Ecobee is one of the most recognizable names in the smart thermostat market. These thermostats are reliable, easy to use, and capable. Is the Ecobee 4 worth buying?
Technology
Don’t Buy The Freedom Phone
First there was Freedom Fries. Then Freedom Toast. Now there is the privacy promising Freedom Phone that promises liberation from Big Tech. Is the Freedom Phone really the bastion of liberty that it promises to be? Let’s dig in.
Wyze Thermostat: Is It Worth Buying?
After installing a Wyze Outdoor Camera, I decided the Wyze Thermostat should be next. I’ve been eyeing various smart thermostats but with Wyze costing only $50, I couldn’t pass up the inexpensive upgrade.
How To Ditch YouTube
YouTube is a the primary video sharing site on the Internet. It is full of helpful tutorials, commentary, funny videos, and strange content. For most purposes, its hard not to use YouTube. If I’m repairing my ’04 Expedition, where do I turn first? YouTube. Putting new flooring down? YouTube. Following the election? YouTube. Watching turkey fryer explosions? YouTube. You get the point: YouTube hosts a wide variety of content and its likely the only place that many videos will be hosted.
Another Reason to Ditch Google
There’s no such thing as bad PR, right? US Attorney General William Barr accused Apple, Alphabet, and Microsoft of working directly with the Chinese government. Reuters reports on the three tech giants’ involvement with the Chinese Communist Party. While I don’t buy into hype and hysteria, tech companies have shown a strong willingness to work … Read more
Don’t Buy Fitbit
Garmin has recently experienced a major service outage likely caused by ransomware. Unfortunately for me, I purchased a Garmin Vicoactive 3 last month.
Qwant: Private and Neutral Searching
In the United States, DuckDuckGo is the de facto choice for privacy. I was recommended Qwant to try as an alternative and its promising.
Better Email: MsgSafe.io
After comparing Tutanota and Protonmail, I found several providers have popped up to offer private, encrypted email. Msgsafe.io promises similar encrypted, privacy focused email. Pricing is comparable to Tutanota. Both services provide 1 GB for free. Msgsafe imposes a limit of 25 daily outbound emails on the free tier. Protonmail is a little skimpy with … Read more
Chris’ Solar Story: Buying Solar
I always dreamed of having a solar powered home. I envied the panels on others’ homes. I could literally power everything in my home with the sun’s energy. So early last year, my wife and I started seeing ads pop up on Facebook for solar. They were very enticing ads. Almost borderline scam like with … Read more