Blog Posts - AvidWorks Technology

Going on Vacation?

7/11/2019

Keep an eye on things while you’re away with smart home devices such as a video doorbell, cameras, and a security system. Give the appearance that you’re home using smart lighting that turns on/off randomly in the evening. Or, create a lighting schedule that replicates your usual routine. A smart home can provide you with tremendous peace of mind while you’re vacationing.

Contact AvidWorks Technology for details about installing your smart home devices. To date, we’ve earned more than 850 five-star reviews (Google, Nest, Trustpilot, Yelp) for our top quality work. Send email to [email protected] or call (800) 701-9021 to learn more.

Happy National Puppy Day!

3/22/2019

Whether you have a puppy or a grown dog, installing smart home technology in your home can make it easier to manage and monitor your pet’s needs. And, that means peace of mind. Plus, smart home devices can satisfy your curiosity. Just what does your puppy do while you’re away during the day? Is he napping on the couch or shredding something?!

Smart camera – With a smart camera such as the Nest Cam IQ, you can keep an eye on your puppy day or night via the Nest app. With HD resolution video, 12x digital zoom, night vision, and a microphone and speaker – you can even talk to him through the camera. Subscribe to Nest Aware and you can choose to get alerts specifically when your dog is barking. Plus, create and save video clips and time lapses of his silly antics to share with friends and family on Facebook, YouTube, or Twitter.

Nest Cam IQ Outdoor Camera

Nest Learning Thermostat and Temperature Sensor

Smart thermostat – A smart thermostat can ensure that the temperature of your home stays comfortable for your puppy. A Nest thermostat, for example, can be controlled remotely. Its “Safety Temperature” feature prevents your home from going above or below certain temperatures. Also, you can add a Nest Temperature Sensor, which lets you choose where your thermostat measures the temperature in your home. This way, you can keep the temperature comfortable in the room(s) where your puppy spends his time.

Many connected devices made specifically for dogs are available now. For example:

Feeder – A programmable feeder enables you to feed your puppy while you're at work – or stuck in traffic. Receive alerts when your puppy's meals are served.

PetSafe Smart Feed automatic feeder

GPS tracker – Live GPS tracking uses a smart collar and offers activity and health tracking features. Receive notifications via an app or text message.
Dog door – A smart door can let your puppy pass through, but mitigate security risks and prevent stray animals from coming in. You can also fully lock the door.
Toys – Remote controlled balls and toys enable you to play with your puppy while you’re away.
Dog bed – A smart dog bed provides temperature control, and tracks weight and sleep patterns.

Contact AvidWorks Technology for details about the installation of smart cameras, thermostats and other smart home devices. To date, we’ve earned more than 800 five-star reviews of our top quality smart home installations for residential and commercial spaces (on Nest, Yelp, and Google). Send email to [email protected] or call (800) 701-9021 to learn more.

Happy St. Patricks Day!

3/17/2019

Would you dress up your smart home security cameras in something green like this? Or, would you prefer your cameras to be more visible deterrents to potential porch pirates and burglars?

For more information about having smart cameras installed for you by an AvidWorks Technology technician, send email to [email protected] or call (800) 701-9021 for details.

Replace Old Smoke Alarms

3/9/2019

It’s become common practice to change the batteries in your smoke alarm when you change your clocks as daylight saving time begins and ends. But, it’s also important to know that, according to the National Fire Protection Association, smoke alarms themselves should be replaced after 10 years.

Today, one of our technicians came across this smoke alarm that may have been the original one installed when the home was built decades ago. Our technician removed it and installed new Nest Protect smoke/CO alarms for the homeowner.

Some advantages to Nest Protect smoke/CO alarms:

Nest Protect automatically checks its batteries and sensors over 400 times per day. Once a month, Nest Protect can also perform an automatic Sound Check to test its speaker and horn. And, you can run a full Safety Checkup any time, so you know your Nest Protects are interconnected and so you can listen to the speaker and horn for yourself.
Each night when you turn out the lights you’ll get a quick green glow which means the batteries and sensors of the Nest Protect are working.
You can check the battery status of the Nest Protect on your smartphone.
When the Nest Protect has less than about a year of battery life remaining, it will give you a warning that the batteries are getting low. Nest Protect will pulse yellow when you turn off the lights at night and after you press the Nest button it will say: “The battery is low. Replace the battery soon.” You will also receive a message in the Nest app.

For more information about having Nest Protects installed for you by an AvidWorks Technology technician, send email to [email protected] or call (800) 701-9021 for details.

Vote AvidWorks Technology for Best of the East Bay

2/27/2019

To our East Bay fans...Click here to vote for AvidWorks Technology in the “Service – Other” category of Diablo Magazine's 2019 Best of the East Bay list. We're committed to performing top quality smart home installations for your residential and commercial spaces, and have earned nearly 800 five-star reviews to date (on Nest, Yelp, and Google websites). Voting closes March 31st. Have fun!

Example:

Smart Home Tip: Use Thermostat's Air Filter Reminder

1/18/2019

Most people don’t give much thought to changing the air filter in their furnace, so the Nest and Ecobee air filter reminders are a really helpful feature of these smart thermostats. However, because the recent Northern California wildfires caused a significant increase in particulate matter in the air, we recommend changing your air filter right away if you haven’t already.

For more information about having a smart thermostat installed if you don't have one already, send email to [email protected] or call (800) 701-9021. (Note that your existing thermostat and heating/cooling system will need to be operational.)

AvidWorks Technology Gets Down Tonight with Home Automation

12/17/2018

Check out this fun video highlighting some of our projects from the past year! Many thanks to all of our customers for the opportunities to keep you safe and make your homes more efficient with home automation in 2018.

For information on installing smart home products, call AvidWorks Technology at (800) 701-9021 or send email to [email protected].

Prepare Your Porch for the Holidays

11/15/2018

The Nest Hello Video Doorbell is a great way to greet your holiday visitors and deter porch pirates. Contact us to install your Nest Hello for you.

Send email to [email protected] or call (800) 701-9021 for details. (Note that you will need to have an operational wired doorbell, wired chime, and doorbell transformer.)

CEDIA Expo Smart Home Highlights

9/24/2018

We traveled to CEDIA Expo 2018 in San Diego earlier this month to check out the latest in smart home products. Here are some of our CEDIA highlights for you:

Séura SMART Mirror – This is the ultimate in smart home bling! You can control your smart home by touch from your mirror. View your security cameras, dim the lights, close your garage and more – all from the convenience of a bathroom or entry way mirror. The Séura SMART Mirror can display anything that can be displayed on an Android phone, so you can also connect to your calendar, email, weather, Netflix, and other favorite apps. A wide range of sizes and frame styles are available.

Yale Assure Lock for Andersen Patio Doors – This is the first smart lock we’ve seen for sliding glass doors. You can monitor, lock, and unlock your door from anywhere using the Yale Assure app. Also, there is a sensor that lets you know whether your door is open, closed, locked or unlocked.

Mysa thermostat for high voltage systems –
For all of you who were disappointed to find that your high voltage HVAC system wasn’t compatible with the Nest thermostat, here is a possible solution. The Mysa thermostat works with most high voltage electric heating systems.

Z-Wave compatible products – There are over 700 companies that make 2400+ Z-Wave products that are all interoperable with each other. In addition to the many brands you may already be familiar with (e.g., August, Honeywell, Kwikset, Ring, Samsung, Schlage, Yale), here are 3 companies making noteworthy Z-Wave products:

Strips Drip water leak detection sensor

Sensative – Makes 3 wireless sensors: Strips Guard window and door sensor, Strips Comfort temperature and lighting sensor, and Strips Drip water leak detection sensor. These sensors are so thin you can put them just about anywhere and they have custom-designed batteries intended to last 10 years.

Aeotec Nano Dimmer

Aeotec – Aeotec makes quite a few smart home products and sensors. For example, their Nano Dimmer or Nano Switch enables you to convert your home’s existing dimmers, switches and power outlets into Z-Wave compatible ones by installing the Aeotec devices invisibly behind them.

Fibaro Swipe

Fibaro – Fibaro also makes a wide range of smart home products and sensors including some similar to Aeotec’s Nano Dimmer and Nano Switch. We were especially intrigued by Fibaro’s Swipe product though. You can keep it hidden or display it as a picture frame. Control smart home devices by a simple swipe or by a combination of moves. The high resolution sensor interprets even complex commands.

As a certified Z-Wave installer, we would be happy to install your Z-Wave products for you.

Samsung “The Frame TV” – For art and photography enthusiasts, this TV is an unbelievable way to display your own work – or collections you purchase from Samsung. It’s a TV when it’s on and art when it’s off. By detecting the ambient light in the room, the Brightness Sensor automatically balances the screen’s brightness and color tone for a natural illumination. So whether it’s day or night, you can see your art in the way it was meant to be seen.

For information on installing any of these products, call AvidWorks Technology at (800) 701-9021 or send email to [email protected].

Who Says You Can’t Take it With You?

8/19/2018

Moving to a new home can be overwhelming enough without having to worry about what to do with all your smart home devices. You’ll likely want to leave some of them behind if they will increase the value of the home you are selling – or if it’s just not worth the effort to remove them (e.g., a smart sprinkler controller or smart custom-fit window blinds).

For those smart home devices you choose to take with you, we're ready to help. AvidWorks Technology has experience with both installing and de-installing smart home devices. So, if you are planning a move, and have smart thermostats, cameras, a video doorbell, smoke alarms, locks, light switches, a garage door controller, etc., that you would like de-installed, send email to [email protected] or call (800) 701-9021.

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