Jasco Blog

The EXC!TE Awards honor the most innovative and powerful products that elevate the in-home entertainment experience.

In a world with 7 billion videos between YouTube and Facebook alone, consumers are now finding information in ways other than black and white text. Not only do to we turn to online videos to be entertained and inspired, but also to learn something new or learn how to do things–like programming a timer!

With how-to videos growing in search volume by 70% every year, it is no surprise that 86% of viewers say they regularly turn to YouTube to learn something new. Consumers are also four times as likely to want to watch a product video than read about a product. Combining multi-sensory learning with visuals, audio and text, videos are the perfect way to jump right in and become an expert in minutes.

This roundup include some of our most popular how-to videos on timers and will help answer your questions and guide you through setting up your timer, programming custom scenes, controlling outdoor lights, and installing in-wall timers. So you can spend less time reading manuals and more time enjoying the benefits of simplified lighting control with your new timer.

Here are a few of our popular how-to videos on YouTube to assist you in your timer setup.

Living in a smart home is no longer something reserved for sci-fi movies or TV. Home automation is now as attainable as ever, however, it can be intimidating when first getting started. What products do I need? How does a smart home actually work? What can I control? We’re going to answer some basic and common Z-Wave home automation questions in order to make sure you don’t out smart yourself when smartening up your home.

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Moving around the home can be a tedious task for some seniors. Dark rooms, stairs and other hazards present themselves throughout the day, making life difficult if proper precautions are not set in place.

But thankfully, there is a variety of technology for seniors that greatly improve quality of life and allow these individuals to maintain their independence at home. This is an increasingly important topic for seniors as 10,000 baby boomers turn 65 each day, and an overwhelming majority of those adults wish to “age in place.”

Below are a few products and ways to help seniors gain independence and most importantly, live safely at home.

Reflecting back on CES 2018, the Jasco team has a lot to be proud of. We had two major smart home announcements with Amazon and Google, raised money to end the global water crisis, and not only survived, but thrived during the blackout with our EcoSurvivor and Energizer products.

Amazon continues to improve and add to their Alexa powered products – currently sitting at a total of 6 unique Echo devices. While all interesting in their own way, the most impressive option is the new Echo Plus.

The Echo Plus not only builds on the foundation that the Echo and Echo Dot models have established, but it also improves and adds to it. The audio has received a welcomed upgrade when compared to previous iterations thanks to the improved Dolby speakers that produce crisp vocals and extended bass to fill the room with 360 degrees of audio. While improved audio is great, the most significant difference from the rest of the Echo family is the inclusion of a built-in ZigBee smart home hub.

Why is that significant? Why should I buy the Amazon Echo Plus over the others? Read here to find out all you need to know about the Echo Plus.

Finding a gift that is cool, useful, and affordable is no easy task. From fun electronics, to trendy tech, to the latest fashion - the possibilities for your list are never ending! According to the Consumer Technology Association, approximately 68% of adults plan on buying some sort of technology gift alone.

It's even harder to narrow down your wish list when you work for a company that makes a ton of innovative products. We asked a few Jasco employees to share what Jasco items are going to be at the top of their lists this year. After much deliberation, here are the top product picks our team members said they wanted the most for Christmas. We hope this Jasco Holiday Tech Gift Guide helps give you a little Christmas list inspiration!

At this point, you have seen or at least heard of voice activated virtual assistants somewhere online or from a friend. These devices have been around since 2014 and have continued to rise in popularity and are quickly becoming a device that you will find in most homes. The major players in the voice activated virtual assistant space are Google’s Home Assistant and Amazon’s Echo, Echo Dot and most recently, the Echo Plus, which has a built-in hub that seamlessly connects and controls ZigBee smart devices.

I will not be comparing the Amazon Echo Devices or Google Home Assistant and recommending one over the other. If you know you want to add one to your home and are trying to decide on a specific device, check out this article for some insight on which device is best for you.

This particular post is simply to further inform you of voice activated virtual assistants and how they function as well as some ways you can use virtual assistants in your day-to-day to make life a little easier.

Z-Wave is a leading smart home technology found in millions of products around the world. It allows all of Jasco's Z-Wave devices to securely "talk" to one another, and talk to other certified Z-Wave products. As with any technology, home automation is constantly evolving. Z-Wave Plus represents one of the latest advancements in smart home tech. You can learn more about the latest Z-Wave technology and find answers to the top 5 questions about Z-Wave Plus below.

Waking up to morning light is considered by many to be the gentlest way to rouse oneself from slumber in the morning. This is why many people prefer to have their bedroom facing east so their body can gradually wake as the sun rises.

If you're like me and don’t have a bedroom facing the rising sun a convenient alternative is connecting a GE Bluetooth Plug-In Smart Switch to a lamp. This can be a great way to simulate the rising sun. The light will tell your body that the day is starting and ease you into the process of waking up. The Bluetooth Plug-In Smart Switch is simple to setup and will get you on your way to effortlessly waking up in the morning.