Smart Home Accessories Earth Day Giveaway

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Smart home accessories are one of the biggest trends in 2015. Whether it’s controlling the temperature, lighting or even opening and locking the doors, smart accessories can help simplify your life. Turn a phone into a remote to turn your electronics on and off, or extend your living room TV-viewing experience—even stream music from your device to your home stereo.

In honor of Earth Day this week, I wanted to share a few of my favorite smart home accessories, including a fun giveaway:

Nest Home Thermostat: Get help conserving energy and reducing your energy bill with the Nest Home Thermostat. This thermostat learns your schedule and programs itself to adjust temperatures when you’re not home. Approximate retail value: $249.99

nest-home-thermostat

Belkin WeMo Light Switch: The WiFi enabled WeMo Light Switch allows you to turn lights on and off from anywhere, whether you’re across the house, in the backyard, or on the other side of the world. WeMo Light Switch replaces a standard light switch in your home and can be controlled remotely with an Android smartphone or tablet, iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. It works with your existing WiFi network and anywhere your smartphone or tablet has an Internet connection (3G or 4G LTE). Approximate retail value: $49.99

belkin-wemo-light-switch

Kwikset Kevo: Turn your compatible iPhone, iPad or iPod touch into an electronic key for your home, so you can ditch those clunky key chains. As long as you have a compatible iOS device or the Kevo fob, you no longer need to juggle groceries while fumbling through your pockets or purse for your house key. Just keep your device nearby and unlock the door by touching it with your hand. Use the Kevo app to make electronic keys for friends, relatives or the babysitter. Kevo uses multiple levels of encryption to help safeguard your home. You can use a traditional key with the lock, too. Approximate retail value: $219.99

kwikset-kevo

Sync Your Kevo and Nest

A cool fact I just learned is you can sync your Kevo with the Nest Home Thermostat and get more convenience than ever before.

Once synced up with the Nest, you will receive a notification each time you come or go, allowing you to adjust your Nest Home Thermostat to the desired temperatures that you specified using your Kevo app. You can set your preferred home temperatures for each Nest mode: Heat, Cool and Heat-Cool.

The Nest will recognize when you have entered your home via the Kevo Touch-to-Open technology, and it will adjust the temperature accordingly. Heading out for the day? No problem! Lock your Kevo and the Nest Thermostat will go back to the "away" temperature you had selected during your Nest Thermostat set up, making it easier than ever to save energy.

It's that simple! Come and go as you please using your Kevo, and enjoy the perfect temperature in your home every time courtesy of Nest.

Another little-known fact about smart home accessories is they’re surprisingly easy to install.

Interested in winning a free smart home accessory? In celebration of Earth Day, we’re giving away one Nest Home Thermostat, one Belkin WeMo Light Switch and one Kwikset Kevo! Simply send a tweet including the #VZSmartHomeSweeps hashtag to enter to win. You can earn two additional entry points by commenting on this blog post. Enter now through April 26. Official rules are below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Verizon Wireless Smart Home Accessories Sweepstakes - #VZSmartHomeSweeps
Official Rules
NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN.
A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING.
ENTRANT NEED NOT BE PRESENT TO WIN.
The Verizon Wireless Smart Home Accessories #VZSmartHomeSweeps Sweepstakes (the "Sweepstakes") begins on April 20, 2015 at 9 a.m. Eastern Time ("ET") and ends on April 26, 2015 at 11:59 p.m. ET (the "Sweepstakes Period").
  1. HOW TO ENTER: To enter the Sweepstakes, entrants must do the following:
Send a Tweet - To participate in the Sweepstakes, entrants must send a Tweet with the Twitter service that contains the hashtag #VZSmartHomeSweeps (the “Hashtag”).
To be eligible, the Tweet must be public. More than one Tweet entry per person is permissible.
Additional entries can be received by completing the following:
  • Commenting on the Verizon Wireless Midwest Area blog post (2 additional entries per comment – only one comment per person is permissible).
  1. Tweet Submission Requirements:
Tweet submissions shall not:
  1. Exceed 140 characters;
  2. Contain material which is (or promoting activities which are) sexually explicit, obscene, pornographic, violent, self- mutilation, discriminatory (based on race, sex, religion, natural origin, physical disability, sexual orientation or age), illegal (e.g. underage drinking, substance abuse, computer hacking, etc), offensive, threatening, profane, or harassing;
  3. Contain content which would be derogatory and/or insulting of any other Tweets, Verizon, Verizon Wireless and/or its or their users or affiliates, or any Verizon or Verizon Wireless products or services.
  4. Contain content which refers to and/or is complimentary of any competitors of Verizon Wireless and/or any parent and/or affiliate of Verizon Wireless or its affiliates, or which is complimentary of and/or refers to any product competitive with any product of Verizon Wireless or any parent or affiliate of Verizon Wireless.
All entries become the sole property of Verizon Wireless ("Sponsor"), and receipt of such entries will not be acknowledged. Any individual who attempts or otherwise encourages, directly or indirectly, the entry of multiple accounts or false contact information under multiple identities or accounts, by wireless phone, or uses any device or artifice to enter or encourage, directly or indirectly, multiple or false entries, as determined by the Sponsor, will be disqualified. Lost, illegible, or incomplete entries will be deemed ineligible and disqualified. Sponsor reserves the right to reject any Tweets submitted in connection with the Sweepstakes for any reason, and any Tweets so rejected will not be entered in the Sweepstakes.
In the event of a dispute regarding entries received from multiple users having the same online entry account, you will be required to provide the name of the authorized subscriber of the online entry account at the time of entry and that person will be deemed to be the entrant and must comply with these Official Rules. In such case, online entry information will be declared made by the authorized account holder of the telephone number/email address submitted at the time of entry. "Authorized account holder" is defined as the natural person who is assigned to a telephone number/email address by a telephone company, wireless service provider, Internet access provider, Internet service provider or other organization (e.g. business, educational, institution, etc.) that is responsible for assigning email addresses, telephone numbers or wireless phone numbers for the telephone exchange associated with the submitted telephone number/email address or the domain associated with the submitted telephone, as applicable. Sponsor and its parent, subsidiaries and affiliates are not responsible for late, lost, incomplete, misdirected, stolen, or damaged entries or for technical, hardware, software or telephone malfunctions of any kind, lost or unavailable network connections, or failed, incorrect, incomplete, inaccurate, garbled or delayed electronic communications caused by the sender, or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Sweepstakes which may limit the ability to enter the Sweepstakes or identify the entrant submitting the Tweet, or by any human error that may occur in the processing of the entries in the Sweepstakes.
If for any reason (including infection by computer virus, bugs, worms, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other cause beyond reasonable control of Sponsor and its parent, subsidiaries and affiliates, that corrupts or affects the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of the Sweepstakes), the Sweepstakes is not capable of being conducted as described in these Official Rules, Sponsor shall have the right, at its sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend this Sweepstakes, and select the prize winners from entries received prior to action taken, or as otherwise deemed fair and appropriate by Sponsor. Sponsor reserves the right to prosecute any fraudulent entries to the fullest extent of the law.
  1. Selection of Winner: Three (3) prize winners will be selected in three (3) random drawings conducted by Sponsor on April 27, 2015.
The drawings will include all entries received by the end of the Sweepstakes Period. The potential winners will be contacted via a public or direct message on Twitter, and must reply to the message within (1) day. If the required response to such message is not received within 24 -hours after the message was sent, Sponsor will have the right in its sole discretion to disqualify the potential winner without further notice, in which event an alternate potential winner will be determined, time permitting. The decisions of the Sponsor are final and binding on all matters relating to the Sweepstakes. The prizes will be awarded to the entrants whose Twitter accounts were used to enter the Sweepstakes. Winners will be required to complete, sign and return an Affidavit of Eligibility and Publicity/Liability Release prior to the winner’s receipt of the prize or the prize may be forfeited and awarded to an alternate winner. In the event that an alternate winner is not eligible or fails to accept the prize, the Sponsor may use or award the prize in any manner it deems fit.
  1. Prize: Three (3) prizes will be offered. The first winner drawn will have first choice to select one of the prizes below. The second winner drawn will select from the two remaining prizes. The third winner drawn will receive the last available prize. The prize consists one of the following:
  • Nest Home Thermostat (approximate retail value (“ARV”) of $249.99)
  • Belkin Wemo Light Switch (ARV of $49.99)
  • Kwikset Kevo (ARV of 219.99)
The aggregate value of all prizes offered in the Sweepstakes is $519.97. The odds of winning depend upon the number of eligible entries received during the Sweepstakes Period.
Prize Restrictions: Limit one prize per person. Taxes, if any, are the sole responsibility of the winner. Prizes are non-transferable, non-assignable, and not redeemable for cash, except at Sweepstakes Entities’ sole discretion. Sweepstakes Entities, in their discretion, may substitute a prize (or prize component) of equal or greater value for any reason. Sweepstakes Entities are not responsible for any costs or services that may be required to use the prize, unless specifically included in the prize, including, without limitation, wireless services, transportation, meals, snacks, or beverages, etc. No more than the stated number of prizes will be awarded. Sweepstakes Entities (as defined in Section 8 below) will not replace any lost or stolen prize.
  1. Eligibility: The Sweepstakes is open to legal residents of the United States who are 18 years or older. Void outside the U.S., in Puerto Rico and where prohibited. Employees of Sponsor, its respective subsidiaries, affiliates, authorized agents and retailers and their respective employees, sales representatives, distributors, advertising agencies, and the immediate family of each, and all individuals (including, but not limited to, consultants, independent contractors, so-called “temporary employees,” former employees and interns) who have, within the past six months, performed services for such entities, are not eligible to enter or win. "Immediate families" include spouses, grandparents, parents, children and grandchildren, whether by marriage, past marriages, remarriage, adoption, cohabitation, or other family extension. Non-eligibility will result in disqualification.
  2. General: By entering, each entrant agrees to be bound by these Official Rules and by the decisions of the Sponsor, which shall be final and binding. By entering the Sweepstakes, each entrant grants to Sponsor the right to use entrant's name, likeness, image, voice, hometown, and biographical information in advertising, trade and promotion, including on the Internet or via wireless application protocol, without further notice, compensation or permission, except where prohibited by law.
Any personal information supplied by entrant to the Sweepstakes Entities (as defined in Section 9 below) will be subject to Sponsor's privacy policy posted at http://www22.verizon.com/about/privacy/. By participating in the Sweepstakes, entrant authorizes the Sponsor to communicate with entrant by direct message on Twitter, text message, email and/or telephone and to provide the Administrator and Sponsor’s advertising agencies with entrant’s contact information.
Twitter, Inc. is not a sponsor of this Sweepstakes and has not authorized or otherwise sanctioned or agreed to this Sweepstakes and/or the use of Twitter’s name and/or service for the purposes set forth herein.
Entrants who do not comply with these Official Rules or attempt to interfere with this Sweepstakes in any way shall be disqualified. The use of automated entry devices or any other conduct that impedes the integrity of the Sweepstakes is prohibited. The Sweepstakes shall be construed only according to U.S laws. This Sweepstakes shall be governed by the laws of the state of Georgia without regard to its conflict of laws provision. Except where prohibited, by entering the Sweepstakes each entrant agrees that: (1) any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of or connected with any Sweepstakes or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, (2) any and all claims, judgments and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, but in no event attorneys' fees; and (3) no punitive, incidental, special, consequential or other damages, including without limitation lost profits may be awarded (collectively, "Special Damages"), and (4) entrant hereby waives all rights to claim Special Damages and all rights to have such damages multiplied or increased.
  1. Rights in Submissions: By submitting a Tweet for this Sweepstakes, each entrant hereby grants to the Sponsor the exclusive, irrevocable, fully paid, universal license to use, copy, sublicense, transmit, distribute, publicly perform, publish, delete or display such Tweet, or any portion thereof, in any media now known or hereafter devised. Each entrant authorizes the Sponsor, and any entities affiliated or in privity with the Sponsor, to utilize, for eternity and in any manner the Sponsor sees fit, and to make derivative works from such materials. Each entrant agrees that the results and proceeds of such use shall become the property of Sponsor and shall be freely assignable by Sponsor, and that Sponsor and its assignees and licensees shall have no obligations whatsoever to entrant. Each entrant agrees and acknowledges that participation in the Sweepstakes, including, without limitation, the entrant’s decision to provide the entrant’s Twitter submission to Sponsor for purposes of the Sweepstakes, shall not give rise to any confidential, fiduciary, implied-in-fact, implied-in-law, or other special relationship between the Sponsor and entrant, does not place the Sponsor in a position that is any different from the position held by members of the general public with regard to elements to the entrant’s Tweet submission.
  2. Limitations on Liability and Release/Indemnification: BY ENTERING THE SWEEPSTAKES, YOU AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THESE OFFICIAL RULES AND BY THE DECISIONS OF THE SWEEPSTAKES ENTITIES, WHICH SHALL BE FINAL AND BINDING. BY PARTICIPATING IN THE SWEEPSTAKES AND/OR ACCEPTING A PRIZE, YOU HEREBY RELEASE, INDEMNIFY AND HOLD HARMLESS THE SWEEPSTAKES ENTITIES AND TWITTER FROM ANY LIABILITY, LOSS, DAMAGES OR CAUSES OF ACTION INCURRED (HOWEVER NAMED OR DESCRIBED) WITH RESPECT TO OR ARISING OUT OF EITHER (I) ENTRANTS’ PARTICIPATION IN THE SWEEPSTAKES OR IN ANY SWEEPSTAKES-RELATED ACTIVITY; OR (II) THE RECEIPT, POSSESSION, OR USE OR MISUSE OF THE PRIZES AWARDED IN THE SWEEPSTAKES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY CLAIMS FOR DAMAGE TO PROPERTY, PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH, OR CLAIMS BASED ON DEFAMATION, RIGHTS OF PRIVACY, RIGHTS OF PUBLICITY OR MERCHANDISE DELIVERY.
IN NO EVENT WILL SPONSOR, ITS PARENTS, AFFILIATES, SUBSIDIARIES AND RELATED COMPANIES, THEIR RESPECTIVE ADVERTISING OR PROMOTION AGENCIES OR THE ADMINISTRATOR OR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, REPRESENTATIVES, AGENTS, SWEEPSTAKES ADMINISTRATOR (COLLECTIVELY, THE “SWEEPSTAKES ENTITIES”) OR TWITTER BE RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES OR LOSSES OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF YOUR ACCESS TO AND USE OF THE SWEEPSTAKES SITE, TWITTER OR DOWNLOADING FROM AND/OR PRINTING MATERIAL DOWNLOADED FROM A SWEEPSTAKES WEBSITE OR ANY OTHER WEBSITE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SWEEPSTAKES. WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, EVERYTHING ON THE SWEEPSTAKES SITE IS PROVIDED “AS IS” “AS AVAILABLE” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. SOME JURISDICTIONS MAY NOT ALLOW LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR EXCLUSION OF IMPLIED WARRANTIES SO SOME OF THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. CHECK YOUR LOCAL LAWS FOR ANY RESTRICTIONS OR LIMITATIONS REGARDING THESE LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSIONS.
By entering the Sweepstakes each entrant acknowledges and agrees that this Sweepstakes is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn (collectively, the “Social Media Entities”). BY ENTERING THE SWEEPSTAKES EACH ENTRANT HEREBY RELEASES EACH OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA ENTITIES FROM ANY AND ALL LIABILITY, LOSS, DAMAGES OR CAUSES OF ACTION INCURRED (HOWEVER NAMED OR DESCRIBED) WITH RESPECT TO OR ARISING OUT OF THIS SWEEPSTAKES.
  1. Winners’ List and Official Rules: Each entrant may request the names of winners and official rules by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope by April 30, 2015 to: Verizon, c/o Identity, 30700 Telegraph Road, Suite 1475, Bingham Farms, MI 48025.
  2. Sponsor: Verizon Wireless, 1515 E. Woodfield Road, Suite 1400, Schaumburg, IL 60173. © 2015 Verizon Wireless. All rights reserved. This Sweepstakes is not sponsored by Twitter.
Administrator: Identity, 30700 Telegraph Road, Suite 1475, Bingham Farms, MI 48025.

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