At first blush, beaches and technology seem like an odd pairing, but they have more in common than you may realize.
Microchips are made of sand, after all. And beaches? Well, they’re full of the stuff.
More:Bringing Smart Technology to the Backyard
And while nature can often be the enemy of our most advanced products, a dose of digital ingenuity can help you live your best beach life.
Below are our recommendations for building a better seaside summer retreat.
Made in the Shade
A day at the beach should be just that—not only in the more metaphorical, seamlessly sunny experience sense, but in the very real "let’s spend hours upon the shore" sense.
In this endlessly connected modern world, our digital devices’ battery life can lead to unfortunately abbreviated beach days.
Thanks to the Solar Powered Umbrella ($199), you no longer need to worry about such time-sensitive tyranny.
Built from UV-resistant fabric and equipped with four solar panels and two USB charging ports, the Solar Powered Umbrella not only provides cover from the harmful effects of the sun, but offers a boost to your battery whenever you need it.
Finally, you can enjoy the smell of sea salt while streaming the ball game.
Not a Fan of Sand
Despite your best efforts (and those of your outdoor shower), you’ll never be able to leave all of the beach at the beach. And unless you want to keep your cleaning staff on retainer for the entirety of your summer vacation, you’ll need a new solution for the endless amount of sand that enters your home daily.
Enter the Sweepovac ($199).
Install the smart suction device at the seaside entrance to your home and leave the days of dust pans (and endlessly bending over them) behind.
Easily activated with toe kick or the touch of your broom, the Sweepovac enables users to push the beach debris directly into the path of a vacuum, making a daily chore markedly less cumbersome.
Now we just need a sentient sweeping device.
More:The Smart Way to Spring Clean
Those Who Live in Glass Houses
Our modern age has been gifted an equally modern sense of home design, which most often manifests itself in massive amounts of glass—large windows, entire walls of glass and the like.
It is a particularly good look for a beach house, as it takes full advantage of endless ocean vistas and those unique sunrises and sunsets only found seaside.
Yet, glass-heavy homes do face a range of challenges from heat and glare to the expense of full-floor window shades.
SageGlass offers a smarter solution.
SageGlass will automatically respond to the sun, upping the level of tint as it’s hit by the full flare of solar rays. Or you can control the level of tint directly, setting your windows to the tint of your heart’s (or sight’s) desire via the accompanying smart device app.
At its darkest level, SageGlass still transmits less than 1% of light, and while that should, according to the company, make it nearly impossible to see through from the outside on a sunny day, be aware before you fully strip down. You may be giving onlookers an approximation of your naked silhouette.
Contact SageGlass for an estimate on pricing of your project.
Fire at Will
While sunny days often get top billing at beach houses, celebratory nights also play an important role in the seaside summer experience.
And fire pits are an integral part of any beach-adjacent nighttime gathering, but the work involved in creating an illuminating evening experience is enough to put almost anyone off.
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First, you must be well-stocked in wood. Second, even if fully supplied, you must be skilled enough to get the fire going, amid variable wind conditions, or face barely concealed mockery from friends and family. And even in the best case scenario, with a roaring fire, some segment of the gathering will have to suffer through smoke inhalation.
Fortunately, HPC will let you play Prometheus, conjuring fire from thin air and gifting it to the masses.
Offering a range of remote, electronic-ignition fire pit inserts in a variety of shapes and sizes, HPC users can call forth gas-powered (read: smokeless) flame at the flick of a fingertip, making sure the party is lit without all the hassle.
And just as important, homeowners can extinguish the flame with an equally easy swipe of the finger, ensuring that any fire pit party isn’t the final house party of the summer.
HPC fire pit prices vary based on model and features.