Thinking about bringing your audio/video experience to your backyard or patio?  More and more families are taking their entertaining outdoors.  Here are some things to consider before you get underway.

• Its always best to keep your source equipment inside and simply run wiring outside.  But if that isn't the case, consider a weatherproof enclosure you can buy or build and where you will locate it.
• 
  
  Bose FreeSpace 51 are Good Example of Outdoor Speakers
  
  
  
  Stick with weatherproof speakers, TVs and other equipment.  Especially in humid climates and coastal (think salt) locations, this protected equipment is well worth the extra dollars you'll spend.
• For speakers, focus on coverage rather than volume.  Several speakers interspersed throughout the area playing low is more enjoyable than only a few playing loudly just to cover the territory.
• When it comes to speaker placement, extend them to the perimeter of your yard and direct them inward and away from the neighbors.
• Install your wiring first, especially if they need to go underground.  Make sure you first identify where underground waterlines and other utilities are!  Run the wire to a weatherproof panel or exterior closet.  That's where you'll tie in all of your electronics.  This will give you the flexibility for future upgrades.
• Run wiring in conduit and use separate conduit for low-voltage and high-voltage purposes.
• Thoughtful use of swinging TV mounts could potentially allow you to view from inside a cabana, for example, or swing out to an exterior angle to chairs arranged theater-style in the yard.

Winter never really settled in to our area, so homeowners ALREADY are in the mood to upgrade their homes.  Perfect time to visit your local Home & Garden show!

We'll be at two and would love to have you visit us there and check out some of the most fascinating technology available.  Not only do you get to meet some of the area's top contractors and suppliers, but extremely educational seminars are available to all who attend.  Learn some of the latest trends in home improvement and adding comfort to your lifestyle and value to your investment!

Naturally, we'll be at the Habitat Home & Garden Show in Baton Rouge, March 2-4.  This one is presented by the Capital Region Builders Association.  They always do a great job!  Each year, Habitat has a specially-featured aspect of home ownership showcased for the event.

This year, Habitat is showcasing technology for the home and Acadian Home Theater and Automation has the distinction of  being a featured exhibitor along with LALED, Wireless IQ, and Shield Security & Monitoring.  We'll be located fairly central to the exhibition area so be sure and look us up!

But one week prior to that show, we'll be in Lafayette, February 25 and 26, for the Lafayette Home, Garden & Lifestyle Show at the Cajundome Convention Center.  This one is hosted by the Acadian Home Builders Association and in addition to exhibits, offers demonstrations, seminars for do-it-yourself projects and the bonus of the Healthy Living Pavilion sponsored by Regional Medical Center of Acadiana.

The latest technology as revealed at CES 2012 includes apps for your car's media center.  Think of your Smart Phone as being imbedded in your car's dash.  Imagine the capabilities now found on your phone to now be available hands-free in your cloud-connected vehicle and in gorgeous, ultra HD audio clarity.

We're resuming our look at CNET's "Best of Show" list from CES 2012 in Las Vegas earlier this month.  I'm gonna spend a little time on this emerging technology because the marriage of automotive and digital is well underway.  The morphing of the car as a vehicle of communication and not simply transportation is practically here already!

QNX showcased a new mobile app platform they call CAR 2 based on HTML5 with an infotainment system that car manufacturers can use with a flexibility that adapts to the needs of any OEM.  In fact, CNET called it QNX's "vision for the future of dashboard technologies."

The concept Porsche Carrera they outfitted for the show had an innovative application that instantly and automatically pairs a Bluetooth smartphone. It also included ultra HD voice technology that brings stereo CD quality to phone calls. Apps integration for both front and backseat added another layer of coolness to make this car a pretty sweet ride.

The concept car offered flexible integration between tablets and in-car systems, with front-seat control of rear-seat tablets and the ability for any device to play media stored on any other device.  Automakers could begin to incorporate CAR 2 in their designs beginning mid-2012.  This video by CNET will give you the grand tour.

Whether you're a Tim Tebow fan or not, he is teaching us something all of us should take both personally as well as on the job.  And it has nothing to do with football!

I already admired Tebow for his drive to make it in the NFL; for his candor about his faith; for his unwillingness to yield to public mockery; and for his determination to be himself.  But then an article by Rick Reilly appeared on ESPN.com and I was hooked!

This guy is amazing.  While most professional athletes live, eat and breathe their sport--not true of Tebow.  Despite his long hours spent in overwhelming devotion to training, self-discipline and leading his team, he will be the first to tell you football is not who he is.  Football is what he does.  And that is clearly evident in Reilly's article!

There's not an ounce of artifice or phoniness or Hollywood in this kid Tebow, and I've looked everywhere for it.

What Tebow Teaches UsFirst, stay true to your own values.  Always get the job done, but at the end of the day you are the one who has to be able to look yourself in the mirror and be able to tell yourself you did things the right way.

Second, remember that what you do is not who you are.  Its easy to get that backwards.  Who you are should define what you do.  Let your occupation be an extension of your life and values.

The International Consumer Electronics Show for 2012 (CES 2012) is now history. And it truly proved to be “historic” in the process. Get this: Record attendance…more than 153,000 industry insiders (NOT open to the public!) Record show floor space…1.86 million square feet (that’s 37 football fields!) Record number of exhibitors…more than 3,100

You can see the official CES recap video here which is a brief teaser.

But I thought I'd give you a quick run-down on some of the products that were considered "best of CES" by CNET.  If you've ever surfed for reviews on technology then you know you've already been to their site.  So while LOTS of media will walk away with their own take on the show, CNET's list is gonna provide a pretty good take on what earned buzz.

At the top of the list is their "Best of Show"...LG's 55-inch OLED TV.  Just gorgeous!  First, it is the slimmest and lightest anywhere.  It weighs only about 16.5 lbs and measures (get this) only 4mm thick...that's just 0.16 inches!  Its little more than a sheet of plate glass.

And picture?  Engadget called it "crazy sharp" and Gizmodo said this: "OLED is no joke. Acronyms are often hype, but damn does this set look killer. The wafer-thin screen is terrifically bright, small details pop, and colors are gorgeous, making the rest of the panels on display already look like old tech." The first model ships out Q3 of 2012 so don't go hunting stores looking for it just yet.