An utterly unique (some might say absurd) election year has transformed America into a nation of news junkies.
Individuals in the United States, and abroad, have been glued to their mobile devices (even more than before), keeping track of news updates and late-breaking developments.
Below, we outline a few smart products that will keep you informed at home, both politically and personally, even when you are untethered from your phone.
Alexa the Great
If the human thirst for knowledge is unquenchable, then Alexa is the cup that runneth over.
Alexa, the dynamic digital denizen of Amazon’s smart home hub Echo, is a virtual assistant of the highest order. The robotic butler is more than capable of managing myriad menial tasks, from ordering groceries to calling an Uber, with many points in between, including giving you voice control over your home’s many smart devices.
For the information addicted, Alexa’s appeal is that it is as simple as the spoken word.
"Alexa, what’s in the news?" will bring forward the latest reporting from your preferred news sources.
"Alexa, Wikipedia: Electoral College" will let you know why 270 makes a winner.
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"Alexa, who is leading in the presidential polls?" will keep your election-focused anxious mind up-to-date
And, for the mildly masochistic, "Alexa, read Twitter" will keep you informed of the online musings of the electorate and beyond.
All this and the weather too—when asked.
The easily accessible Alexa is the best reviewed A.I. assistant on the market, but even she has her limitations, and unfortunately those come at the expense of automation. All Alexa commands are voice triggered (you could force some limited automation via the Alexa alarm feature and IFTTT), so she’s not able (yet) to read you sports scores, or Donald Trump’s tweets as they happen.
Smart money, however, would bet that a greater range of automation is in Alexa’s (and the Echo’s) future.
Price: $49.99 to $179.99
Eye in the SkyBell
Staying informed about the latest polls and their abstract implications for the electoral college is obviously, we can probably all agree, essential, but sometimes the information you need is a bit more concrete and closer to home.
A lot closer to home—like at the front door.
The SkyBell HD gives you a live look at who is lingering (or patiently waiting for entry) outside your home in full HD at the push of a button-shaped doorbell.
The intuitive entry alert system streams video directly to your smart device and allows you to answer via audio through an accompanying app—effectively allowing you to answer the door from the comfort of your bedroom, or the confines of your boardroom.
The SkyBell pairs with a wide range of smart home products and services, making notification of a new visitor not phone-dependent. Pair SkyBell with your Hue bulbs and have your lights shift to a shade of blue whenever the buzzer is pressed. Or perhaps you’d like to hear a Little Richard classic whenever the neighbors coming knocking. Pair SkyBell with your Echo (and an IFTTT applet) to make it happen.
Price: $199
Viva Vivint
A strong national security platform starts at home.
Vivint offers an all-encompassing smart home security system that keeps users informed with an array of sensors, detectors and cameras.
Receive a text when the liquor cabinet is unlocked. Have your tablet start streaming video once a doorway is breached. Let your smart TV alert as soon as the garage door begins to open, enabling you to keep track of how terrible your teenager is at meeting curfew.
The accompanying Vivint app let’s you control your homes locks (and thermostat if you opt for it) via your smart devices.
And while it may not do much for security, it doesn’t hurt that Vivint’s hardware and software solutions are easy on the eyes too.
Price: Request a quote at Vivint.com