An ActiveHome Better Life

August 7, 2001 - It’s a popular question. "How will this better my life?" It’s the type of question that runs through everyone’s head when faced with a new purchase or a prospective new purchase. And it’s just the question that Jeanette Tanner asked when she received ActiveHome as a gift. Her son gave it to her on her birthday "for two reasons," she said. "Number one, he’s a gadget freak, and number two, he’s worried about me." So when she opened her birthday present, she wondered "How is this supposed to make my life better?" But that was before she had the chance to actually work with the product.

Well it’s been two months since her birthday, and with the help of her son and some additional modules, "ActiveHome is set up in the house and purring like a kitten," she says. "I can’t see why I was so reluctant to use it. And now that I have it, I couldn’t imagine life without it." Jeanette has discovered why her son is such a "gadget freak."

"I call home from work and turn up the air conditioner so the house is cool when I arrive," she says. "I’ve always hated to leave it up all day when nobody’s there to use it. This way I don’t have to, and I’m saving a ton of money."

Each day with ActiveHome for Jeanette is a day of discovery. She recently learned that with an ActiveHome appliance module (which she just bought on her own) she could control her bread machine. "I put in the ingredients this morning to make rolls for dinner" she says, "and tonight when I got home it was ready to be set out with the rest of dinner. This is one of those birthday presents that I just can’t get enough of."

The Lamp Modules have come in handy too. Jeanette has a "very nice armoire that was made by my father," and he installed an inside light to light the glasses. Every time she wanted to turn on the light, Jeanette had to open up the cabinet and stick her hand in turn it on. This was tricky since she also had some real expensive wine, champagne, martini, and shot glasses. "I hated going in there every time I had people over and turning on the light because I could barely reach the thing." Well now she doesn’t have to. With the ActiveHome remote, the light comes on with the click of a button. "I hit the button marked armoire, and the light comes on." Let there be light!

Now that she’s had the chance to work with some of the equipment, she’s starting to explore on her own. "I’m having more fun figuring out what this thing will do than I am actually using it," she said. And X10 is having fun teaching her about her many options.

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