Skip to main content

These smart outdoor living products make it easier to grill and chill

The Companion Group is introducing CC Sync, a new line of smart outdoor living products. In a press release, the company cites a study conducted in 2016 by Kelton Global that found that eight in ten Americans “either own or have interest in smart home devices.” The report also stated that 38 percent of respondents had more interest in connected home products at the time they took the survey than they did six months earlier. The main reason for this increased attraction? Greater convenience.

Another study from the same year at the State University of New York Polytechnic Institute found that people in many focus groups were considering “buying the devices in the near future.”

Recommended Videos

“We are a company that has always innovated, so CC Sync makes sense for us. The backyard really opens up a lot of opportunities for smart products to shine,” Companion Group CEO Chuck Adams said.

So once you have your smart alarm clocks, fridges, thermostats, washing machines, and lighting systems inside the house, the next logical step is to bring that technology and convenience to the great outdoors, right? The California-based Companion Group has a couple of gadgets to make this a reality.

Companion outdoor living products Q-TechThe CC Sync line includes the Q-Tech Bluetooth Thermometer as well as the Soundbeam Grill Light with Bluetooth Speaker. The Companion Group has plans to introduce more items to create new as well as serve existing outdoor smart grilling fans.

The SoundBeam Grill Light with Bluetooth Speaker does exactly what the name implies. You can listen to your jams while illuminating the grill. The light is adjustable and attaches to your rig with a clamp. You can connect your Apple or Android device to it via Bluetooth, and it will even allow you to accept or decline incoming calls while connected to your phone.

The Q-Tech Bluetooth Thermometer has customizable timers and temperature ranges in addition to 11 presets for beef, pork, and poultry, among other foods. It has an 80-foot range when paired to your smartphone. A 26-inch cable connects the probe to the base, so you should have more than enough slack to reach around your grill. The Q-Tech monitors the internal temperature of your food and sends you an alert when it’s done.

Albert Khoury
Former Weekend Editor
Al started his career at a downtown Manhattan publisher, and has since worked with digital and print publications. He's…
SimpliSafe now offers live home monitoring with new Smart Alarm Wireless Indoor Security Camera
The SimpliSafe Smart Alarm Indoor Camera.

SimpliSafe is already one of the best options when shopping for home security solutions, and it’s looking to become even more enticing with the launch of the new Smart Alarm Indoor Camera. Coinciding with the latest product is a new service -- 24/7 Live Guard Protection -- which allows agents to access a live feed of your property for enhanced response times.

The 24/7 Live Guard Protection service is only available on the Smart Alarm Indoor Camera. Previously, SimpliSafe agents could only review recorded footage after an alarm was triggered. Now, the team can monitor a live stream through the Smart Alarm Indoor Camera for improved response times. They can even interact with the intruder thanks to two-way audio, informing them that the police are on the way and that they’re being recorded.

Read more
Your Google smart home devices just got a lot less talkative
A person standing in a living room while looking at a Google device.

Smart assistants are an indispensable part of any smart home, making it easy to give hands-free commands and control a variety of gadgets. Google is looking to further streamline the performance of its smart assistant, with the expansion of chime alerts to cut down on how talkative your Google Nest gadgets are when responding to instructions.

For example, after asking Google to turn on a fan, you’ll now be able to hear a quick chime to confirm the assistant has heard your instructions. Previously, confirmation would come in the form of a short sentence, such as “OK, turning on your fan.”

Read more
The smart home market might see big changes in 2023
Apple HomePod 2023 next to a TV.

The smart home market is arguably the strongest it’s ever been. Apple recently reintroduced the HomePod to rave reviews, Roborock is gearing up to launch its new lineup of powerful robot vacuums, and nearly half of U.S. households interact with a smart home gadget every month. That’s an impressive number, and it’s an increase from 2022 -- meaning the market is trending in the right direction, and folks seem to be buying into the dream of an interconnected household.

This incredible market saturation means it’ll take a long time for the smart home market to completely vanish -- and its death probably isn’t going to happen this year (or anytime soon). But the rest of 2023 will be an interesting year for the smart home industry, as Amazon and Google have run into financial issues with their smart home offerings, while Apple finally seems to be gaining momentum.
Money trouble at Amazon and Google

Read more