Beyond The Blue

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Convenience is the name of the game in today's world. We want things done quickly, correctly, and in an ideal scenario, with minimal effort involved on our part. "Life hacks" have blossomed all over the internet, sharing new and innovative ways to complete menial, everyday tasks without exerting as much energy. More recently, advances in smart home technology have made it even easier to get things done around the house from the comfort of your couch.

Let's take a look at what's possible with technology that will boost your laziness game to new heights!

Knock, Knock! See who's there.

Remember the days when you would hear a knock on the door, and you had to stop what you were doing, walk to the front door, peer through the window, and unlock the door to let your guest in? Talk about a workout! Thanks to the Ring Doorbell, you can see who's standing on your porch from your mobile device; and, if you decide the company is worth letting in, why get up from your loveseat when you can unlock your front door with this smart lock by Nest x Yale. Aside from the major convenience factor, these two pieces of tech can help keep your home secure with features such as motion-detected video capture, lock/unlock alerts, temporary guest key codes, and much more.

"Alexa, clean my room."

Even in a small apartment, vacuuming the floors can turn into an all-day ordeal. Don't waste your precious time and energy completing a household chore when a cute little robot can do it for you! The Roomba 690 by iRobot uses its sensors to detect objects and navigate around furniture to ensure your floors and carpets receive a cleaning like never before. Just set up a cleaning schedule with a few taps on your smartphone, and the robot does the rest. And, as if that wasn't enough, the Roomba 690 can integrate with Amazon Alexa and Google Home devices to start, stop, or dock your robot. You've never been able to nap while cleaning your house before; now you can.

Let the show begin!

One of the biggest challenges I've seen with new home theater systems is the pyramid of remotes that tend to pile up after everything has been installed. Most set-ups require a different remote for the television, DVD/Blu-Ray player, soundbar, surround sound system, DVR, and so on. In an answer to society's cry for help, Logitech developed the Harmony remote line a few years ago. Naturally, their remotes have evolved into something near magical. The Harmony Ultimate Home Remote pairs with your smartphone to give you complete control over your entire home theater system, allowing you to turn on a set of devices at pre-set levels for the perfect movie-watching experience. You can even ask your friendly artificial intelligence buddies, Alexa or Google, to open Netflix. Your home theater system just got smarter.

Chill like a pro.

Last but not least, what could be a better way to relax than in a comfortable, portable hammock? The Stansport Cayman Hammock comes with its own stand and adjustable height options to give you maximum comfort while you lay in the sun (or shade, if that's more your speed) and take a power nap. If you're like me, though, reading outdoors is almost like your own miniature vacation. Pick up an Amazon Paperwhite and explore thousands of books at your fingertips. Plus, no need to worry about that pesky glare on the screen; the Paperwhite's anti-glare screen and crisp fonts ensure maximum reading pleasure regardless of where you set up shop for the day.

Let's get lazy.

You can't relax just yet, though. Pick up any one or a combination of these products at your local Best Buy store, or on BestBuy.com, to get started bumping up your lazy game.