Business in the Front, Party in the Back
Upgrade Your Yard with These Convenient, Fun Tech Finds
Kris Hirschmann, WriterWe may be spending a little more time social distancing outside with friends and family this holiday season, but you don’t have to let the winter weather kill your vibe! Heat up your backyard game with some new technology that enhances everything from your music to lighting to cooking. So, throw on your coat and try out one of these cool products:
Tech & Tunes
Music sets the mood for any gathering. Crank up the backyard tunes in technological style with the Monster Flame II, one of the coolest speakers on the market. This device is a Bluetooth speaker that connects to your phone’s streaming app with the touch of a button. With 360-degree music projection, it sounds fantastic and its flickering, flamelike light sets the tone for backyard fun. The light can be used on its own or with music.
Music & Fire
If you want to step your fun and relaxation up a notch, how about a fire pit that plays music? At 9 inches wide and just over 2 feet long, the Loom I propane fire pit is designed to sit on a tabletop. A built-in 12-volt, 100-watt sound system delivers big sound through Bluetooth technology. (Try something mellow — you’ll want to chill out when you’re gazing into the heart of the Loom I’s flickering flames.)
Umbrella Power-Up
This outdoor umbrella includes a handy solar-powered USB charging port to power up your phone or other minor electronics while you’re enjoying your backyard. As a bonus, the umbrella also includes solar-powered lights along its ribs that charge during the day and illuminate after sundown.
Light Up the Night
Lots of smart outdoor lighting options are on the market these days. One fun choice is Novostella floodlights, which can be programmed in 16 million different colors and 8 lighting schemes. Adjust the lights with voice control or a touch of your phone. You can set daily schedules and dimming, too. Your back yard will always look great with these multi-purpose floods.
Backyard Big Screen
Imagine sitting in your dark backyard, crickets chirping, stars twinkling, kicked back in a reclining chair, watching the big game or a movie on a huge screen. You can easily do it with a projector and a screen for a very reasonable price. One good choice is the Dr. J mini projector, which comes with a 100-inch screen for super backyard viewing. It’s compatible with just about any type of input, so plug in, tune in and chill out.
Mow the Lawn
Are you sick of mowing your lawn? Who isn’t, right? Chase away the mowing blues with the Landroid Robotic Lawn Mower, which crawls around your yard mowing automatically (kind of like a Roomba for your grass!). It cuts up to a quarter acre all by itself. You can program it to operate at certain times of the day or week, and it automatically takes a break during rainy weather.
Smoke Out
“If good food is your name and smoking is your game, then hop on the Woodwind WiFi train.” The stainless-steel Woodwind WiFi 24 Pellet Grill is equipped with a PID- and WiFi-enabled controller that allows you to change temperatures, set timers and even receive notifications. Plus, you can tailor the grill’s Smoke Number via the Camp Chef Connect App. You’ll have to dig a little deeper into your pockets for this one, but perfection comes at a price!
