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josephlrushing · 4 years ago

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Google Nest Cam IQ Indoor Review: A Powerful Camera with 1080p 12X Zoom Tracking

There are many reasons why you might want to have one or more cameras in certain rooms of your home, like entrances, common areas, or the nursery when you’ve got a baby. The Google Nest Cam IQ Indoor aims to not only help you keep a close eye on the people coming and going in those areas, but it also allows you to communicate with them.

We’ve had a Dropcam Pro security camera hanging on the wall of our living room since 2014. Where it’s placed, the camera can keep an eye on entries or exits from our front door, the back door, and the hallway coming in from our carport door on the side. Our house is very open and not large, so one indoor camera with a wide view located in the center of our house, which covers our living room, dining area, and kitchen, has been more than enough.

Being aware that there was a video camera hanging on our living room wall, though, meant that it took a little while for Kev and me to stop feeling like we were living in an episode of The Real World. But soon enough, we stopped noticing it and began to appreciate the security the camera provided.

Having an indoor security camera has given us peace of mind that if anyone ever enters our home when we are out for the day or traveling, we would get a notification on the app. We could see and hear the intruder through the app and save recordings of their activities in our home.

The Dropcam Pro still works well, but it is eight years old. It doesn’t have some of the updated features that the latest Nest Cam IQ Indoor has, like 1080p video, facial recognition, or a 4K sensor that gives what Google calls Supersight for zooming in and tracking moving subjects and 1080p HD.

Here’s a photo of our old Dropcam Pro hanging on the living room wall back in 2014.

Last year, I migrated our Dropcam Pro from its Nest account to my Google Home account. As you may recall, in 2014, Dropcam was acquired by Nest, the smarthome division of Google’s parent company, Alphabet. In 2019, Nest became Google Nest, and that’s where we are today. When I was offered the Google Nest Cam IQ Indoor to review, it was a no-brainer to accept.

The Nest Cam IQ Indoor has an 8-megapixel camera that features a 12X zoom for a close-up tracking view, which means the camera will zoom in on whatever or whoever is moving in front of it, tracking (or following) them. The camera has a 4K sensor, but it films 1080p (1920 x 1080) video at 30 frames/second, and it has a 130º field-of-view.

Filming in 1080p when the camera has a 4K sensor might seem weird at first until you think about the Supersight feature; with Supersight, the camera will zoom in and track moving subjects’ faces while still filming at 1080p. Here’s an example of its Supersight tracking in action.

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As a comparison, my Dropcam Pro doesn’t track subjects, and while you can “zoom in” on videos in the app, the 720p video quickly becomes too grainy to make out real details; that’s not an issue with the Nest Cam IQ Indoor.

The Nest Cam IQ Indoor also features a three-microphone array, a surprisingly good speaker, and it has noise and echo suppression. During the daytime, color video is filmed in HDR; at night or when the lights aren’t on, the camera’s 940 nm infrared camera still picks up everything.

What’s in the Box?

The Google Nest Cam IQ Indoor comes with recyclable packaging, including a USB Type-C power adapter, a USB Type-C to Type-C power cable, a wall mount, wall anchors, cable clips with nails, and a quick start guide. You can click on any photo to open a gallery with larger images.

This camera is composed of matte white plastic, and it measures 4.9″ high by 2.9″ wide by 2.9″ deep. It can be mounted on a wall or sit solidly with its slightly weighted base on a flat surface. It’s worth noting that since this is a wired camera, you won’t ever have to worry about recharging batteries which is a nice feature. The flip-side to this, though, is that if the power goes out, the camera doesn’t have an internal battery, nor does it have a memory card slot, so there will be no record of anything that occurred with the power out.

There’s a large speaker grille located on its back that Google says is 7X more powerful than the one on their $129.99 Nest Cam Indoor, which in many ways appears to be an updated Dropcam Pro. The slot for the USB Type-C cable is located at the bottom. Bear in mind that if you mount it on a wall, the cable will be coming up from the top of the camera, not aiming down from the bottom.

There is a ball-hinge located at the top of the Nest IQ Cam Indoor’s neck that allows you to flip the camera back up to 160º for wall-hanging; the hinge also allows up to a 180º turn left or right so you can point the camera exactly where needed.

There is a rubber ring on the bottom of the camera to keep it from sliding when it is set on a table. There is also a screw-mount for attaching it to the wall mount should you want to hang it up. Your smartphone will scan the QR code on the bottom during set-up.

Google Nest Cam IQ Indoor Installation

If you don’t already have the Nest app, this is the time to download it from Google Play or the Apple App Store. Once you’ve created an account, you’ll want to click the Settings gear in the app’s upper right and click Add Product. The app will ask for access to your phone’s camera so you can scan the QR code on the bottom of the camera. Follow the steps.

You don’t want to mount the camera yet, but you will want to have it plugged in near where you’ll be placing it. If you already have other Nest products like a Nest thermostat or a Nest Protect, the app will communicate that device to simplify set-up with your WiFi. If you don’t already have a Nest product, you’ll manually add your WiFi and password in the steps the app will guide you through.

I planned to mount the Nest IQ Cam Indoor in the same spot where our Dropcam Pro used to hang. But for testing signal and view, I placed it on the table underneath while I removed the Dropcam Pro and got the mounting base for the IQ Cam Indoor installed.

It’s worth noting that if you aren’t going to hang your camera, you’ll want to make sure that it is placed high enough in the room that it can catch people’s faces as they enter. A waist-high entry table by the front door, like where my cam is sitting in this photo, wouldn’t be the best spot for this room; a bookshelf or a mantle would be better.

The LED ring surrounding the camera’s face lights when you power the camera for the first time. It reminds me of the ring on the Nest Protect.

These three holes were left from our Dropcam Pro’s mount. I was surprised to find that the bottom two were perfectly aligned to use with the Nest IQ Cam Indoor’s wall mount, with the third hole being covered once the mount was installed, which meant no new holes in our drywall and nothing to patch or repaint. Sweet!

These are the included screws and wall anchors; there are four cable clips as well, so if you end up needing to run the cable around a door, window frame, or something else, it’s easy to do. I’ve always just hidden the cable behind one of the framed pictures hanging on our wall, and it works fine.

The wall mount is now in place.

After a few twists of the camera on the wall mount (making sure that the camera ended up in the proper orientation to swivel up to view the room with the Type-C port on the top), I attached the Type-C cable and the installation was done.

Google Nest Aware Plans; Do you Need One with your Nest Cam IQ Indoor?

I should mention now that you are under no obligation to purchase a Nest Aware plan to use this camera; if you opt not to purchase one of the two plan offered, you will still get notifications of events through the Nest app on your smartphone as they occur, you can watch your Nest camera’s live video stream, and you can view video snapshots of events that occurred up to three hours in the past. This may be all you need.

Even so, when you buy your first Nest camera, they will give you a free month to try Nest Aware if you aren’t sure about whether or not you need it.

We were already paying the $60 yearly subscription to Nest Aware for our Dropcam Pro, which gives us 30 days of event video history, intelligent alerts, sound detection, and emergency calls. Another option is the $120 yearly Nest Aware Plus plan gives 60 days of event video history with 10 days of 24/7 video history, intelligent alerts, sound detection, and emergency calling; I’ve been tempted to upgrade, but for our needs, it would overkill.

The beauty of both of these plans is that they cover all the ten cameras (including Nest cameras, video doorbells, and Dropcams) that you are allowed in a single Nest account with no extra fees for each added camera. I couldn’t help but compare that to the Arlo Smart plan we have on our outdoor cameras, which progressively gets more expensive as we add more cameras.

Since I planned on sticking the old Dropcam Pro in my office, this worked out perfectly.

With that said, please be aware that some of the features I’m about to discuss may only be available if you have a paid Nest Aware plan.

Using the Nest App and Website

It’s easy to use either the Nest website or the Nest app on your smartphone or tablet to check in on your home and get a live feed of what’s happening at any time, and for whatever reason. This is available even if you don’t have a Nest Aware plan.

I like to use it to peek in on our Corgi, Otis when he’s in the house alone. My office is outside of the house, and when I see him lie down near the back door, I know he’s ready for me to let him outside.

If you have other Nest products, they will also show up on the main feed page at the Nest Home site or on the Nest app. As you undoubtedly noticed, the circle around the Nest icon in my home app is yellow when ideally, it should be green. That’s because my first-generation Nest Protects are near the end of their 7-year lifespan, and the app is letting me know that it will be time to replace them soon.

Nest website camera view. Note that the glare from our uncovered east-facing living room windows makes for a glarier image than what I get in my office, which has window shades on the south side.

Both the Nest app and the Nest site allow you to see a timeline of activity that has occurred for each camera in your home. You can watch each instance when the camera triggered, and if you have a Nest Aware account, you can save up to three hours of clipped video in the cloud; you can also download clips directly to your smartphone.

Let’s dig into the Nest app settings; although I’ll be using screenshots from my Pixel, the options and layout are essentially the same when using the Nest site. Hitting the gear icon in the upper right of the main feed page in the app brings you to the Settings screen.

Home Info is where you can insert your address.

The nest option is Home/Away Assist, where you can set how you want your Nest Cam IQ to behave when you are at home or away. This is a handy option that uses your phone’s location to turn your camera on or off if you prefer that it not be on when you are in the home; I prefer to leave my cameras on all the time.

The Spaces option shows the Nest products you have in their respective parts of the house. I keep it turned on so that each Nest product is listed by its room (rooms were named during each product’s installation).

Under Notifications, you can set when you want your camera to push alerts to you through your smartphone or tablet or via email based on the activity happening. I don’t mind getting popups on my phone throughout the day when there is motion in the house, even if it is just one of us or our dog moving around. I also have the camera set to notify me via the app if the camera hears any sounds.

Familiar Faces is an option that wasn’t available on my Dropcam Pro. In fact, the only Nest products that offer it are the Nest Cam IQ Indoor and Outdoor models, the Nest Hello video doorbell, and the Nest camera in a Nest Hub Max. Evidently, there are some localities where using this feature is illegal. But what it essentially does is when turned on, if your camera sees a face, it is noted in your camera’s video history. When you go into this setting, you’ll see a list of all the faces that your camera has detected, and you can assign names to all of the known ones.

If there are new or unknown faces, you’ll get a notification that will open a New People Seen screen; from there, you can go in and see a clip of video from when the camera spotted them. If your camera is facing a television, it’s going to log those faces, too.

Sometimes the camera will spot something random (like Kev’s foot in this photo) and ask if you know them. The upper right menu has an option for ‘Not a Face,’ which you would select in this instance.

The only part of Familiar Faces that I think needs improvement is in the grouping faces together under the same name. Unlike Google Photos, for instance, which allows you to group identified faces from your photos under the same name (even if the people look vastly different over the years), there is no way to consolidate photos of the same people under the same name in the Nest app.

If you wear your hair in a ponytail when it’s usually down, or if you’re wearing a mask, there will be several groupings of photos that you can label with a name. Still, there might be 10 groupings of photos named Kev, Judie, or other members of our family, which can make the Familiar Faces page seem a bit cluttered.

Even so, as long as there is a name tied to a photo that looks like the person your camera spots at a later time, you’ll get a handy pop-up notification saying they were spotted on your phone when it happens.

Notice how the Dropcam Pro in my office sees me as a “Person,” but the Nest Cam IQ Indoor in our family room recognizes me as “Judie”? That’s pretty cool.

Under the Family setting, you can add home members to give them access to your Nest account.

And under Contacts, you can set an emergency contact like the fire department or the police/sheriff’s department for emergencies, or you can add someone else you trust for quick access during emergencies. Under Pro Services, there’s information on how to get help from a professional during installation.

The final items under settings are Nest Aware (where you can sign up for a plan or manage your subscription), Add Product (where you can add new Nest devices), and Buy Nest Products, which takes you to the Google Nest Store. Your Nest products are grouped by type, with each listed individually at the very bottom of the settings page.

Setting Up Your Nest Cam IQ Indoor

Now we can dig in and check out camera-specific settings.

Connect your Nest Cam IQ to Google Assistant allows your camera to essentially acts as a Nest mini. This will allow you to say “Hey, Google …” and ask it a question, get notifications, or control other devices in your smarthome — just as you’d do with Google Assistant on any other device. The app will guide you through the necessary steps.

During the course of this review, adding Google Assistant was the only feature that I ran into a problem with. It turns out that this is a known issue, and Google is working on pushing out a fix. I’ll update this review as soon as it’s working properly.

When Google Assistant is working as it should, the Nest Cam IQ Indoor can do many of the things that you’d expect a Google Assistant device to do, like control smarthome features like connected lights, fans, or your thermostat. It will also answer questions asked about the weather or other topics. But there are some things it can’t do, like making calls, adjusting the camera speaker’s volume, using voice match for personalized results, or playing music and podcasts through the camera’s speaker. You can, however, tell the camera to cast music or podcasts to another connected device.

Under the Home/Away Assist setting, you can automatically turn that specific camera on or off using your phone location.

The Schedule setting allows you to set specific times for your camera to turn on or off during the day. This is handy if you want your camera on during the hours you are at work, but not when you are inside the house.

The Notifications setting is where you can set notifications specific to the Nest Cam IQ Indoor.

You can set Activity Zones, so you get personalized notifications on your mobile device as zones are entered; you can also opt to disable notifications for areas outside of your named zones, which is handy if you have a ceiling fan that keeps triggering motion alerts.

Familiar Faces will show you the faces that this specific camera has recognized, along with any unknown faces. It works the same way as the Familiar Faces setting I described earlier, it’s just specific to this particular Nest Can IQ Indoor.

I leave the Video Recording setting turned on, as the app notes that turning it off will delete all of your video histories.

And the Nest Aware setting takes you to your Nest Aware account page.

The Video Section includes Quality and bandwidth. I keep mine set high, but I have unlimited bandwidth usage with my provider. If you don’t, you can lower the quality to save on bandwidth here.

Google recommends that for the best results, you should have a broadband internet connection with at least 2 Mbps upload speed; they also note that DSL may not qualify, so that’s something to keep in mind. We pay for 50 Mbps with our provider, but some days we are lucky to get 10 Mbps; I’ve not had any issues.

With that said, the Nest Cam IQ Indoor might not be a good choice for you if your internet bandwidth is metered. You can see that with the setting on High, the “camera will do its best to only use 400GB per month.” I can remember when we were on a metered satellite plan that gave us 20GB per month. Obviously, this will not be a good fit for you if you’re using something similar. It’s also worth noting that there is no option to install a memory card, so you are fully relying on an active WiFi connection for everything to work properly; if the WiFi goes out, the camera isn’t going to collect or transmit any alerts.

You can turn the Close-Up Tracking View on or off in the next section. I keep it on because I like how the camera tracks movement in front of it and zooms in on what’s happening in the room.

I keep the Night Vision on auto, which gives color video during the day, switching to black and white when it is dark in the room.

If you’ve hung your camera upside down or the video is upside down for whatever reason, switching on Rotate Image will rotate the video image 180º.

And Camera Sharing lets you know who you’ve shared the Nest Cam IQ Indoor with; this setting can only be changed online, through the Nest Home site.

Under Device Options, you can adjust the status light on the camera. This is a privacy feature so that if you are in the room and someone is watching through the app or website, you’ll see a steady green light when the camera is capturing video and a blinking green light when someone is watching. I keep it on Low.

The Microphone setting allows you to turn the Nest Cam IQ Indoor’s microphone on or off. Turning the mic off disables audio streaming and audio recording, so I leave it on. You can also disable Audio Recording, which allows you to listen live (if the microphone is on), but it will not record any sound while recording, and you won’t receive sound alerts; I leave this on, too.

The Talk & Listen Tone setting will play a chime that lets people in the room know that you are about to talk to them. I honestly never talk to anyone through the camera, so I have just left it on.

And the WiFi Connection setting allows you to update the Nest Cam IQ Indoor’s WiFi settings if you ever need to for any reason. It will walk you through the steps.

The About section starts with the location of the camera.

‘Technical Info’ shows you the model of your camera, its serial number, the software it is running, as well as the MAC and IP addresses for it, and the last two settings are Delete Video History and Remove Camera, which is self-explanatory.

If you are already in the Nest ecosystem, adding or upgrading to the Google Nest Cam IQ Indoor seems like a no-brainer. Its ability to zoom-in, track, and even identify known family or guests in 1080p makes it an attractive option over other Nest cameras that don’t have those features. Having a substantially better speaker and clearer microphones is also handy if you’d like to communicate back and forth with family members through the camera. When Google assistant starts working properly again, I’ll be able to move the Nest mini from our living room to another spot, freeing up more room on our already cluttered entry table.

Interestingly enough, with all of its upgraded specs and features, the Nest Cam IQ Indoor sells for about the same price as the Dropcam Pro did in 2014, so while it’s not inexpensive, it doesn’t seem excessive to me. Even so, if you don’t care about having built-in Google Assistant (once the fix comes through), Person Alerts (without having to pay for a Nest Aware subscription), Supersight, HD Talk & Listen, and Familiar Face alerts (with a Nest Aware subscription), you might want to look at the $129.99 Nest Cam Indoor.

The Google Nest Cam IQ Indoor retails for $299.99; it is available directly from the manufacturer and other retailers, including Best Buy, Walmart, and Amazon.

Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample

What I Like: Attractive design; Wired camera that doesn’t require battery recharging; Supersight 4K sensor so it can zoom-in and track at 1080p; Facial recognition; Person alerts; Nest Aware subscription is extra, but it works for up to 10 cameras without additional cost; Detailed Nest app that is easy to navigate and personalize; Notifications on your smartphone or tablet when there is movement, sound, or a recognized/unrecognized person

What Needs Improvement: No memory card option, so if Wi-Fi goes out, the camera isn’t going to collect or transmit alerts; Not a good choice for people on a metered internet plan, as it uses a lot of bandwidth; If the power goes out, it has no battery back-up; Google Assistant set-up is not working, although there is a fix coming

from Joseph Rushing https://geardiary.com/2021/03/17/google-nest-cam-iq-indoor-review/

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lauramalchowblog · 5 years ago

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Fresh Versus Frozen Food: Which Is More Nutritious?

In the hierarchy of vegetables, the best choices are fresh, in-season, and local.

Realistically, though, that’s not always going to happen. For one thing, you might live in a climate where access to a variety of local and in-season vegetables just isn’t a thing. It’s also well established that lower income areas have fewer supermarkets, so fresh produce is less available.

Although home-grown is the best of the best, I know that saying, “Just grow your own!” is presumptuous on a lot of levels. Assuming that you have the space and resources to plant a garden, time is a big consideration. Plus, once they’re grown, preparing fresh vegetables takes more time than preparing frozen or canned, which are already washed and chopped for you.

All this is to say, I’m sure many of you find yourself turning to frozen and canned vegetables—as well as fruit, seafood, and meat—for reasons of availability and convenience. You might wonder if you are sacrificing any health benefits or if I’m giving you the side-eye for eating vegetables that aren’t farm-fresh.

Are Frozen and Canned Foods Inherently Less Primal?

Let me put that concern to rest immediately.

True, Grok would not have frozen or canned foods. Food preservation as a concept is nothing new, though. Just because a technology is new does not mean it’s “un-Primal.” I am not now, nor have I ever been, opposed to using modern methods of food preservation and storage that make it safer or more convenient to eat healthy foods. I like safety and convenience.

So, if you’ve been avoiding frozen or canned foods because you think you’ll have to turn in your Primal card, rest assured that isn’t the case. That said, I have historically avoided canned vegetables in the store due to concerns over BPA in the can linings. (Home-canned in jars is different, of course. I’m all for home canning.)

Since people sounded the alarm about BPA in the past decade, industry reports suggest a significant number of manufacturers have moved away from BPA-lined cans, but not all of them. I still strongly favor frozen over industrially canned vegetables. If nothing else, the taste and texture is usually superior. Nutritionally, though, the data show that frozen and canned are comparable overall.

Frozen Vegetables and Fruit: As Good As Fresh?

The frozen food industry dates back to 1925, when Clarence Birdseye began quick-freezing fish. It really took off after WWII as more homes had freezers. Since then, food scientists have worked to improve freezing, packaging, and transporting methods so that today (spoiler alert!) frozen foods are nutritionally comparable to their fresh counterparts. They also taste better and maintain a more pleasing texture and appearance compared to our grandparents’ frozen options.

Factors that affect nutrients in the produce you buy, whether fresh or frozen, include:

the particular nutrient in question,

the type of vegetable, including cultivar (what specific type of bean, apple, etc.),

growing conditions (soil, weather, and so on),

post-harvest handling and storage,

how you cook them.

Frozen vegetables are typically blanched before freezing to halt enzymatic reactions. This step cleans the vegetables and preserves flavor and texture, but the heat also reduces the levels of some nutrients, notably vitamin C.

On the other hand, fat-soluble vitamins like vitamins A and E and carotenoids are released from their cellular matrices by heat. This might make them more bioavailable in frozen foods. The jury is still out on the bioavailability question according to Dr. Diane Barrett of the UC Davis Department of Food Science and Technology. Fiber is relatively impervious to processing and so isn’t affected by freezing.

From Farm to Table

Although there is an initial loss of some nutrients in the freezing process, this seems to even out by the time the vegetables make it to your plate.

At the very top of the nutritional hierarchy are vegetables that go from dirt to plate with the fewest stops in between. The best option is picking vegetables out of your garden and eating them more or less right away. That’s not usually how it works, though.

Supermarket produce might have been in the supply chain for several weeks before you even purchase it (and it was almost certainly not allowed to fully ripen before harvesting). Even if you buy your produce at a local farmer’s market, several days to a week might pass before you consume it.

During that time between farm and plate, nutrients are oxidizing and degrading. On the other hand, frozen vegetables are usually picked at the peak of ripeness and frozen as quickly as possible to preserve the nutrients.

Show Me the Data

Li and colleagues measured vitamin C, beta-carotene, and folate in broccoli, cauliflower, corn, green beans, green peas, spinach, blueberries, and strawberries that were fresh, “fresh-stored” (refrigerated for five days to mimic what happens when we actually buy produce), or frozen. They found a high degree of nutritional similarity overall and further concluded, “In the cases of significant differences, frozen produce outperformed ‘fresh-stored’ more frequently than ‘fresh-stored’ outperformed frozen.”

These findings are typical. Compared to fresh vegetables, frozen compare favorably in study after study. For example:

Two studies from Bouzari and colleagues at UC Davis compared eight common fruits and vegetables that were either stored in a refrigerator for 3 or 10 days, or frozen up to 90 days. For vitamin C, riboflavin, alpha-tocopherol (a form of vitamin E), calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, iron, fiber, and total phenolics, the researchers concluded that fresh and frozen were highly similar, with frozen sometimes outperforming fresh.

British researchers measured vitamin C, total polyphenols, total anthocyanins, and carotenoids (beta-carotene and lutein) in six common fruits and vegetables. Immediately after purchase from the grocery store, fresh and frozen were mostly similar. Levels of nutrients tended to decrease in the fresh vegetables over three days of storage.

Researchers from Virginia Tech and the USDA found that 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, the most bioavailable form of folate, did not decline in seven common vegetables over 12 months in frozen storage.

I could go on, but you get the picture. Note that across all the studies, results varied somewhat between different types of produce and nutrients. Dr. Barrett also points out that there is little research beyond that looking at key vitamins. More is needed to examine other nutritive compounds, as well as to explore the bioavailability question.

Don’t get caught up in the minutiae, though. Looking at the big picture, researchers consistently agree that taking everything into consideration, frozen is on par with fresh-stored. Frozen vegetables also have favorable nutrient-to-price ratios.

Go Ahead and Hit Up the Freezer Section

The fact is, you can’t stand in a grocery store with a head of fresh cauliflower in one hand and a bag of frozen florets in the other and know for sure which has more nutrients. There’s no reason to feel bad about choosing frozen over fresh, especially when fresh seasonal and local options are lacking.

Consider, too, that if convenience is key, and your choice is between a frozen meal containing vegetables, or grabbing a drive-thru meal, the frozen food is often the better choice.

Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) longitudinal study, researchers compared adults who reported eating frozen meals or “restaurant fast food/pizza.” Using the standardized Healthy Eating Index, the frozen meal eaters scored higher overall and specifically for total vegetable intake and total protein food. They also had lower intake of refined grains and empty calories.

A separate analysis of NHANES data showed that people who eat frozen vegetables eat more total vegetables and get more fiber, potassium, calcium and vitamin D, than those who don’t.

In terms of covering your nutrient bases, your best option is to choose a wide variety of produce, fresh and local when possible, and frozen when needed. If you can grow some fresh herbs and a tomato plant outside your window, all the better.

What About Meat and Seafood?

The expert consensus is that frozen meat and seafood is also nutritionally on par with fresh.

For fish in particular, freezing is the only viable way besides canning for many consumers to access safe products. According to the Seafood Storage Guide from the National Fisheries Institute, most fresh fish (not shellfish) should be eaten within 36 hours of catching.

As a final note, if you opt for frozen food products, check out the USDA Freezing and Food Safety fact sheet and USDA guide to Safe Defrosting Methods to make sure you are maximizing safety and quality.

References

Composition of Foods Raw, Processed, Prepared. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 28 (2015) – Documentation and User Guide.

Kmiecik W, Lisiewska Z, Korus A. Retention of mineral constituents in frozen brassicas depending on the method of preliminary processing of the raw material and preparation of frozen products for consumption. Eur. Food Res. Technol. 2007; 224:573–79.

Li, M. Ho, K., Hayes, M. Ferruzzi, M. G. The Roles of Food Processing in Translation of Dietary Guidance for Whole Grains, Fruits, and Vegetables. Annual Review of Food Science and Technology. 2019; 10:569-596.

MacTavish-West, H. Vegetables: is fresh best? The Journal of the Institute of Food Science and Technology. 2014.

Miller SR, Knudson WA. 2014. Nutrition and cost comparisons of select canned, frozen, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Am. J. Lifestyle Med. 2014; 8:430–37.

Produce for Better Health Foundation. State of the Plate: 2015 Study on America’s Consumption of Fruit & Vegetables.

Rickman JC, Barrett DM, Bruhn CM. Nutritional comparison of fresh, frozen and canned fruits and vegetables. Part 1. Vitamins C and B and phenolic compounds. 2007; J. Sci. Food Agric. 87:930–44.

Rickman JC, Bruhn CM, Barrett DM. Nutritional comparison of fresh, frozen, and canned fruits and vegetables. II. Vitamin A and carotenoids, vitamin E, minerals and fiber. J. Sci. Food Agric. 2007; 87:1185–96.

Villa-Rodriguez, J.A., et al. Maintaining antioxidant potential of fresh fruits and vegetables after harvest. Crit. Rev. Food Sci. Nutr. 2015; 55: 806–822.

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jesseneufeld · 5 years ago

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Fresh Versus Frozen Food: Which Is More Nutritious?

In the hierarchy of vegetables, the best choices are fresh, in-season, and local.

Are Frozen and Canned Foods Inherently Less Primal?

Let me put that concern to rest immediately.

Frozen Vegetables and Fruit: As Good As Fresh?

Factors that affect nutrients in the produce you buy, whether fresh or frozen, include:

the particular nutrient in question,

the type of vegetable, including cultivar (what specific type of bean, apple, etc.),

growing conditions (soil, weather, and so on),

post-harvest handling and storage,

how you cook them.

From Farm to Table

Although there is an initial loss of some nutrients in the freezing process, this seems to even out by the time the vegetables make it to your plate.

Show Me the Data

These findings are typical. Compared to fresh vegetables, frozen compare favorably in study after study. For example:

Researchers from Virginia Tech and the USDA found that 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, the most bioavailable form of folate, did not decline in seven common vegetables over 12 months in frozen storage.

Go Ahead and Hit Up the Freezer Section

Consider, too, that if convenience is key, and your choice is between a frozen meal containing vegetables, or grabbing a drive-thru meal, the frozen food is often the better choice.

A separate analysis of NHANES data showed that people who eat frozen vegetables eat more total vegetables and get more fiber, potassium, calcium and vitamin D, than those who don’t.

What About Meat and Seafood?

The expert consensus is that frozen meat and seafood is also nutritionally on par with fresh.

References

Composition of Foods Raw, Processed, Prepared. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 28 (2015) – Documentation and User Guide.

MacTavish-West, H. Vegetables: is fresh best? The Journal of the Institute of Food Science and Technology. 2014.

Miller SR, Knudson WA. 2014. Nutrition and cost comparisons of select canned, frozen, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Am. J. Lifestyle Med. 2014; 8:430–37.

Produce for Better Health Foundation. State of the Plate: 2015 Study on America’s Consumption of Fruit & Vegetables.

Rickman JC, Barrett DM, Bruhn CM. Nutritional comparison of fresh, frozen and canned fruits and vegetables. Part 1. Vitamins C and B and phenolic compounds. 2007; J. Sci. Food Agric. 87:930–44.

Villa-Rodriguez, J.A., et al. Maintaining antioxidant potential of fresh fruits and vegetables after harvest. Crit. Rev. Food Sci. Nutr. 2015; 55: 806–822.

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aisleb · 5 years ago

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kennethherrerablog · 6 years ago

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Let’s channel our former middle school teachers: There are no dumb questions.

Especially when it comes to personal finance.

Do you remember your financial literacy class? Probably not, because not many states require such a subject.

So it’s not your fault you have to watch a YouTube tutorial to make sure you’re writing a check correctly or that you have to quietly Google, “How much money do I need to retire?”

But you can stop being embarrassed now. We’re here to answer your “dumbest” money questions.

‘Dumb’ Question No. 1: What Do I Do With My 401(k)?

This isn’t a dumb question, because your 401(k), or any investment account for that matter, is an integral part to a happy and financially healthy retirement.

A 401(k) is an employee-sponsored plan, so it’s largely hands off. If you can, we recommend maxing out your contributions.

Then, thanks to the power of compound interest, watch it grow.

Sure, it’s all automated — out of sight, out of mind. But chances are, your 401(k) could be doing a lot better.

Take control with help from Blooom, an SEC-registered investment advisory firm that can optimize and monitor your 401(k) for you and keep it speeding toward retirement.

It just takes a few minutes to get a free 401(k) analysis that will show you whether your investments are allocated properly and whether you’re losing money paying hidden investment fees. It’ll even tell you just how much more money your account could earn by the time you want to retire.

After that, if you sign up, it’s just $10 per month to have Blooom monitor and maximize your 401(k). Bonus: Penny Hoarders get the first month free with the code PNNYHRD.

Now that you have Blooom keeping tabs on your 401(k), you can sit back and max out your contributions (if possible).

‘Dumb’ Question No. 2: How Can I Invest If I’m Broke?

You. Don’t. Need. Thousands. Of. Dollars. To. Invest.

Yes, everyone’s talking about investing in shares of Amazon, Apple or Netflix, but you can start investing with pocket change.

Start small and download Acorns, an investing app that’ll round up your debit and credit card purchases and, once it accumulates $5, it’ll invest the spare change for you.

That means if you spend $10.23 at the grocery store, 77 cents gets dropped into your Acorns account. Then, the app does the whole investing thing for you.

The app is $1 a month for balances under $1 million, and you’ll get a $5 bonus when you sign up.

‘Dumb’ Question No. 3: Does My Credit Score Really Matter?

Um, also, how do I check my credit score?

Some folks argue that credit scores are just three-digit numbers that hold no significance. And that might be true… if you’re living off the grid or never plan to purchase a car, rent or buy a home, or apply for a loan.

Seriously. Credit scores matter. They represent your financial health and allow you to build your future.

If it’s been… a while… since you’ve last checked your credit score, here’s a simple — and free — tool that’ll help: Credit Sesame.

Not only will you be able to peep your credit score, you’ll also tap into your free “credit report card,” which breaks down exactly what’s in your credit report and how it affects your score. The tool even offers tailored tips and tricks that’ll help you get your score up.

Motivational speaker James Cooper, for example, raised his credit score 277 points using Credit Sesame. Now he talks to high school students about the importance of having good credit and uses what he’s learned through Credit Sesame as a blueprint for his lessons.

‘Dumb’ Question No. 4: Do I Need Life Insurance?

This isn’t a dumb question, because there are so many variables you’ll need to consider before purchasing life insurance.

Life insurance financially protects your loved ones in the event of your death, which, sorry to break it to you, is inevitable. However, certain people need life insurance more than others. (If you’re not sure, here are three types of people who need life insurance.)

If you think you (or, really, your family) could benefit from life insurance, buying it doesn’t have to be the uncomfortable experience you might expect. Some newcomers in the industry are updating the old model.

Ethos, for example, can get you term life insurance in less than 10 minutes — with no medical exam — for coverage up to $1 million. Ethos offers a digital application, and customer service is available if you have questions.

It partners with a major life insurance carrier to quickly offer policies as low as $6 a month. It’s helped thousands of folks access term life insurance, including independent contractors who use Uber, Postmates, TaskRabbit and other gig apps.

‘Dumb’ Question No. 5: Why Is My Money Disappearing?

If you’re wondering where your money goes after each paycheck, start tracking your expenses with the Empower app.

Empower helps you organize and track your financial goals. Simply link your accounts, and every time you log in, you’ll see a simple snapshot of where you stand on your monthly budget. Are you above or below the line? In one second you’ll know whether you’re on track or need to dial things back a bit.

Empower even has a cool “find free money” feature. It’ll do things like negotiate your cell phone bill, review your insurance coverage and cancel unwanted subscriptions.

Side note: If your money is truly disappearing, then you might have a little identity theft situation on your hands. You’ll want to dig into this with your bank or credit card company.

‘Dumb’ Question No. 6: Can I Invest Without Supporting Evil Companies?

If you’ve got a $50 bill burning a hole in your wallet, look into Swell Investing, an SEC-registered investment adviser committed to supporting sustainable companies.

Its Impact 400 portfolio features companies whose products and services align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. It considers everything from gender equality to ending poverty to clean energy.

You’ll get a $50 bonus with the code PENNY after making your initial investment of at least $50.

Swell doesn’t have any trading fees, price tiers or expense ratios. It charges a 0.75% annual fee — that’s about the cost of one coffee ($3.75) per year if you invest $500.

Disclosure: We have a financial relationship with Swell Investing LLC and will be compensated if consumers apply for an account and/or fund an account with Swell through links in our content. However, the analysis and opinions expressed here are our own.

‘Dumb’ Question No. 7: Are Credit Cards Bad?

Short answer: If you use credit cards responsibly, they’re not bad.

Credit cards can be detrimental if you treat them like a never-ending stream of money. But if you spend within your means and pay them off each month, they can actually be beneficial. They help build your credit and some also grant you rewards — like cash back or travel points.

Here’s an option we like: It’s the Chase Freedom Unlimited card*. Its claim to fame? You’ll earn an unlimited 1.5% cash back on all your purchases. Plus, if you spend $500 in your first three months of opening the card (hi, groceries), you’ll pocket a $150 bonus.

Get signed up — and 0% intro APR for 15 months — here.

‘Dumb’ Question No. 8: How Does Interest Work?

There are a lot of acronyms in the banking world, so, to save you some time, here’s a rundown of one of the most beneficial: APY.

APY stands for annual percentage yield. It’s the interest you earn on a savings account.

For example, an iOS app called Varo Money combines traditional banking tools with modern technology to help its customers become financially healthy.

Here’s the best part: Pair your bank account with a Varo Savings Account where you’ll earn 1.75% annual percentage yield. That’s nearly 20 times — repeat, 20 times — the average savings account, based on a 0.06% average reported by CNN Money.

Because it’s compounded interest, it’ll get paid out daily, monthly or quarterly, depending on the account’s terms. Basically, the higher the APY and the more frequently it’s compounded, the better.

So yeah, you’re on the right track if you’re asking about APY.

‘Dumb’ Question No. 9: Where Can I Get Money If I Need it?

You’re in a pinch, and you need some money…

Maybe you’re looking to buy a new car, consolidate your debt, pay an unexpected medical bill or make some improvements around the house.

Um, so, where do you find that money?

This feels like a question that has one of those duh answers, but you’ve really got a lot of options.

You can take out a loan through your bank, credit union, peer-to-peer lending platform or a loan company. (We suggest avoiding 401(k) loans and payday loans.)

This money won’t be free; you’ll have to pay it back plus interest. You can easily shop around for the best terms and rates through an online marketplace, like Even Financial, which can help match you with the right personal loan to meet your needs.

Even searches the top online lenders to match you with a personalized loan offer in less than 60 seconds. Its platform can help you borrow up to $100,000 (no collateral needed) with fixed rates starting at 4.99% and terms from 24 to 84 months.

‘Dumb’ Question No. 10: How Can I Make Money Online?

If you’re looking to make some money online, you’re not the only one. Google receives approximately 100,000 “how to make money online” searches a month.

Not to worry. There are plenty of ways to get paid while sitting on the couch — from full-time work-from-home jobs to side gigs.

Some ideas, based on your wants and needs, include:

If you just want to mindlessly make some money while watching TV, try signing up for a few top-rated survey sites. Swagbucks is definitely a reader favorite, probably because of the wide variety of ways to make money beyond taking surveys. Plus, you get a $5 bonus when you sign up and earn 2,500 SB within your first 60 days.

If you’re looking to flex your skills with a company, then search our work-from-home job board. You’ll find both part-time and full-time opportunities, though note these are usually a little less flexible

If you’re looking to set your own schedule, find an online opportunity that allows you to pick and choose when — and how much — you work. Consider signing up for a freelance platform like Fiverr, Mechanical Turk or Upwork.

So, yes, it’s possible to pad your bank account from the comfort of your home — just be watchful of the scammy stuff.

‘Dumb’ Question No. 11: Why Are Groceries So Expensive?

Admittedly, this is a question I recently asked while navigating the grocery store: “Why does it cost $3 for a gallon of milk?” Then, at the checkout counter, “How did I just spend $100 on groceries?”

I get that there are layers upon layers of factors that ultimately determine the price of groceries, but it seems like the weekly tab just keeps on increasing.

If you want to combat the price of groceries, use Ibotta. It sounds strange, but it’ll pay you cash for taking pictures of your grocery store receipts.

Here’s how it works: Before heading to the store, search for items on your shopping list within the Ibotta app. When you get home, snap a photo of your receipt and scan the items’ barcodes and get you cash back.

Ibotta is free to download. Plus, you’ll get a $10 sign-up bonus after uploading your first receipt.

Some cash-back opportunities we’ve seen include:

25 cents back on strawberries.

$1 back on a box of tea.

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‘Dumb’ Question No. 12: How Do I Write a Check?

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Always Raise Your Hand and Ask the Dumb Question

Do you finally believe your middle school teacher? There are no dumb questions! Especially when it comes to personal finance.

If you want to go back to school and get more answers to your “dumb” questions, you can do so for free. We’ve just launched The Penny Hoarder Academy, which will guide you through the ins and outs of personal finance — from building a budget to saving money on groceries to buying your first home.

Never be afraid to just ask.

*Annual Rewards amounts will change based on the amounts you enter. The monthly spending category names and definitions may vary among issuers, and categories may not align one-to-one.

The information for the Chase Freedom Unlimited card has been collected independently by The Penny Hoarder. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of the credit card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer. The Penny Hoarder is a partner of Credible.

Carson Kohler ([email protected]) is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. She was always the one who raised her hand and started with, “Umm… this might be a dumb question, but…”

This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.

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The 12 Dumbest Money Questions We’ve Ever Asked (and Why They’re Not Actually Dumb) published first on https://justinbetreviews.tumblr.com/

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gesteckt1 · 6 years ago

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Apple iBook G4 14inch Battery all-laptopbattery.com

Neither machine has a screen you could honestly describe as good. Colours are none too vivid and the viewing angles mediocre. There’s not a lot of brightness about either. But the Acer’s glossy screen - the Samsung’s panel is matte - is the least worst of the two in all ways, unless you plan on being outdoors a lot, when reflection becomes an issue, as it does with all shiny panels.The Acer is also the better connected, with three USB 2.0 ports, 10/100Mbps Ethernet, HDMI and VGA connectors against the Samsung’s single USB 2.0, one USB 3.0 and HDMI. Both machines come with single-band 2.4GHz 802.11n Wi-Fi but without optical drives. Samsung gives you Bluetooth but Acer doesn’t.I’m not a fan of Samsung's positioning the USB and HDMI ports at the back. I prefer my ports, sockets and power jacks on the side where I can see the little buggers. Twice I folded the Samsung shut only to notice something I’d forgotten about sticking out the back as I made to shove it into my backpack.

ticking out, both machines have SD card slots. But when stuffed into the Samsung, a card sticks out to the tune of half its length, which is a truly catastrophic design failure.I reckon nine out of ten punters will want to stick a 16GB or 32GB SD card into their S3 as the first order of business and leave it in there. After system requirements, you are left with less than 11GB of SSD space for files. Good luck with that.Accessing the oily parts of the Acer is very straightforward: just remove one screw and the cover panel unclips. Prising the back of the Samsung off would have required more screwdriver-induced damage to the plastic case than I was prepared to inflict on a machine not mine to abuse. Even if it had been my machine I still might not have risked it.Both Chromebooks run Linux, but the Acer does so more stably - and with better support for the built-in devicesIf the limitations inherent in Chrome as an operating system are just too much for you then you can jump ship to Linux. Installing on the Acer was by far the easier job and I had Ubuntu up and running in dual-boot in about an hour with everything working tickety-boo.

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The Samsung was more of a problem. After several hours, much ranting, some raving, and even a bit of wailing and gnashing of teeth, I finally got it running but the trackpad and SD card reader refused to work, and the entire machine froze up on me several times. Not, on balance, a good use of time.Google’s own wording gives you some idea what to expect when it comes to battery life. The C7’s removable 2500mAh battery is good for “up to four hours”. The S3’s unrated and fixed battery will keep you working for “over 6.5 hours”. Looping a 720p video turned in times of 3 hours 10 minutes and 4 hours 35 minutes, respectively. So in general use, you can expect a solid six hours from the Samsung and around four from the Acer.Has Google cracked the Chromebook second time around? Just about. Clearly you need to be in the market specifically for a cheap and smallish machine for day-to-day web surfing and some light media consumption, but assuming you are then both of these machines do a good job and the price is certainly right.

If I was buying one it would the Samsung because it’s lighter, has the superior keyboard, is more resilient to knocks and drops, and has the longer battery life. That is what I want from a Chromebook, though the sticky-out SD card is a very big drawback.The Acer counters with a better screen, an extra USB port, Ethernet and a proper hard drive plus a price tag that’s £30 lower. Which is what my someone like my mum wants from a Chromebook. And it has much better (unofficial) Linux support.Proving that last year's skunkworks Project Sputnik effort wasn't a one-off experiment, Dell has upgraded its Ubuntu Linux–powered XPS 13 Developer Edition laptop to include a new, higher-resolution screen.When the Developer Edition XPS 13 first shipped in November 2012, it came with a 13.3-inch panel with a 1366-by-768 pixel resolution. The new version that was announced on Monday packs a new, full-HD display that not only runs at 1920-by-1080, but is also brighter and offers wider viewing angles.

Everything else about the laptop remains the same. It still has a third-generation Intel Core i7 processor with Intel HD 4000 graphics, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD; it weighs just 1.36kg (2.99 lbs).Like the original version, the new XPS 13 Developer Edition is a collaboration between Dell and Canonical, makers of the Ubuntu Linux distribution, which built a custom OS image complete with high-quality drivers for the bundled hardware.The project began as a public beta program, in which Dell solicited feedback from developers about what they would like to see in their ideal notebooks. The effort garnered enough interest and support that Dell was eventually convinced to bring the resulting concept laptop to market.At the time, a top gripe among Reg readers was the XPS 13's low screen resolution – and, given that most developers we know prefer extremely high-resolution monitors, if not multiple screens, the increased screen resolution on the new version of the Developer Edition might be just what's needed to win over more buyers.

According to Canonical, the new model is available for sale now in the US and Canada for $1,549, the same list price as the previous version.Canonical says the updated XPS 13 is "also available across Europe, parts of the Middle East and Africa," though it didn't offer direct purchase links for countries outside North America.Also, some international versions of the earlier Sputnik laptop showed up bearing slightly different specs than the American model, such as a lower-powered Core i5 processor. The announcement gave no word on whether that would continue to be the case, and Dell did not immediately respond to The Reg's request for clarification. Acer's boss expects the vendor's PC shipments to slump up to 15 per cent sequentially in the first quarter, but insists the firm has a "good chance" of scraping back to black this year.The prediction illustrates the massive challenges faced by Acer, given the massive year-on-year slump in shipments it showed for the fourth quarter.JT Wang told a media briefing that its business would bottom out in the January to March quarter, Focus Taiwan reported today. But the massive slip did not mean a profit for the year overall was not possible, Wang continued.

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The expected 10 to 15 per cent drop in shipments in the quarter was down to seasonal factors and the transition to new products, Focus Taiwan said.The site did not specify what those new products were. Perhaps the Acer chairman and CEO was referring to sizzling new PC and laptop designs, in which case the vendor would need something amazing up its sleeve, given consumers' current "whatever" attitude to traditional formats.Focus Taiwan also reported that corporate president Jim Wong predicted Acer would ship 5 million tablets this year, up on the 1.8 million it shipped last year.Wong reportedly said: "We have a full spectrum, including low-cost, mid-range and high-end products." This will include 8-inch and 10-inch tablets, flagged up last month but only set to appear around the middle of the year at the earliest.However, while Acer has previously grappled for the top spot in the PC market, its tablet ambitions represent a drop in the global ocean.

IDC reported last month that total worldwide tablet shipments were 52.5 million in the fourth quarter up 75.3 per cent on the year. Apple shipped 22.9 million of those units, Samsung accounted for 7.9 million and Amazon 6 million.By comparison, worldwide PC shipments were down 6.4 per cent to 89.8 million in the fourth quarter, with Acer taking 7.8 per cent of that, as its unit shipments tumbled 28.2 per cent year on year to 6.9 million units.Distro guide Linux, it is said, is all about choice. Indeed, the ability to choose, well, pretty much everything, is probably the best thing about Linux. But the huge variety from which you can choose - ranging from distro and desktop to window manager - can also be overwhelming for newcomers.If you've ever thought about abandoning Windows or Mac OS X for Linux, but stopped short because you weren't sure which variety of Linux to choose, this guide is for you.It would be impossible to filter through every single Linux distribution and attempt to find the definitive one for every situation. There are simply too many distros out there - DistroWatch, a site devoted to tracking such things, lists hundreds of distros you can choose from.

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lindyhunt · 6 years ago

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The 11 Best Smart Home Devices & Systems of 2018

In 2018, smart home systems and devices are more impressive and all-encompassing than ever.

Using a smart system is no longer just about asking Alexa to tell you the weather or play that new Drake song -- now, you can use smart devices to grill chicken at your next family barbecue, turn the lights off in the living room while you’re watching a movie, or vacuum your floors.

Your home devices provide a sense of convenience, particularly when they’re ordering pizza or calling your sister, but in 2018, they can also tackle more serious tasks, like acting as your home security system when you’re out of town. In other words, they aren’t just for fun anymore -- they also fulfill some substantial needs.

Before we get into our list, let’s define what we mean by smart devices versus smart systems. A smart system is the overarching command center that controls your individual products -- think, Alexa or Google Assistant. Essentially, a smart system is what you speak to when you want something to happen. A device, on the other hand, is an individual product that reports back to that system -- think, Amazon Echo or Philips Hue lightbulbs.

Now, let’s delve into our list of the 11 best smart home devices and systems of 2018, so you can decide for yourself which systems and products will best enhance your life.

Smart Home Systems

1. Amazon Alexa

With more than 7,000 third-party integrations, Alexa is undoubtedly one of the most comprehensive smat home ecosystems available today. While you have likely heard of using Alexa in Eco-speaker form (“Alexa, what’s the weather today?”), you might not know that Alexa is now built into plenty of other smart products, including thermostats (i.e. Ecobee4) and TVs (i.e. Fire TV).

Alexa makes every aspect of your smart home easy to access and control. You can use Alexa to speak to apps like Spotify just as easily as you can ask her to turn off the lights. Since Amazon’s ecosystem is one of the most prevalent in the industry, most smart products integrate seamlessly with Alexa, including products made by Philips, Samsung, Nest, and Schlage -- meaning, Alexa can now close your garage, lock your doors, and adjust your home’s temperature. To know if Alexa will work with a certain device, just look for the ‘Works with Amazon Alexa’ tag.

Ultimately, Alexa’s ability to integrate and speak to most other smart devices and apps (Alexa has the most third-party integrations of any smart system) makes her one of the best choices for your smart home.

2. Google Assistant

If there’s any true runner-up to Alexa, it’s Google Assistant. Even though Google Assistant has less third-party integrations, it can often answer questions and complete commands Alexa can’t, thanks to Google’s major ownership of the search engine space. Research from Dentsu digital agency 360i found Google Assistant was five times more likely to give a correct answer than Alexa. Ultimately, Assistant wins when it comes to understanding how people naturally speak.

For instance, if you tell Assistance “I don’t like this song” on Spotify, it will skip to the next one, while Alexa will simply tell you, “Thumbs up and down are not supported on Spotify.” Small differences like this could sway you towards Assistance, since it’s often more helpful (and less literal) than Alexa.

Assistant can also integrate with products from most major brands, including Philips, Belkin, August, Nest, and popular apps such as Spotify and Uber.

3. Wink Hub 2

Wink Hub 2 is touted as the “first smart home hub designed for the mainstream consumer”. Unlike Alexa or Assistant, Wink doesn’t have any brand loyalty, allowing you to pick and choose different smart product brands and merge them seamlessly with one another.

Wink Hub 2 supports smart home protocols including Bluetooth LE, Kidde, Lutron ClearConnect, Wi-Fi, Z-Wave, and more. If you’re looking to create a fully integrated smart home with kitchen and wall appliances in-sync, this might be your best option. You can also download the Wink Hub app and control commands, like light switches or garage door, from your phone on-the-go.

The Best Smart Home Devices

Smart Home Devices

Amazon Echo

Philips Hue

TP-Link HS200

Ecobee4

NetGear Arlo Q

Char-Broil Digital Electric Smoker with SmartChef Technology

Perfect Bake Pro

Ecovacs Deebot N79S

1. Best Speaker: Amazon Echo (2nd Generation)

Price: $99.99

If you’re looking for a relatively affordable device to cater to your everyday needs, you probably don’t need to look further than Amazon Echo. The speaker connects to Alexa to play your favorite music, make phone calls or send messages, answer questions, and set alarms for you, i.e. “It’s 6 p.m., time to head to your tennis lesson”. It also connects to other smart products in your home, so you can use it as your liaison between you and your sprinklers.

The speaker fills your room with 360° audio, and uses noise cancellation technology to ensure you can be heard from any direction. With the Echo, you can turn the TV on, order a pizza, and create a shopping to-do list -- without ever leaving your couch.

Image courtesy of Amazon.

2. Best Lights: Philips Hue

Price: $49.99/one bulb

The Philips Hue bulbs enable you to control both intensity of light -- dimming or brightening on-command -- and the color of your lights. You can create special color-coordinated moods (i.e. choose the “energize” theme on your app for a specific room you’re in, or sync it with your music). You can also set color-coordinated alarms, ensuring you wake up every morning to a bright pink bedroom.

These bulbs work with most smart home systems, making them arguably the most flexible option. If you don’t want color, you can also purchase Philips Hue White.

Image courtesy of MeetHue.com.

3. Best Light Switch: TP-Link HS200

Price: $37.88

Philips Hue bulbs and similar smart lights are fantastic and effortless -- until someone flips a light switch, in which case, your bulbs won’t work until you flip it back.

For true ease-of-use, consider buying smart light switches, which you can control from your phone or smart home whether or not your physical light switch is up or down. Using the app Kasa, you can create scenes and smart actions -- for instance, you might tell the app you’re “watching TV downstairs,” and the switches will automatically turn off all upstairs lights.

TP-Link HS200 works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, but you might need to consider other options if you primarily use Apple HomeKit, Wink, or another smart system.

Image courtesy of Amazon.

4. Best Thermostat: Ecobee4

Price: $249

The Ecobee4 allows you to control air temperature with voice commands, but unlike other smart thermostats, it also works as its own Amazon speaker (rather than simply working with an Amazon speaker), so it can do everything your Alexa or Assistant can do, including play music, shop, and control other devices. Of course, if you already own a smart speaker, you might want to consider a cheaper thermostat option.

Ecobee4 integrates seamlessly with apps and other home ecosystems like Alexa or Apple HomeKit. Plus, it’s able to control the room you’re in, rather than the room it’s installed.

Image courtesy of EcoBee.com.

5. Best Security: NetGear Arlo Q

Price: $119.94

While some of these smart devices are more for convenience and entertainment, the NetGear Arlo Q is a truly useful tool for home security. The NetGear Arlo Q records high-quality video and audio, and even produces exceptional quality images of people in pitch-blackness.

You can customize whether your camera automatically records when you’re not home, or set it to a time-based schedule for when you’re at work. While it’s on the pricier side, it offers seven days of video and audio backup for free, making it a worthwhile investment compared to some of the other smart security systems.

Image courtesy of Amazon.

6. Best Grill: Char-Broil Digital Electric Smoker with SmartChef Technology

Price: $166.99

Anyone who grills regularly knows the inconvenience of it -- walking in and out of the house to check the meat, hoping the temperature is hot enough but won’t burn your steak, and adding coals or lighter fluid when necessary. This tool handles all that, alerting you on your smart device when your grill is preheated, what the internal meat temperature is, and when your meat or fish is fully cooked. The 725 square-inch cooking space and four internal chrome racks allow you to grill for both large and small occasions.

Image courtesy of Amazon.

7. Best Cooking: Perfect Bake Pro

Price: $86.49

If you struggle to figure out what you can make with the half a cup of flour, three eggs, and handful of blueberries you have in your fridge, you might be in luck -- this smart device allows you to input what food you have, and then generates recipes you can use with those items. You can autoscale the recipe for the amount of people or even amount of ingredients you have (i.e. “only have ¼ cup of chocolate chips”), or generate a shopping list from recipes you want to make. Best of all, you can use the bowl to measure your ingredients as you pour them in -- the smart bowl tells you when you can stop pouring.

Image courtesy of Amazon.

8. Best Vacuum: Ecovacs Deebot N79S

Price: $229.98

I’m personally willing to pay triple this price for any device that can vacuum my floor for me, but at $229, the Ecovacs Deebot N79S is a pretty impressive deal. It integrates with smart home systems and other apps, offers a manual steering option, and cleans surfaces surprisingly well. It also has a long battery life.

Image courtesy of Amazon.

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ipadsadvise · 7 years ago

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Apple Watch Series 2 review: A tick closer to perfection

I ultimately have a need to stop cheating on my Apple Watch.

For the previous 16 months, Apple's wearable as well as I have had an on-again, off-again connection. The Apple Watch looks fantastic. It aids me remain fit. It tells the moment truly well. However it hasn't been the complete wrist solution I need.

With the Apple Watch Series 2, a lot of the concessions of Apple's first-gen smartwatch have actually lastly been taken care of. You could get GPS without carrying your apple iphone. The brand-new Apple Watch is water-friendly. And also it's constructed for rate. With the new, less-expensive Apple Watch Series 1 getting some of the same functions, is the Collection 2 seriously worth the upgrade?

While working on this Apple Watch Series 2 testimonial, I've been using the new device almost everywhere I go ever before considering that it came out Friday. The short response is, 'heck yes.'

Apple Watch Series 2 review

The Apple Watch layout you already love

Absolutely nobody is going to have the ability to tell you're using the brand-new Apple Watch Collection 2 unless you purchase the ceramic Version model. Also after that people may not notice.

The Collection 2 is a simple 0.9 mm more thick than the Collection 1. It weighs somewhat more, too, which I such as due to the fact that it really feels much more solid as well as expensive.

Other than that, every little thing looks the nearly similar on the outside as the original Apple Watch. Bands link to the device the exact same way. The Digital Crown as well as side switch have not relocated (its performance has altered though). And also there's still the same optical heart price sensor bump on the bottom.

The body of the Apple Watch has never ever been a problem. It looks classy, although it's one of the most high-tech watches ever before made. It's neither ostentatious neither nerdy. You could use it while playing sporting activities or participating in a gala, making it a really practical style piece.

Apple Watch Collection 2 GPS tracks your every move

What Apple Watch Collection 2 does not have in layout changes, it greater than makes up for on the inside. The most significant new addition is a GPS chip. This function alone is worth the buy. Especially if you like exercise.

I not need to stuff a Plus-size apple iphone right into my small running shorts when opting for a jog currently that Apple Watch Series 2 can connect to GPS satellites. The connection is intended to secure super-fast, so you do not need to await satellites to line up simply to start your workout.

One of my greatest gripes with the Garmin Fenix 3 I've been making use of rather of my original Apple Watch is the length of time it considers GENERAL PRACTITIONERS to lock on. Way too many times I've been a quarter mile right into my hike before the watch signaled me that it was lastly able to obtain a GPS signal.

Apple Watch Series 2 is intended to be wicked quick at this, however there's simply one problem. The tool's display never shows 'GPS' or another indicator to show it's attached. You simply have to take it on faith that there's a connection behind the scenes. When you obtain back to your iPhone, you can examine your path on a map.

In my limited screening, I discovered the GENERAL PRACTITIONER to be rather strong. It's equally as great as various other running watches I have actually used from Suunto and Garmin, just those smartwatches do not pack almost as numerous various other great features for non-runners as well as sports types.

Apple Watch Collection 2 display is brighter

Apple Watch Collection 2 packs the brightest display screen Apple has actually ever before made. It's even more than 2 times as bright as the Collection 1 (as well as the initial model). The increased brightness doesn't prove that noticeable indoors, yet it assists a great deal outdoors. While on runs, I could review my workout summary much simpler, also under the brilliant Phoenix az sun.

No elevation tracking in Apple Watch Series 2

While Apple Watch Series 2 included a new chip to gauge just how much you go, it still can't track your elevation. Frankly, this sucks.

If you're a trail runner, mountain cyclist or walker, seeing exactly how much you climbed up throughout a workout is vital if you would like to know simply exactly how hard your route was. There's a big difference in problem in between running 5 miles on level roads verses 5 miles with a 2,000-foot elevation gain.

The only means to obtain your elevation data is to load your apple iphone along for the flight. It's not a big discomfort for me due to the fact that I 'd want that information most during a route run or walk, and also I generally lug my iPhone in my backpack. If you want to use it in a race, however, it's still not ideal.

Until Apple includes an altimeter to its wearable, it will not be taken seriously by endurance athletes.

Apple Watch's fast new processor

The new dual-core processor in the Series 2 loads 50 percent much more refining power compared to the original Apple Watch and also you can definitely tell. This watch is shrieking fast.

I really did not run Apple Watch Series 2 with a battery of examinations, but using it side-by-side with its precursor you can see just how much faster applications lots on your wrist. The difference is definitely astounding for a second-generation product.

Opening applications on the original Apple Watch was annoying. It needed you to hold your wrist up while the tiny processor spun for 5 or 10 secs. With Apple Watch Collection 2, apps seem like they upgrade nearly instantaneously.

Apple's watchOS 3 upgrade contributes to the speed rise, though, as well as it's offered for any Apple Watch version (including the original). With watchOS 3, native apps load faster compared to ever and are likewise more efficient. The upgrade likewise transforms the functionality of Apple Watch's side button: Now it brings up a dock of applications, giving you a fast peek into your essential info.

I'm still waiting on the very first awesome third-party application, yet the large Apple Watch UI adjustment makes getting in and out of apps a lot faster. (Find out even more regarding watchOS 3 with Cult of Mac's overview: Ways to use watchOS 3: Tips, tricks as well as hidden tweaks.)

Apple Watch Collection 2 battery life

The added weight in the Apple Watch Collection 2 comes from its bigger battery. This still doesn't bring multiday battery life, so you'll still be billing the brand-new Apple Watch every day. I really did not observe any significant gains in battery life, so it's most likely that all the added juice is being made use of to power the new GPS chip as well as display.

Water resistance

The water resistance of the original Apple Watch was quite strong. Believe me: I shed my own some times while high cliff jumping, as well as 2 times the waterproofing held up enough time for my watch to be discovered alive.

Apple Watch Collection 2 is really water resistant, with a rating of as much as 50 meters deep. You can currently feel comfortable bathing with a little computer system on your wrist, or taking your Apple Watch on your following snorkeling adventure.

My preferred small new attribute is the water-ejecting speaker. Once you complete wallowing in the water, the Apple Watch Collection 2 sound speaker releases a collection of sonic pulses to push water from the wearable. The attribute triggers immediately when you have actually finished a water exercise.

Better exercises with Apple Watch Collection 2

Thanks to the improved waterproofing, Apple Watch can accompany you on swimming workouts, whether in the ocean or in a pool.

The display immediately secures as quickly as you start a workout, so it will not react to water droplets or water pressure. To finish an exercise, you spin the Digital Crown (which likewise triggers the audio-ejection treatment to spit out water).

With the Exercise app in watchOS 3, you'll also get 12 many others settings, including a brand-new setup for elliptical machine devices and even more choices under the 'Various other' classification. Whatever sporting activity you're playing, Apple Watch could track it.

So, should you get one?

Anytime I was asked by an unfamiliar person whether they should obtain the Apple Watch, I would certainly inform them no. It's excellent for informing time and inspecting your notices, but if you don't generally prefer to use watches (I do not), then it's most likely to gather dust.

Apple Watch Collection 2 implies my solution adjustments. I still don't think it's a must-have. If you desire one, go for it. It's the most effective watch you could get. It's elegant. It's a fantastic fitness tracker. It does greater than other watch ever before made.

And now that it could finally track your place and also take a swim, it's lastly beginning to be deserving of the hype.

#iPad #iPhone #iphone 3g #iphone apps #my iphone

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techbarcelona · 7 years ago

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Stories from the principal iPhone line Wherein I find new things about cell phones, life, and The Goonies.

I'm slouched underneath a revolting orange canopy that highlights the blue Death Star logo, getting what shade I can out of the thing as it folds flaccidly in a breeze hot and soggy as puppy's breath. In the face of my good faith is the cool glass of a store window, on which you can in any case observe the blurring diagram of as of late evacuated "CINGULAR STORE" vinyl flags. It's not exactly 90 degrees Fahrenheit—that is around 32 degrees Celsius for you Celsius fans—yet the 90 percent stickiness ransacks the shade of the greater part of its solace. The world is a gradually heating convection broiler, and the glass I'm inclining toward is the main decent thing in it.

A neighborly woman from the beautifying agents store nearby is making the rounds again with jugs of water from a wicker crate, alongside coupons for mascara. Her mascara looks strong notwithstanding the dribbling mugginess, so I take a coupon.

Yet, it doesn't make a difference. None of the inconvenience matters, not over the long haul, since when this is finished—in three more hours—my life will be unique. In three more hours, I'll have an iPhone.

Beggaring conviction

Goodness, I'm not one of those morons who tunes in slack-jawed awe to Steve Jobs' announcements; I don't possess a Mac (not yet, at any rate—I don't have any acquaintance with it now, yet in five months I'd jettison my maturing Windows PC for a glossy new aluminum iMac). I don't become tied up with the guarantees of the Jesus Phone that will spare the world and introduce another period of comprehension and companionship—the beret-wearing Apple extremists can keep their affection globules and their single-catch mice. I don't think the gadget I'm a couple of hours from purchasing will improve me a man. Nor will it transform me into a lesbian. It's only a telephone, and I perceive that.

Furthermore, obviously, there's giving a colossal center finger to the cell bearers. A telephone with no poop on it? In my moist pocket at this correct minute is a Moto RAZR (same as Woz, clearly). This RAZR booms a tinny Cingular tune on startup and demonstrates a vivified Cingular flag on the two its screens; it has a mammoth "CINGULAR" logo stamped into the back of it. More than whatever else, I savor the possibility of a telephone free of bearer poo.

Three hours to go before I see with my own eyes.

A companion without a doubt

At half past eleven that morning I'd showered, slathered on sunscreen, dressed, and left for the nearest AT&T store—which is only a couple of hundred feet from the retail space that used to be our neighborly nearby Babbage's. Sitting tight in line for this telephone implied burning through six more hours near a place where I'd officially spent incalculable hours in my developmental years. All in all, it didn't appear an absurd time speculation for such a cool bit of innovation.

Despite the fact that by 2007 I was at that point a prepared sysadmin and innovation veteran, this was the first occasion when I'd felt emphatically enough about a retail buy to hold up in line. I had a book and I was prepared for six hours of tedium. I didn't have a cell phone to take a break. Basically nobody excepted, corporate composes with Blackberries and furious neckbeards with Treos, and neither of those classes of people would be gotten dead purchasing an iPhone. Not yet, in any event—it took a couple of years for the iPhone to swallow those socioeconomics.

Be that as it may, at that point I got an unexpected call from my amigo Jason, a beloved companion and previous Babbage's associate. He was exhausted and had the day away from work and needed to recognize what I was doing. I disclosed to him I was copying the majority of the day in line to get an iPhone. In the wake of contemplating for a minute, he volunteered to come hold up with me.

"Are you going to get one, as well?" I inquired.

"Nah," he answered coolly. "It looks imbecilic and Apple sucks. Be that as it may, I'll come hang out so you don't need to remain there alone throughout the day like a douche bag. Or on the other hand like to a greater extent a good for nothing, I presume."

Lesson took in: the closest companions are the individuals who will hold up with you in an item dispatch line for something they don't think about.

Time flies never to be reviewed

Jason and I landed at the AT&T store at twelve and moved toward becoming people number two and three in line for iPhones. The main space was held by a kindred about my age who seemed, by all accounts, to be sleeping; he opened his eyes, gestured at us as we moseyed down onto the warm concrete, and after that shut them once more. Throughout the following couple of hours, more individuals bit by bit appeared; by 3 o'clock toward the evening, the line of would-be iPhone proprietors has developed to around 60 individuals and extends to the finish of the mall. The last couple of people are wrapped around the side of the building and are sitting in full sun, however they had grass seats and umbrellas.

My shirt is streaked with salt from sweat, and my hair and eyes are grimed with it. I contemplate, for the hundredth time, pressing it in and going over the road to the Apple Store in Baybrook Mall—regardless of whether I was route back in line, I'd be inside. In any case, that conveys us to the reason I was at the AT&T store in any case: my significant other and I shared a corporate markdown mobile phone design. More awful, it was an inheritance "orange" Cingular design and not another "blue" AT&T design. I would not like to surrender it, thus I'd assumed that the best activity is get my telephone specifically from the AT&T store and let the AT&T individuals exchange the arrangement over, instead of attempting to disclose the circumstance to Apple Store workers who may be absolutely insensible about the caprices of heritage corporate markdown shared plans.

"Do you ever think about whether Starfleet has a Human Resources division?" asks Jason all of a sudden into the sweat-soaked quiet of the holding up line.

"Perhaps," I answer, gradually dragging my look over the swarmed solid region of I-45 out there. Through shining warmth dimness, a million autos slither over the road in an endless automobile overload. "It sort of appears like Counselor Troi is fundamentally the Enterprise's HR division."

"I can't generally observe her conveying a broad class on inappropriate behavior or anything," Jason keeps, biting on a nail. "On the other hand, perhaps I can. It'd be called, similar to, Space: The Ultimate Hostile Work Environment."

The main individual in line, who'd been noiseless for quite a long time, all of a sudden turns his head. "All things considered, review that in Measure of a Man, we discover that Starfleet keeps up division level JAG workplaces on different starbases," he says in delicate, profound, exceptionally exact Received Pronunciation. "Maybe they have a HR corps too."

Jason and I both gaze at him and after that begin gesturing gradually, tolerating this data. It is a point well-made, and I'll accept basically anything if it's originating from somebody who sounds like Richard Burton making out with Stephen Fry.

The following hour goes peacefully. We get another round of water from the make-up woman's wicker bin.

Punditry

This glossy new bit of unit I intend to purchase costs sincerely, as Microsoft CEO and Internet image saint Steve Ballmer accurately called attention to when the iPhone propelled.

"Five hundred dollars?" he hoots in his jovial bazaar comedian voice. "Completely sponsored? With an arrangement? I said that is the most costly telephone on the planet!"

He's correct—not every person is enamored with the gadget. Adoptive parent of Houston innovation reporting Dwight Silverman composed for the Houston Chronicle that the sparkle was wearing off his new iPhone after scarcely a month of utilization. The 2.5G-time EDGE radio was inauspiciously moderate. The gadget needed Exchange usefulness. Furthermore, that console… not by any stretch of the imagination beyond any doubt about that, either. (I'll bring up that Dwight did in the long run come to love the iPhone—last time I got together with him he was brandishing a 7 Plus and noisily singing its gestures of recognition.)

However, I couldn't care less—I recognize what I saw on YouTube and I comprehend what I read in early reviews. I know I need this thing and that the cost will be worth paying.

Never incredible

"You recall the part in Goonies where the children go down the slides and they discover One Eyed Willie's privateer transport?" asks Jason. It has been no less than 20 minutes since anybody last said anything.

I don't gaze upward—I've been viewing a multitude of ants working over a french rotisserie somebody had dropped on the walkway. The little suckers were dismantling it with astounding productivity. In any case, I gesture, and Jason proceeds.

"Give me a chance to ask you something," he says, stopping for a minute. "In that scene, do you recall there being an octopus?"

It's an odd inquiry, however it sparkles recollections from later in the film. "No," I react insightfully, as the consummation of the motion picture flashes through my head, a glint quick feature reel of pictures and sounds enduring perhaps a moment or two. "In any case, I recall Data says something in regards to an octopus toward the finish of the motion picture. I generally figured he was simply escaping by the fervor of being saved and seeing his folks after relatively passing on." Ants stream away, each with its minor individual segment of broiled potato braced in its steely subterranean insect mandibles. I imagine a ruler subterranean insect, far underground, irately requesting her devotees bring her more french fries.

"Affirm, see, along these lines, you don't recall the octopus," says Jason, talking quicker at this point. "However, I swear, my sibling and me, we watched that film on tape like a billion times growing up and there was an octopus. I recollect each and every detail. In any case, cracking no one I ask recollects the dumb octopus." Jason's knees split like top firearm impacts as he stands and extends. "So am I insane?" he keeps, looking down at me. "Do I have all these, similar to, counterfeit octopus recollections? Furthermore, if that is not genuine, what else about growing up that I think I recall is really phony?"

I look at the kindred with the British pronunciation before us. He doesn't raise his eyes from his book. It would appear that I'm without anyone else for this one.

Jason proceeds, energized. He swings his arms and motions as he talks, similar to he's attempting to punch his focuses into the air.

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pellerini · 7 years ago

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Whether you shop nationally or locally – online or in stores – it’s now ‘Christmas Crunch Time’ for picking up meaningful gifts for the loved ones in your life this season. Enter my holiday gift guide!

Shopping today and this week ensures:

Timely shipping and receiving of orders

Shows care and consideration of your recipients likes and dislikes

Stresses you are not an “Eleventh Hour Dollar Store Diva” when it comes to gifting

I do my best to keep gifts at $150 or under and I do stick to choosing presents with personalities in mind! Also, while I buy from national outlets (like so many of us do), I believe in balance, and always make a point of purchasing presents from local Mom and Pop shops as well.

Gift For the Foodie

My husband is a huge foodie and one of our favorite places to food shop is Doris market. I’ve been going there since I can remember. Whenever I visited my grandparents during Spring Break and summertime, we’d stop at Doris for groceries – especially their chicken cutlets! Now that I live down here, Doris is my go-to for groceries. They have locations in Boca Raton and North Palm Beach, as well as Coral Springs, Pembroke Pines and Sunrise! Aside from the groceries, they also offer top-notch catering – I know, as I have ordered from them numerous times!

Gift ideas include a gift card which can be used in-store or online, a custom gift basket, handmade Italian pastries, and meal catering!

Dec. 14th is their 70th anniversary – that says a lot about the store and it’s amazing reputation. The first 70 customers in each of the 5 locations will get a FREE gift with purchase. They will also be entered to win a $70 Doris gift card. There will be a cake cutting ceremony and group photo at 10 a.m. in each location as well!

Check them out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest!

Gift for the Hostess with the Mostess

Pioneer Linens is a mainstay in downtown West Palm Beach. Open since 1912, Pioneer is the go-to for bedding, bath products, and great gift options. Some of the gift options I love are:

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

It was an absolute pleasure walking through the store with Penny, learning about the history of Pioneer Linens. I can feel the thought and care that goes into the store and absolutely love that her daughters work alongside her. Aside from the items I spotlight here, you can find just about anything you could ever dream of for your bedroom or bath – AND they can personalize just about anything.

I learned a few GREAT gift giving pointers during my time with Penny:

Let’s say you are going to a holiday party and are bringing a bottle of wine, but don’t want to just show up with the bottle. Gift some beautiful cocktail napkins, like the flamingo ones in the slideshow above. That simple added personal touch will make that much more of a wonderful impression.

If you are gifting a candle, why not add a beautiful box of matches along with it? I assimilated this to what I was always taught growing up – when you gift something that requires batteries, be sure to include the required batteries. Adding a decorative box of matches to the candle is a refined and super smart idea!

All are perfect gifts for the Florida hostess – love them!

Check them out on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter!

Gift for the Wine Lover

Planning the big holiday feast is daunting enough without also being tasked with selecting the wines. Vinesse Wines Holiday Collection relieves that stress by providing six bottles that pair beautifully with Holiday fare, while also addressing the diverse taste buds that are bound to be populating the dinner table. This Holiday Collection also can be divided and gifted to wine-loving friends.

An ever-popular gift, this is Vinesse’s 24th annual holiday wine assortment! The price for the Vinesse Wines Holiday 6-bottle Collection is $89.99 plus shipping. Visit their website for more information and to place your order online!

2013 LA FENETRE ‘A COTE’ CENTRAL COAST PINOT NOIR: If you ever happen to find yourself riding the rails through Central Coast’s famous vineyards, you may also find yourself sipping a glass of La Fenetre’s Pinot Noir. The 2013 Pinot Noir is a classic expression of the varietal on California’s Central Coast. The wine has delicious notes of spice and red fruit, combined with weight and chewy textures and it rounds out to be a delicious and well-balanced Pinot Noir complete with light tobacco leaf and cedar notes. The 2013 vintage is a perfect match for a pan-roasted chicken with sage and delicious chanterelle mushrooms.

2016 OLD TRAIN DEPOT CALIFORNIA CABERNET SAUVIGNON Cabernet Sauvignon is known as the king of red wines in California. Old Train Depot takes a multiple-appellation approach when making its Cabernet Sauvignon, having built relationships with quality-focused grape growers in various regions. The goal is to produce a wine that is consistent in aroma and flavor from vintage to vintage, rather than an expression of a single year in a single place. With deep flavors of flowers, ripe berries, and caramel, this wine is the perfect addition to any holiday meal, especially if you have a roast or steak on the menu.

2016 BRAMBLE RIDGE WINERY CALIFORNIA CHARDONNAY Chardonnay is long-known to be one of the most food-friendly white wines that there is. The great thing about Chardonnay is it’s a real crowd-pleaser and it pairs well with all types of cuisine and enhances the food’s flavors. We love the Bramble Ridge Winery’s 2016 Chardonnay because it exudes flavors of apple, pear, citrus and even a hint of buttered toast, all of which are synonymous with the best Chardonnays in California. It’s a perfect pairing partner with appetizers or a light dessert.

2015 CHATEAU CAP DE BIOLET BORDEAUX, FRANCE RED BLEND A gold medal award-winning Merlot based-blend from a four-decade family of winemakers. This delicious blend has notes of blackberry, red and black cherries and herbal flavors and leaves a lingering sense of sweetness at first sip.The quality of the wine is A+ and it is a perfect match for the holiday meal side-dishes and main courses. It impressed our tasting panel and had us yearning for a trip back to Bordeaux, France.

2016 JONES BRIDGE WINERY YAKIMA VALLEY, WASHINGTON RIESLING A light touch of spritz and beautiful color; perfect holiday meal wine. In just a few words, that’s how our 2016 Jones Bridge Winery Riesling was described. It’s filled with delicious flavors of melon, white apricot, and fresh green apples. There’s a crisp sense of acidity to enjoy followed by juicy fruit and a slight sweetness that lingers on the finish. This is an absolute perfect pair with a Thanksgiving dinner- roasted turkey with all the trimmings- sage and sausage stuffing and sweet potato.

NV KRAEMER VIN MOUSSEUX BLANC DE BLANC BRUT A creamy sparkler to finish or start your holiday meal. With grapes grown in southern France, this wine is the same grape that is used in Champagne and made from the same winemaking techniques as those used in the caves of Champagne. Truly, the only difference between this wine and a “Champagne” is where the grapes were grown. This wine has an enticing bouquet of yellow apple, quince, citrus and white blossoms with fine, lively bubbles. It’s delightful as an aperitif or even enjoyed with desserts. We’ll take it with both.

Follow Vinesse on Facebook and Twitter! They also have an informative blog!

Gift for the Beauty Buff

The LUNA mini 2 facial cleanser uses gentle T-SonicTM pulsations to eliminate impurities, removing 99.5% of dirt and oil, as well as makeup residue and dead skin cells when used with Tarte’s gentle, vegan-friendly & fragrance-free cleanser.

The FOREO and Tarte gift set is your key to unlocking the secret to flawless skin and includes a:

LUNA mini 2

Tarte Brighter Days Highlighting Moisturizer

Tarte Rainforest for the Sea Deep Dive Cleansing Gel

Tarte Drink of H2O Hydrating Boost

This gift set retails for $139 and is available at Sephora and J.C. Penney.

Gift for Your Furry Friend

Founded by sisters Gina Pollock and Angela Kats almost 20 years ago, Puppy Kisses offers chic and fashionable accessories that are affordable! The Designer Dog Accessories line is hand-crafted by stay-at-home or retired moms. Gina and Angela pride themselves on creating this business model that empowers women!

Looking for the perfect gift for your pup or the pup lover in your life? Puppy Kisses ‘Holiday in a Box’ is an “adogable” present for the dog or the dog lover in your life!

Packaged in a clear gift box with gift card

Retails for $25.00

Comes in 4 options: (1) Large Bow Tie; (2) Small Bow Tie; (3) Large Collar Flower; (4) Small Collar Flower (male bowtie / female flower)

Puppy Kisses Holiday In A Box Contains:

1) Squeaker & Crinkle Dog Toy – Santa Dog Toy (measures: 11″L x 2.5″W).

2) Snack-A-Roo’s – All natural dog treats, hand-crafted in the USA. Consists of three ingredients: Apples, organic rolled oats, all natural peanut butter.

3) Puppy Kisses Designer Dog Accessory – Your choice of Tartan bow tie or Festive collar flower.

To ensure those puppy tails will be wagging this Christmas, be sure to order by this weekend! Go to the website for a flurry of other gift ideas such as trendy apparel, collars, and leashes, as well as gourmet treats and homemade pup cakes and cookies! Check them out on social media too – Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!

Holiday Gift Guide: Gifts By Personality Whether you shop nationally or locally - online or in stores - it’s now ‘Christmas Crunch Time’ for picking up meaningful gifts for the loved ones in your life this season.

#holiday gift guide

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yellowtoenailscured · 7 years ago

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Nail Fungus Soak by Long Creek Herbs Review

See Nail Fungus Soak by Long Creek Herbs Review in its original form on The Web’s Best Place to Find Yellow Toenail Cures or read the entire post below.

Toenail fungus continues to be a common problem for many people. But, there are more treatments available today than ever before. With so many options, people are starting to turn toward natural ingredients, like those found in the Nail Fungus Soak by Long Creek Herbs.

Chemically-enhanced treatments can be effective. But, for people with sensitive skin or allergies, they could potentially cause irritation or another negative reaction. Prescription or oral treatment options can be equally dangerous.

While some natural treatments are more effective than others, looking at the ingredients and what they can do counts most. Toenail fungus comes with a lot of negative symptoms. These include things like discoloration, thick or brittle nails, and even separation of the nail from the nail bed.

So, choosing a product that is safe enough to get rid of these symptoms and strong enough to kill a fungal infection can be a challenge for natural ingredients. But, it's not impossible. Sometimes, natural products can work better than their chemically-enhanced competitors! The Long Creek Herbs company is determined to prove that with their Nail Fungus Soak.

Ready for Relief? [easyazon_link identifier="B000XTGLJ2" locale="US" tag="yellowtoenails-20"]CLICK HERE[/easyazon_link] to Buy this Nail Fungus Soak on Amazon!

Nail Fungus Soak by Long Creek Herbs Review

This article will focus on a natural solution to toenail fungus, Nail Fungus Soak by Long Creek Herbs. This treatment is designed to get rid of toenail fungus quickly. It may be one of the best natural treatments for a fungal infection.

But, as with any solution made of completely natural ingredients, it's okay to be a bit skeptical. We'll answer some common questions associated with this product. We'll also cover its key features, and some strengths and weaknesses.

What Are the Ingredients?

While all-natural ingredients are typically safer to use on your body than chemicals, it's still important to know what they are. More importantly, you should know how they work to fight against fungus and its symptoms. This foot soak couldn't have a simpler formula. With just four key ingredients, it depends on the healing power of herbs to get rid of fungus fast. The ingredients in this soak include:

Equisetum

Mentha

Lavandula

Eucalyptus

These ingredients are all designed to help kill toenail fungus and strengthen your nails. They can help with brittle toenails and get rid of discoloration. Additionally, they promote healthy nail growth. If you have a severe infection, waiting for a new, healthy nail to grow may be the best option. Regularly soaking your feet in this treatment can help to speed up that process. All the while, it will help to eliminate unsightly and uncomfortable symptoms.

While some fungal treatments suggest that you combine them with other solutions, you only need the addition of apple cider vinegar for this soak.

How Do I Use It Correctly?

Foot soaks are a great way to remove fungus and the symptoms it causes all at once. You can either use a simple basin for the soak or invest in a foot bath and spa machine. Either way, it's a relaxing experience that may make you feel as though you're at the spa while you're treating a nasty infection.

To use the soak properly, follow these steps:

Combine the natural herb formula with four cups of apple cider vinegar in a large container. Apple cider vinegar contains antiseptic properties and will help to enhance the natural healing process.

Let the mixture steep overnight.

In the morning, strain out the herbs, leaving the liquid.

Pour the liquid into a basin or foot soaker, and soak your feet for about 3-5 minutes.

Keep the remaining liquid in a container with a lid.

Repeat the soaking process every day.

There are no messy creams to worry about or clean up. Once you have soaked your feet, be sure to dry them off thoroughly. Don't share the liquid solution with anyone else after you've started to use it.

Try to use the treatment around the same time each day. Unlike other solutions, you only need to use it once a day to see results. If you miss using it one day, pick up the next day at the same usual time. Not using it consistently will likely reduce its effects, and your fungus may take longer to fully heal.

How Soon Will I See Results?

With daily use, you should start to see new nail growth within 5-6 weeks. This is a fairly short amount of time compared to some treatments that can take several months to work. Fully immersing the feet allows the solution to get underneath the nail, so it works faster. It's important to continue soaking your feet daily until a new nail has completely grown out, and there are no signs of infection.

Throughout the process, you should start to notice the negative symptoms of infection weakening. Your nails should start returning to a healthy color, and they should regain their shine and luster. You may even start to notice regrowth early on. However, don't stop using the product. Toenail fungus can grow and spread quickly if it is not completely treated.

One box of herbs will last through about two months of effective soaks. If you have a severe infection that has been growing for awhile, you may need more than one box in order to fully clear up the infection from your toes.

In addition to getting rid of the fungus itself, you may also notice the skin around the toes getting healthier. This solution helps to treat athlete's foot, can soften skin, and can heal cracked feet. Many toenail fungus treatments aren't meant for the skin. This product is completely safe for both the skin and nail.

Is It Safe to Use Every Day?

This treatment is designed for daily use. Some products can't be used every day because of the negative impact they might have on your skin. Because this soak is made from herbs and plant extracts, there are very few risks to worry about.

After reading over the short formula, make sure you're not allergic to any of the ingredients. An allergic reaction is likely one of the only ways you could have a sensitivity to this product. Otherwise, it should soothe your skin and get rid of your infection quickly.

If you have sensitive skin and haven't been able to use certain treatment products as a result, giving this soak a try could be the solution you've been looking for.

Is It Affordable?

Because one box of herbs will last about two months, you're getting a lot of use out of a one-time purchase. There aren't many other treatments on the market that will last that long for such a low price.

Even if you have a bad infection and have to purchase more than one box, the price point is much lower than many competitors.

Additionally, if you use the soak for several weeks and don't see the results you want, the company offers a money back guarantee on one box. One box will give you enough of an indication on whether or not this is the right product for you. If it isn't, you can try it risk-free and get your money back with no questions asked.

What Are the Advantages & Disadvantages?

As you can see, there is a lot to be said for this Nail Fungus Soak by Long Creek Herbs. The ingredient list speaks for itself, and the company backs it up with a money-back guarantee. But, every product has its weaknesses. Let's take a look at some of the pros and cons of this foot soak before you decide if it's right for you.

Pros:

All-natural ingredients

Easy to use every day

No harmful side effects

Safe on skin

Cons:

May take longer for severe fungal infections

Some people may not like the smell of apple cider vinegar

If you're able to be patient with the product and use it as directly each day, this is one of the best natural solutions for toenail fungus. The advantages greatly outweigh the disadvantages, and you can relax each day knowing it only takes a few minutes to heal such a nasty infection.

Is Nail Fungus Soak by Long Creek Herbs the Best Natural Solution?

As natural treatment options for toenail fungus become more and more popular, picking out some of the best ones may be more challenging. The best thing to do is look at the ingredients and how they work.

Although the formula behind this soak is simple, it's effective. Each component is either designed to weaken fungus, or strengthen your nails and promote healthy growth. Plus, the soaking method is unique and works well. If you find that you enjoy this type of treatment, the Purely Northwest System is another great option for an antifungal foot soak.

We hope this article has been informative enough to help you decide whether this treatment is right for you. By using a natural solution every day, you can get rid of fungus fast, and help to clear up the irritating symptoms associated with it. If you're tired of using chemicals for removing toenail fungus, this is a great product to try.

[easyazon_link identifier="B000XTGLJ2" locale="US" tag="yellowtoenails-20"]CLICK HERE[/easyazon_link] to Read More Customer Reviews & Check the Price!

Our Verdict

[usrlist Convenience:4 Results:4 Speed:4 Value:4 avg="true"]

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