9 Ways Tech Tools Make Life a Little Easier

Remain Active

If you enjoy staying active, you can use a fitness tracker to log your steps, workouts, mileage and more. As an example of features, the Fitbit Charge has an onboard GPS and a heart monitor. The app allows you to challenge your friends or family members. You can go on digital adventures and keep an eye on your cardiovascular health. It even connects with Spotify to liven up fitness sessions with music. These trackers work with apps for both iPhones and Androids.

Follow Prescription Directions

Managing your medication can be challenging if you have multiple pills to take at different times of the day. Products like the Hero Medication Dispenser will hold up to a 90-day supply of 10 different pills, no matter their size or shape.

 

This smart machine will dispense pills according to a pre-set schedule and even send remote caregivers an alert for missed doses, pending refills and more. The product also comes with a complimentary refill service. However, users can still choose to get prescriptions from their own pharmacy.

Build and Maintain Connections

Sometimes, a phone call just doesn’t offer enough of a social connection. These days of restricted travel and online socializing have shown how video chat apps can fill in for in-person visits.

 

Consider trying some of the most popular solutions. Each app allows you to connect to multiple people at once.

• Zoom: This video conferencing app works on computers, tablets and phones. Meetings can have up to 100 participants, so it’s great for large gatherings but still works well for one-on-one chats.
• Skype: Similar to Zoom, Skype allows users to turn on subtitles for chat sessions, so it might be a good choice for people with hearing impairments.
• FaceTime: FaceTime comes built into Apple devices; however, it’s more complicated to get it to work with Android phones. If the person you want to talk to also has an iPhone or other Apple device, it’s simple to use and offers good video quality.

Get Educated, Informed and Entertained

• Movies
• Live events
• Classes
• Podcasts

Automate Heating and Cooling

Constantly trying to strike the perfect temperature in your home? You could benefit from a smart thermostat. Most manufacturers say that these tech tools save households an average of 10 to 15% on energy costs by allowing users to schedule temperature changes to fit their routines. People with mobile phones can also control the temperature with an app, so they can set their air conditioning or heating while in bed or even away from home.

Manage Life at Home

Several smart devices and apps can simplify your life and make it possible to live independently in a more convenient and comfortable way.

 

Those with mobility challenges or who just want to enjoy extra convenience and security might consider the Ring Video Doorbell. It works with a mobile app to allow you to answer the door from anywhere. Besides letting you speak with visitors at the door, it also captures video when people ring the doorbell or when the sensor captures motion.

 

Some inexpensive gadgets that let people take advantage of home automation include smart plugs, light switches and lights. As with many other smart devices, these allow you to control lighting and other electric appliances from a phone app. Similarly, you can now find many appliances that come with internet connectivity and smart features built in. These include everything from crock pots to ovens and dishwashers.

Keep Pets Satisfied

An automated pet food dispenser will give Fido and Fluffy exactly the right amount of food at the right time. Here are a couple of examples:

 

• For extra convenience, the PetSafe Automatic Feeder can automatically reorder food from Amazon when the storage hopper gets low.
• The WOPET Smart Feeder comes with a built-in camera and two-way microphone and speaker, so you can see and even chat with your furry friend if you’re out for the day.

Keep Track of Your Keys, Remote, Wallet, Purse and More

Almost everybody has wasted time looking for their keys, remote controls and other essentials. The Tile app works with a variety of different types of Tiles that you can hang from a keychain or stick on a remote control. Once that’s done, you can use the phone app to locate them in a flash.

Find Your Android or Apple Phone

It’s great to have the Tile app to use your phone to find things. But what if you lose your phone? Actually, you probably already have an app for that. You can simply use your computer or tablet to recover an Android at Google Find My Device. Similarly, Apple has an online page that will help you find your iPhone or other Apple device.