Decorating & Design
6 Cottage Tech Innovations To Help You Stay Connected
Published on June 26, 2018
These days, there’s a new breed of cottagers who want to get away but still feel connected. Virtually everything we do at home is now possible at the lake or in the woods — the high-tech hideaway can satisfy the needs of any modern cottager. Here are some options that soften the edges when roughing it.
Turn any room (or even the great outdoors, using the old sheet trick) into an instant home theatre. This Sony Xperia Touch portable projector displays movies up to 80 inches in size on a wall, table or even the floor. What makes it next-level is the touchscreen technology that allows you to play games, surf the web, follow recipes and more.
A great-sounding, rugged portable speaker lets you enjoy music while playing board games indoors, dining on the deck or even hanging out by the water. The waterproof Braven Ready Solo (shown in Black) runs for up to 12 hours per charge and, since it doubles as a portable charger, can keep your smartphone and other gadgets powered up.
If you have a hard time getting a cellular signal in a rural location, just set up the SureCall EZ 4G cellular signal booster and connect the indoor desktop antenna. This device enhances reception so you can reliably make and receive calls, and get text messages, within two rooms in a 2,000-square-foot space.
Water leaks and frozen (or worse, burst!) pipes can be costly. Honeywell’s Lyric Wi-Fi Water Leak and Freeze Detector sends an alert to the Lyric smartphone app if it detects water or if the temperature drops below a preset number, so you can minimize damage.
Who wants to walk into a freezing cold or sweltering hot cottage? The Ecobee4 smart thermostat lets you remotely regulate the temperature so it’s comfortable when you arrive. Turn up the heat to avoid frozen pipes on frigid winter nights, or hit the AC to avoid that close, stuffy feel in summer.
Sunscreen is a necessity, but application isn’t always an exact science. Launching in the U.S. this summer and worldwide in 2019, L’Oréal’s UV Sense by La Roche-Posay attaches to your fingernail, watch or sunglasses to track how much time you spend in the sun. Scan the button-like device with a smartphone, and the app advises if you’ve had too much UV exposure based on your skin tone, and suggests sunscreen products — or shade.
Angus Fergusson (cottage)
House & Home May 2018