Burglars can watch for signs that homeowners are on an extended trip, so one of the best ways to keep your home secure is to prevent strangers from knowing you're away. Most are well known: Put a few lights on timers to go on in the evening and off again... more »

Bedside alarm clocks have been a standard feature of bedrooms for decades. They tell you the time when you're anywhere in the bedroom. They wake you up on time. And the well-designed ones can be a nice addition to the look of your bedroom. They... more »

One delicious anecdote from the recent biography Steve Jobs, by Walter Isaacson, involved the Apple founder’s decorating problem: It took the Jobs family eight years to buy a sofa. “We spent a lot of time asking ourselves, What is... more »

The kitchen is a great place for a computer. For starters, cooks need clocks, timers, recipes, instructions and more — and computers are ideal for these jobs. Plus, kitchens have become hubs of family information, with notes, calendars and... more »

We all lose stuff around the house. Keys. Wallet. And, of course, the TV remote. It is frustrating, time consuming and always seems to happen when we're running late. Fortunately, low-cost gadgets can eliminate the panicky ransacking process... more »

Indoor plumbing is arguably the greatest invention in the history of humankind (with the possible exception of Peeps sushi).... more »

The smart phone has become the mother of all electronic devices for one very simple reason: You always have it with you. And that's why a phone is a great place to put all the stuff related to your door. For example, you can virtualize the key, the peephole,... more »

Don't look now, but you're on the Internet. It's great, isn't it? Soon your household appliances — refrigerator, stove, alarm clock, air conditioner, garage door opener and lights — will all get on the Internet, too, just like you are. This... more »

If you haven't heard of "Ultra-HD," don't worry. It's a very new TV technology that very recently acquired that name. Until a few weeks ago, the standard was called “4K” high-definition. It's been billed for some time as the next step in the evolution... more »

As we learned from Hurricane Sandy, disasters can suddenly transform a modern area into a primitive one — no roads, no gas, no electricity, no Internet access and no phone service. And no place is safe from the possibility of natural disasters.... more »

Popular game consoles, such as the Nintendo Wii U and Microsoft Xbox 360, aren't associated with elegance or minimalism. They're more associated with all-night, caffeine-fueled shoot-em-up video games. But game consoles are actually extremely versatile,... more »

Wireless technologies have been transforming domestic life since the availability of home radios in the 1920s. Since then every new kind of wireless technology and every new application has brought more transformative changes to the home. Television,... more »

Mad Men fans might have noticed that in the last season or two, the television remote control has made an appearance on the show. The series began in 1960. But the current season takes place in the late '60s, and that’s when TV remotes were becoming... more »

Have you heard about the quantified-self movement? Millions of health and exercise fanatics are always looking for ways to improve their fitness levels. Meanwhile, technology and gadget fans are always looking for new ways to use new technology... more »