Since the modern computer was invented, electronics have permeated our lives not only to an extraordinary extent but in quick fashion. Electronics are becoming cheaper and more advanced by the day; their presence becomes even more prolific. One of the most intriguing markets emerging in modern electronics is in home automation.
It isn’t new and has been around for years – but it is beginning to quickly become something you will find in most homes. And we aren’t just talking about smart speakers or lights, we are talking about advanced automation like appliances, cameras, and other powerful tools that are creating solutions for ease of everyday routine tasks.
Last week, I had the amazing opportunity to visit the 2019 Philadelphia Magazine Design Home. Each year, Philadelphia Magazine picks a home and updates/upgrades/outfits the home with the latest and greatest in-home design. From interior details, chic outdoor spaces and cutting technology, it’s everyone’s dream home! Locals can tour the home, and 100% of ticket sales benefit MANNA of Philadelphia. MANNA uses nutrition to improve health for people with serious illnesses who need nourishment to heal. By providing medically tailored meals and nutrition education, we empower people to improve their health and quality of life. I love great causes!
This year’s jaw-dropping home is located in Villanova.
I was so thrilled to be invited to tour this home with some of my favorite bloggers. We got to tour the entire space and check out all the beautifully designed rooms. It was a fantastic afternoon!
Once we got our bearings (and finished oo-ing and ahh-ing over the most coveted Design Home features), the Xfinity team gave us the low-down on all the technology upgrades they outfitted the house with. I have been a Philly resident for my entire life, and well-acquainted with the Xfinity brand. But I had no idea how far they’ve come in recent years and was truly impressed with the various features that are available not only to the Design Home, but to all Comcast customers.
Here are some of the ways that Xfinity is changing our homes for the better!
Xfinity X1 will change the way you experience TV.
Features:
- Xfinity Voice Remote
- X1 DVR with cloud technology
- Personalized recommendations
- Seamlessly integrated apps on X1 include Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Music, YouTube, NPR, Pandora, iHeart Radio, Sling International and more. Hulu coming soon!
- Free Xfinity Stream app to take your entertainment anywhere
- Kids Zone and parental controls
- Common Sense Media
- Xfinity X1 sports experience, a first-of-its-kind companion TV experience
Halloween Moviethon collections: classic tropes, horror by the decade, and more!
Fans of thrills and chills, look no further— this October Xfinity X1 is celebrating Halloween with a Halloween Moviethon, featuring fearsome titles from classic horror tropes, frightening period pieces, and more! Read on (if you dare) and tune in to Halloween Moviethon this October with X1.
This October X1 is filled to the brim with creepy collections, such as:
- Choose Your Favorite Trope – Collections of movies based on the top horror movie “tropes”, like franchises Happy Death Day, The Silence of the Lambs, Insidious, and Saw.
- Horror Movies by Decade – Everything from 1930 to now, from The Exorcist and Child’s Play to Jaws and more.
- Collections of horror movies to make you cancel your vacation, or even get into the Christmas spirit – films like US, The Babadook, The Intruder, The Dead Don’t Die, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Better Watch Out.
- YouTube, iHeartRadio, Games, and more – Check out horror themed YouTube playlists, True Crime & Horror themed podcasts, spooky music on iHeartRadio, games, and more!
Other new releases coming to X1 this October include Child’s Play (2019), Midsommar, Crawl, Trespassers, Annabelle Comes Home, and 3 From Hell. Also, for more family friendly content, you can read all about our Kids’ Halloween destination here.
Kids Can Celebrate Halloween on X1 too!
Here are some more Halloween-themed things to check out on Xfinity X1 during the month of October:
- Countdown to Halloween – An interactive “guide” to Halloween entertainment featuring games, music and more.
- Halloween Viewing Guide – From Halloween TV series and movies to music and more, check out recommendations for the family to enjoy every night all month long.
- During October, kids can also search for a favorite film or TV show by age, by “costume”, or by character such as “Charlie Brown”, “Scooby Doo”, and “Harry Potter”.
- Classic Halloween Titles – Plenty of classic Halloween favorites are available on demand including to rent or buy like Hocus Pocus, Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, and R.L.Stine’s Mostly Ghostly: One Night in Doom House (all from Freeform), as well as Netflix’s newest series The Last Kids on Earth (based on the hit book series), and the new series from Disney Channel, Gabby Duran & the Unsittables. Many are available across devices and on the go via the Xfinity Stream app and portal.
Xfinity Mobile
Xfinity Mobile is America’s best LTE network with millions of Xfinity WiFi hotspots to deliver a great wireless experience, for less money, on the most popular devices.
Features:
- Simple, straightforward data options with no line access fees
- Unlimited nationwide talk and text
- Pay only for the gigabytes of data that you use, or consume all the cellular data you want for one set price
- Flexibility to switch back-and-forth between data options at no cost
- 24/7 customer support via text message
- Xfinity Mobile app to easily manage your account in real-time
- Convenience to “Bring Your Own Device” (qualifying Apple and Samsung models)
- New: Apple Watch and iPads with LTE are now available to Xfinity Mobile customers
Xfinity xFi
Xfinity xFi is a personalized home WiFi experience that gives customers the coverage, control and visibility they need for their digital life.
Features:
- Set up your home WiFi network in minutes
- Easily find and modify WiFi names and passwords
- See all connected devices and give nicknames for easy reference
- Set parental controls, rules and schedules to pause devices for dinnertime, manage after-hours device usage and set safe
- browsing mode for any family member on the home WiFi network
- Say “show me devices” into the X1 voice remote and see results on the biggest screen in the home
- Optimize and evaluate WiFi performance throughout your home
- Xfinity xFi app allows you to see and control your home WiFi network from anywhere
- Add-ons include xFi Pods, for whole-home WiFi coverage, and xFi Advanced Security to protect your wireless devices from online threats.
Xfinity Home
Xfinity Home is Comcast’s total home security and automation solution.
Features:
- 24/7 professional security monitoring
- At home or on the go access to your home security system
- Live video monitoring – plus the ability to filter motion-triggered events by pets, people or vehicles
- Real-time text and email alerts
- Battery and cellular back-up
- Rules to have your system work together
- Manage energy consumption with remote thermostat control
- Remotely control your door locks, garage door, lights and more with “Works with Xfinity” smart devices
Xfinity Apps
Xfinity Apps deliver the most popular entertainment and communications services for customers to enjoy whether at home or on the go – for free!
Xfinity Stream
At home, stream your entire channel lineup in any room, on any device
On the go, stream your favorite shows, top networks and live sports with access to millions of Xfinity WiFi hotspots nationwide
No WiFi, no problem – download DVR recordings, shows and movies in advance to watch even if offline
Xfinity MyAccount
View and manage your account information, and pay your bill
Schedule a time for a representative to call you, view and/or cancel upcoming service appointments and see exactly when your technician is “en route” with TechETA
Check for service outages and troubleshoot Xfinity equipment
Xfinity xFi
See and control your home WiFi network from anywhere through a simple, digital dashboard
Identify and personalize all connected devices that join your in-home WiFi network and give nicknames for easy reference
Set parental controls, rules and schedules to pause devices for dinnertime, manage after-hours device usage and set safe browsing mode for any family member on the home WiFi network.
For a full list of Xfinity apps, go to http://www.xfinity.com/apps.
Smart homes may have seemed like something that only existed in an episode of The Jetsons until recent years. Nowadays, smart devices are not only easier to find, they are just as easy to install. Smart home automation brings convenience and comfort to your everyday life. As the tech market expands with new innovations, consumers have more options at a variety of price points to decide what ways and where to upgrade. Visit https://www.xfinity.com/ to get your own smart home set up today!
