There are an estimated 128 million Americans, or 38.5% of the population, that used a voice assistant in 2020, according to emarketer. With more time spent at your Memorial, TX, home in the last 12 months, that number rose significantly compared to 2019 because homeowners and their families spent more time together for the sake of social distancing and community health.

There are a few potential drawbacks to using the typical voice assistants like Apple’s Siri, Google, and Amazon’s Alexa, though. Data sharing for advertising purposes is the standard operating procedure, so your personal habits and preferences are shared with marketers regularly. In contrast, Josh.ai is a voice control platform that flips the norms of no privacy on its head.

Scroll on below to learn more about Josh.ai and how this new voice assistant’s mission keeps your privacy and data secure.

SEE ALSO:4 Questions to Ask When Upgrading to a Smart Home

How is Josh.ai Different?

Many may think that all voice control assistants are the same, but that’s simply not true. Run-of-the-mill voice control platforms available from the big-box retailers utilize your personal data as a commodity, selling it to advertisers for profit. The voice commands you make, songs you request, and information you request is all accumulated and sold to the highest bidder. Sure, your home can operate smart devices by your voice, but the price you pay in order to do this is high – you and your family lose privacy.

Many homeowners are aware that LED lighting is more efficient than incandescent lighting, but they’re hesitant to switch their bulbs for fear of losing the incandescent aesthetic. That soft, warm glow may work well in some situations, perhaps in the evenings as you read a book to relax, but there are times when you need that same lamp fixture to provide brighter, whiter light so you can see betterto complete tasks.

Changing out bulbs as your lighting needs shift throughout the day is a ridiculously arduous endeavor – no one wants to do this. Many homeowners settle for inadequate lighting from fixtures at some point of their day – a dull glow in the breakfast area or too harsh in the media room. Ketra lighting remedies this!

No matter the task – from accentuating artwork to illuminating countertops while preparing dinner – this innovative LED lighting solution completely transforms how everything in your River Oaks-area home is seen and experienced. 

Read on below to learn more about incorporatingKetra lighting into your Texas home.

SEE ALSO: 5 Smart Home Solutions That Kept Us Going Through 2020

In Houston, we’re lucky to enjoy favorable weather for the majority of the year. Spending time outdoors is something most of us do in our free time, whether you’re hiking or enjoying time on the lake or river. Natural sunlight makes you feel great by energizing your spirit and your mood. 

Unfortunately, we can’t spend all of our time outdoors. Either the weather is crummy, or you simply need to go to your day job to make a living. Florescent indoor lighting can be a drag compared to the beautiful outdoors and can wear down your mood. To combat traditional indoor lighting’s downfalls, you can incorporate circadian lighting into your living spaces.

Read on below to learn more about the Texas-sized benefits of circadian lighting!

SEE ALSO: Upgrade Your Smart Home With Automated Lighting Control

What Is Circadian Lighting?

To first understand circadian lighting, one must know the definition of a circadian rhythm. A circadian rhythm is like mother nature’s biological clock and follows human’s 24-hour sleep and wake cycles. Your brain interprets light signals and informs you of when it is daytime or nighttime. When we spend too much time indoors with harsh lighting, our circadian rhythms become out of sync. This is why many nighttime workers have trouble sleeping.

This year was one for the record books, and it certainly did not develop as we all thought it would when we sang "Auld Lang Syne" and clinked our glasses to usher in 2020. Luckily, this year's happenings have given us all a chance to reflect on the people and circumstances we are thankful for and allowed us to connect with our loved ones in new ways. We don't know about you, but we certainly see our families and friends more than we did last year, thanks to technology solutions!

Read on below for five smart home solutions that got us through a difficult year and will help us bring in 2021 with an added layer of comfort and convenience in our Austin, TX homes.

SEE ALSO: Enjoy the Holidays in a Whole New Way

Home Networking

The modern workplace has shifted dramatically this year, with many employees moving to remote working in their Austin home. To effectively make the shift to work-from-home life, an upgraded high-speed network solution was necessary to keep you, your partner, and the kids connected to their online workspaces. Once the workday was over, though, you used the network to stay in touch with family over socially distanced holidays, with friends for online happy hours, or to binge-watch your favorite TV shows.

Safety & Security

A home security system ensured your Texas property was safe and secure, and it improved your peace of mind, so you had one less thing to worry about. Smart locks guaranteed the entry doors were never left unlocked. Surveillance cameras kept an eye on the perimeter, and video door stations ensured porch pirates kept away from your package deliveries. Let’s face it, we all did a bit more online shopping this year than in years past.