Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/315999
october/noveMber 2013 Macon Magazine i 99 Portable, bluetooth Speakers The way we listen to music has radically changed over the last ten years, thanks to the popularity of digital music. Purchasing CDs is all but over – just walk through Best Buy and think back just five years; almost half of the store was dedicated to CDs and now it's almost hidden in one small section. With more people listening to music on their smart devices and through iTunes, Pandora, and Spotify, it makes sense that companies would produce high quality, portable, Wi-Fi enabled speakers. These speakers provide excellent sound to music, TV, movies, video games, and anything else that your smart device plays – and it plays anywhere: under a tree, on a boat, at the beach, in the garage. The most popular is the jambox ($179-$299, best buy) but there are some other models worth checking out as well, especially the newly introduced, waterproof system from Braven ($179- $299, Crutchfield.com). Smart Devices for the home There are several fairly recent product releases that bring smart technology into the daily operation of your home. The most recent is a home security gadget called canary ($199, canary. is). The detector has an HD camera, night vision and a microphone for your standard surveillance, and it offers monitoring services for your home's temperature, humidity, and air quality. But the best feature is that the device connects seamlessly to your smart phone, offering you real-time video feed and data, whether in your bedroom or across the country. the august Smart lock ($199, august.com) for your home allows you to lock, unlock, and share entry with friends all through the power of your smart phone – better yet, no more keys. Create 24/7 keys for your family or create a 2 hour key for your housekeeper – it will expire when the cleaning is completed. If your phone is in your pocket or purse, the door magically unlocks as you approach, hands free. The system also keeps a full log of who entered and when, which is a great bonus for those with sneaky teenagers. the nest ($249, best buy) may be the device you've heard the most about – it's definitely the most widely used of the three. This device allows you to adjust the temperature inside your home from your smart phone, which is great, but what's even better is the device learns your habits and can automatically adjust the temperature for you. So, you leave for work every morning at 6:30am and return at 5:30pm – the Nest will begin to cut back your heating or cooling output during the hours you are most often away. The gadgets I've recommended are fun, for sure, but they also offer solutions to help you work and play smarter. There are new gadgets entering the market every day, but these are just a few of the ones that are sticking and have a large user base, which helps work out the kinks. There will be always be new and improved models, the inevitable 2.0, but each of these gadgets are safe to start using this holiday season. Matthew Michael is co-founder of M&R Marketing Group, a full-service marketing shop located in Macon. M&R specializes in website and graphic design, branding services, and marketing strategy. He is married to Kim and they have three sons – Garner Jackson, Riley James, and Harper Case. He can be reached at matthew@mandr-group.com. "These gadgets are fun, for sure, but they also offer solutions to help you work and play smarter."