Gadgets

0727 Techblog's all-time favorites

For Home

Philips Hue Starter Pack control your lights with your iOS device $199

Belkin WeMo Switch control your power outlet through your iPhone $50

Synology Diskstation DS214 Network Attached Storage or NAS use it to store anything such as videos, music, your personal cloud that you can access from anywhere. it also streams to your DLNA enabled TV or music to your network enabled sound system (such as from Sonos) without the need of a PC. It also can bes used as a backup system in case you need to do a full restore from the network. Apple's Time machine backup solution is also supported.

It has a Dual Core Processor 1.066 GHz, 512MB RAM DDR3, 2x 3.5"/2.5" SATA Tray, HotSwap, 1x USB 2.0, 2x USB 3.0, Mini Tower Case and costs around $300. Remember you'll need to buy two identical 3.5 inch internal disks if you don't have them yet. As a fanless alternative for your living room check out the QNAP HS-210 which also supports direct airplay to an Apple TV via the QAirplay App (download at the QNAP App center) which you'll need to install on the Qnap NAS first.

Asus RT-AC66U wireless network router isn't very pretty but it probably can do a lot more than Apple's airport devices (printer sharing, attach an external USB drive to share it over the network and as your personal cloud, P2P, VPN, streaming, very easy to configure interface, prioritize bandwith, create multiple 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz wireless networks with different configurations and limits). And you can use it as a VPN server. $170

For Outdoor

Hazard 4 Evac Plan B Slingbag the military just has the best gear, including this bag which you can hang over your shoulders and access it's contents without putting it down and it's narrow and small enough so you'll always have enough space to move even in the most confined area. $129

For Outdoor & Indoor

Logitech's (Ultimate Ears) UE Boom portable wireless Bluetooth speaker has great sound, is splash proof, has a rugged design, has an internal lithium battery which probably lasts several hours of continuous use, 2 can be combined to create stereo sound as opposed to 360, can be used as an alarm clock to wake you up with your favorite music (with the help of the UE Boom App), can be used as a speakerphone and you can charge it by USB. $200.