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INSIDE: The Smarter Doorbell Designed to Know the Difference Between a Delivery and a Visitor

Summary: Package theft is a persistent problem on the North Shore, and most doorbell cameras can't see the spot where a box lands. Several advanced UniFi doorbells feature a downward-facing camera dedicated to that spot and send you an instant phone alert the moment a delivery arrives. Avidia expertly installs this doorbell, then integrates it into your home's network, so you know right away.

Package theft is a familiar frustration for homeowners across Chicago’s North Shore in Illinois, especially as we head into a season when deliveries pile up on the porch. 

Most doorbell cameras treat every motion the same way, sending a notification whether it's a delivery driver, a squirrel, or, worse, a spider crawling across the doorbell. UniFi takes a different approach to doorbells, using more precision and a dedicated downward-facing camera designed to monitor the specific spot where packages land. It gives homeowners a simpler way to stay on top of deliveries without having to ask a neighbor for help or to check the porch all day.

What the BRAVIA 9 II and 7 II Bring to Your Home Entertainment

Summary: Sony's newest True RGB televisions replace the usual white-LED backlight with independently controlled red, green, and blue LEDs, delivering a wider color range and brighter, more accurate images than Sony's previous flagship TVs. Here's what the new BRAVIA 9 II and BRAVIA 7 II bring to a home theater or media room.

Every LED TV backlight up to now has worked the same basic way: white LEDs shine through color filters to produce the picture. Sony's True RGB technology changes that starting point entirely, using red, green, and blue LEDs, each controlled independently rather than filtered from white light. 

Learn more about this innovative new Sony offering below.

Find Out How Your System Can Become a Lot Smarter.

Quick Take: Josh.ai has rolled out AI X OS, a full software overhaul for its whole-home smart control platform. The update redesigns the Josh App, adds AI-generated scenes, and brings pool and spa control into the mix. The best part? It’s delivered as a free update to systems already installed in Avidia clients' homes.

A control system that hasn't been touched in a year or two starts to show it. Your smart home experience stops feeling smart and becomes more of a luddite. Favorite shortcuts get buried three screens deep, and scenes stop matching your routines. 

Josh built AI X OS to close that gap by weaving artificial intelligence throughout the entire control experience, rather than bolting one flashy feature onto the same old app.

Ubiquity’s Design-Forward Sensor Keeps Parents Informed without Keeping Them on Edge

Summary: Most homes are designed around what's visible: architecture, lighting, and the way the room feels, mood-wise. The air moving through it rarely gets the same attention, even though it shapes how a family actually feels day to day. Ubiquiti's Vape Detection & Air Quality Sensor gives parents quiet, continuous insight into air quality and vaping activity, all from a discreet, design-forward device that mounts flush and stays out of sight. It's a refined way to stay informed, without turning the home into something that feels monitored.

A well-run home takes care of the things you can see and the things you can't. You’ve spent time curating the perfect decor and lighting, calibrating the acoustics in your home theater, and paying careful attention to many other areas of your home. Plus, if you have school-aged children, you need to keep track of their health and keep them safe, but do you have a way to manage and protect the air your family breathes? With e-cigarettes being the most commonly used tobacco product among U.S. youth, according to the CDC, it’s a consideration many parents may be overlooking. 

The air moving through bedrooms and shared living spaces rarely gets a second thought, even though it shapes how everyone in the house feels from day to day. Ubiquiti's Vape Detection & Air Quality Sensor gives parents a refined way to stay aware of things without making your family feel like they’re overly surveilled. Keep reading to learn more about this innovation in the home health sector.

MORE FROM AVIDIA: Maintaining Smart Home Touchscreens and Keypads

Let’s Redefine How We Interact With Our Entertainment Spaces

Summary: Premium media spaces deserve a level of control that feels natural and unobtrusive. While smart home apps have their place, a physical remote remains the anchor of a great entertainment experience. The newly released Josh Edge handheld remote from Josh.ai brings a design-forward approach to control, merging machined aluminum aesthetics with privacy-first voice intelligence.

This Avidia Care Guide Walks You Through How to Keep Controls Pristine

Summary: Your smart home interfaces are the primary touchpoints for your home automation system. To ensure these capacitive layers remain responsive and maintain their original finish, they require a specific maintenance routine. This guide outlines Avidia-approved methods for cleaning Lutron keypads and high-end touchscreens from Crestron, Savant, and Josh without risking damage to the hardware or engraved icons.

Smart home technology should enhance your home’s aesthetic. However, fingerprints, dust, and oils are an inevitable result of daily use. While standard glass cleaners are common in household cleaning, their harsh chemical compositions can permanently degrade the specialized coatings of premium interfaces. Keep reading below for tips on cleaning your control interfaces safely for long-term performance.

Top Tips for Choosing Motorized Shading

Summary: Selecting automated shades is a balance between architectural intent and daily convenience. While the Triathlon Select line offers a streamlined, economical path for those who value simplicity and speed, the broader Triathlon family provides the deep customization required for bespoke interior design. Both options offer the legendary Lutron precision, so either option lets you experience natural light management at the tap of a button.

Illinois Springs are Great for the Garden, Risky for the Ground Floor In Illinois, we have a love-hate relationship with the spring. We welcome the bl...

Don't Let Home Entertainment Override Your Curated Aesthetic The phrase "video wall" often brings to mind specific, high-intensity environments: the g...

Top Offerings From Lutron, Exclusively Available From Avidia Motorized shading is one of the most impactful upgrades you can make to a luxury home. No...