Video – Social Network
February 6, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Sexy Sound: The Making Of Vinyl Records [video]
January 25, 2014 By Leave a Comment
For many audiophiles, there’s nothing like the sound of vinyl records. If you’re a forever fan, check out this short documentary from 1956 presented by RCA Victor, explaining the process from live recording to the mass production from the molds.
To top it off, check to see if Grandma’s been hiding away this album underneath that monster stereo system in the living room. Yes, that’s a stereo, not a bureau all you nearly-digital natives out there.
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SONOS Home Theater
January 23, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Sonos has been making great iPhone- and iPad-controlled smart, connected speakers for years. Recently they’ve moved into the home theater space as well. Now, not only can you get all your audio anywhere in your house, but you can get up to 5.1 surround sound in your living room. Easily. But how does is work with iOS 7 and Apple TV, and more importantly, how well?
While I’ve been aware of Sonos for a long time, it wasn’t until recently that I became really interested in it. That’s mainly because Kevin Michaluk wouldn’t shut up about it. Kevin loved that Sonos integrated with the services he already used, like Songza on the ‘net and his iTunes library on his Mac. Not only that, he said Songza provided a better experience through Sonos than it did through its own web site or app. He also loved that his fiancee could easily use the Sonos app to control all the music in their house. Being able to scale from super geek to regular person and back was the killer feature for Kevin. But for me, someone who rarely listens to music, it wasn’t that enticing. The home theater was.
read the rest here.
Connect Your Home Appliances With Your iPhone
January 13, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Belkin makes a variety of peripherals itself – the company makes cases, cables, accessories for mobile devices, laptops and desktops, networking, products for home and office, and much more.
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At CES this past week, Belkin showed off products it’s worked on in concert with other manufacturers – connected home appliances that enable you to do things like control what time your coffee maker will brew to when your crock pot will cook tonight’s dinner. Heaters, humidifiers and air purifiers are also equipped with Belkin’s hardware, to enable remote control from your smartphone. The products are expected throughout the year.
6 Smart Ways To Splurge on Your Home Remodel
December 18, 2013 By Leave a Comment
When Kimberly of Serendipity Refined designed her master bath, she treated herself to a towel warming drawer, which she says is especially nice during Chicago winters. Image: SerendipityRefined.com
Every remodel should add value to your home; that’s our mantra. But HouseLogic knows that some luxuries just make your home life sweeter and easier — and there’s terrific value in that, too.
Here are some of our favorite remodeling splurges that are great for your life now and someday may pique a buyer’s interest.
1. Central Vac (aka Whole-House Vacuum)
What: A super-suction, built-in vacuum system that features convenient inlet ports throughout the house where you plug in 25-to-50-foot lightweight vacuum hoses. The collection bin is usually located in a basement or garage.
Why: No more dragging heavy vacuum cleaners up and down stairs and throughout the house. With central vacs all you need to schlepp is a lightweight hose fitted with a power brush.
Central vacs have up to five times the suction power of portable vacuums, and they store dust far away from where it’s collected — great for allergy sufferers. Some high-tech systems have retractable hoses that disappear into the wall.
Tip: Make sure you have enough ports — at least one for every 500 sq. ft.
How much: $1,500-$2,500 to retrofit a house; add about $500 for retractable hose.
2. Steam Shower
What: A sealed shower attached to a steam generator that turns the stall into a steam room. You can build a steam shower from scratch or buy a prefab fiberglass unit.
Why: Steam relaxes, opens sinuses, soothes muscles, and cleans pores. Installing a steam shower is a major project that includes wiring for the generator; vapor-proofing walls, floors, and ceiling; installing a tightly-fitting door; and having a bathroom fan outside the shower to suck up the extra humidity.
Tip: A sloped ceiling in the shower room ensures that condensation runs off.
How much: Fiberglass unit: $1,000-$5,000; framed-in unit and generator: $7,000-$10,000.
3. Heated Bathroom Floors
What: Thin, thermostatically-controlled electric radiant mats that install under tile.
Why: No more cold tootsies when stepping out of the shower in the morning. Many systems come with timers so warm bathroom floors await you each morning.
Tip: Heated floors help stem mold growth in humid places.
How much: $15.59/sq. ft. for material and installation (not counting cost of tile or adding 20-amp GFCI dedicated circuit with 110 volts, $97-$245).
Related: More About Radiant Heat
4. Super Skylights
What: Roof windows that let sunlight in. Upscale models feature insulated glass, solar-powered shades, and rain sensors that’ll automatically close an open skylight in bad weather.
Why: Nobody likes dark, dreary rooms and hallways. Skylights let the sun shine into areas you can’t brighten with windows — hallways, interior rooms, even closets. Skylights save you money on heating, cooling, and lighting bills.
Tip: If you plan to open and close skylights, order screens to keep out bugs and roof debris.
How much: $500-$3,500 (depending on size, glazing, and complexity) installed.
5. Towel Warming Drawer
What: A stainless steel, heated drawer that slips into cabinetry, plugs into an outlet, and warms towels.
Why: Because there’s nothing more snuggly than wrapping a warm towel around you after a bath or shower.
Tip: Towels take time to heat up — some people say as much as 45 minutes — so you’ll have to plan ahead to have a toasty one ready when you are.
How much: $1,700-$3,400.
6. Whole-House Electrostatic Filters
What: Also called “electrostatic precipitators,” these dust-removing wonders are incorporated into your HVAC ductwork. They charge polluted air with a high-voltage current, and then collect particles on plates with the opposite charge. Great at removing tiny particles that slip through regular fiberglass filters.
Why: Whole-house electrostatic filters remove smoke, dust mites, pet dander, pollen, and dust, improving air quality and health. But they also create ozone as a byproduct which is a lung irritant, so the health benefits could be a wash.
Tip: The filters last indefinitely, but you’ll have to clean the plates, some say as often as once a week; others advise every 2-3 months.
How much: $600-$1,000 installed.
Soaring Social
December 16, 2013 By Leave a Comment
An interesting infogrpahic from the University of San Francisco.
The marketing benefits of social media make it compelling to institute into an online marketing strategy.
Social media has evolved into active engagement with the consumer and has shown to increase a business’s exposure, improve search rankings, generate leads and grow business partnerships. As stated below, 40% of businesses who engage in social media have seen an increase in sales.
Portable MIDI Keyboards: 37 Keys, Lightning Connector
December 7, 2013 By Leave a Comment
IK Multimedia on Tuesday introduced two new keyboards for musicians on the go: the iRig Key Pro and iRig Keys with Lightning connector. They’re available for $149.99 and $129.99 respectively.
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Both keyboards sport 37 keys and the same feature set: pitch bend and mod wheels, an assignable data knob, lighted buttons for program and octave up/down, four programmable “Sets” keys to store custom setups, and an expansion pack to connect a sustain or expression pedal. They’re both bus-powered, requiring no external power source, and both are Core MIDI compatible, requiring no additional drivers to work.
Read the entire article here.