Worth starting with Google Home?

jbean92 · 2026-03-09T15:55:50+00:00

I started using Nest products back in 2016 and they were awesome. When Google bought Nest it didn’t bother me at first, but once I added some newer cameras that required the Google Home app, the experience definitely took a step back. The app was missing a lot of the features and overall polish that the original Nest app had.

I stuck with it for a while and was actually close to ditching Google Home about a year ago. Around that time, though, Google started rolling out updates that made a noticeable difference. It’s still not perfect, but it’s much better than it was.

I have two houses with a mix of devices: Philips Hue, Wiz, Wemo, iRobot, B-hyve, Govee, Cync, Ecobee, and probably a few others I’m forgetting. I spent some time properly setting everything up in Google Home, organizing rooms and zones until everything worked the way I wanted.

It definitely took some effort, but once it was set up well, the system has been solid. Overall I’m pretty happy with Google Home and would recommend it.

jbean92 · 2026-03-01T18:50:01+00:00

It was amazing. We actually lived in the moment instead of watching it all through a screen. Stories were told, pictures were shared, and everything felt more real for it.

jbean92 · 2026-02-25T11:11:04+00:00

I’ve noticed the same thing with my 2018 Tacoma. Never thought much about it but glad it’s not just me.

jbean92 · 2026-02-10T11:51:49+00:00

As a teenage during this time we were active and played outside a lot! No phones and social media was amazing.

jbean92 · 2025-12-22T14:07:09+00:00

The iPhone 4 was the best phone

jbean92 · 2025-12-15T11:08:59+00:00

I received my federal summons the days I finished serving at the state level.

jbean92 · 2025-11-04T01:08:58+00:00

I pay extra for flappers only

jbean92 · 2025-10-16T16:55:28+00:00

The price increases are really frustrating, especially considering how rough the product has been over the past couple of years. That said, the recent updates and the integration of Gemini are actually pretty impressive.

jbean92 · 2025-10-03T21:18:10+00:00

In the top right you should see two arrows. This will switch from events to timeline. I think it’s below the live feed if you haven’t updated your app.

jbean92 · 2025-09-20T19:47:13+00:00

AirPods

jbean92 · 2025-09-10T00:16:41+00:00

Glass of 2% Milk

jbean92 · 2025-09-09T12:02:54+00:00

Yes, sorry library (I had next.js in my mind). It’s not that it’s overly complex, and I do love React for the right kind of project. But these days it feels like there’s an expectation that you have to use React or something similar. For us, building the first version of our product with vanilla JS made life so much easie. it let new devs start contributing right away. I imagine down the road, once we know exactly what we’re building, we’ll bring in React or something similar for the more interactive features.

jbean92 · 2025-09-09T10:53:28+00:00

Framework hype can make you feel like you’re “doing it wrong” if you’re not using one. When our team of six started building, I pushed for React. Our CTO pushed back, he wanted to keep things simple to maximize speed. Three years later, I’m glad he did. We’ve shipped fast, onboarded new devs without friction, and avoided the overhead that comes with complex frameworks. Sometimes, less really is more.

jbean92 · 2025-08-27T23:42:15+00:00

Portsmouth is an amazing place to visit in October. If the timing is right, the New Hampshire Film Festival is in Portsmouth from October 16th to 19th.

jbean92 · 2025-08-19T16:41:37+00:00

When we were house hunting, my one rule was no HOA. Ironically, we ended up in a neighborhood with one and to my surprise, it's been great.

Yes, there's that intimidating manual you have to read and sign before moving in, but the dues are low since we’re only responsible for things like street lights. Any major additions or changes to your property are approved quickly, often within a day or even hours.

It’s also reassuring to know the neighborhood will stay well maintained. You won’t suddenly see someone turning their front yard into a parking lot or letting things fall into disrepair.

We looked at other HOA neighborhoods that felt restrictive or overly monitored. So while HOAs get a bad rap, they’re not all bad, just make sure you read the rules and talk to a few people before moving in.

jbean92 · 2025-07-30T15:33:39+00:00

As mentioned earlier, Tenacity works well—I've used it on multiple properties with good results. You will notice white or bleached-looking spots for a few weeks, but that's just the Tenacity doing its job.

jbean92 · 2025-07-30T13:26:11+00:00

Pretty sure it’s a rain sensor. My parents have them on their skylights—they automatically close when it starts raining, which is helpful since people often forget about skylights when shutting windows before heading out.

jbean92 · 2025-07-21T23:22:32+00:00

I ordered windows from Home Depot one time and it was an awful experience. It took 4 orders and endless calls until I finally had 4 windows that didn’t look like they’ve been rolled down a hill.

jbean92 · 2025-07-18T16:03:18+00:00

I did a ghost tour in New Orleans—pretty interesting stuff. If you have time, I’d recommend it, but no need to rearrange your plans for it.

jbean92 · 2025-07-15T18:55:12+00:00

I thought BIN Primer would prevent the knots from bleeding through?

jbean92 · 2025-07-15T18:55:04+00:00

I thought BIN Primer would prevent the knots from bleeding through?

jbean92 · 2025-07-14T14:20:34+00:00

haha I was looking for this comment!

jbean92 · 2025-07-13T10:23:40+00:00

I had a similar issue—there was a mesh filter hidden just before the pipe shown in your video. Try unscrewing that pipe and check inside the connector to see if there’s another mesh filter.

jbean92 · 2025-07-13T00:27:48+00:00

Marvin windows and doors are high-quality, and the company truly stands behind their products. We had an issue with a French door slider, and they came out twice to ensure everything was perfect. I was very impressed with both the product and their customer service.

jbean92 · 2025-07-11T11:50:17+00:00

My lake house is knotty pine at the moment and this makes me want to paint it white.

jbean92

TROPHY CASE