOS devices (iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch) can stream audio to these AirPlay enabled devices wirelessly. However, the limitation lies in the fact that one can only stream audio to one set of AirPlay speakers at a time. Have multiple rooms you would like to [...]

outbox3

Outbox - The End of Snail Mail?

Snail mail is one of those services that never seem to lose momentum, no matter how far we make it in the digital age. Besides packages that can only be delivered through physical means, many people still continue to receive correspondence that can otherwise be delivered digitally. We can’t predict if/when this practice will become [...]

universal remote

The Best Universal Remote Controls

Who doesn’t remember the dreaded process of having to open a manual in order to enter a code into a universal remote required for pairing it with a home device like a TV or DVD player? Chances are, many of us have done it and will continue to do it in order to minimize the [...]

Copyright © 2013 Cloud9 Smarthome - Sitemap - Contact Us - Employment

1 Union Square West, Suite 304, New York, NY 10003