You have already conquered the (sometimes daunting) challenge of deciding on your new flat screen TV and now you’re asking yourself, “What are my choices of TV stands for big screen TVs?” You know you need your TV stand to be functional and good-looking while delivering the best viewing experience possible. (more…)

Battle of the Big Screens

Tonight’s main event puts two home theater mainstays head-to-head in a competition of great entertainment wonder.  When building your perfect home theater do you go with a large screen, flat-panel television or an authentic projector and screen set up? Let’s put them in a ring and let the best screen win. (more…)

Summer has been around for only a few weeks, but it’s been hotter than ever.  Chances are, you have been running that A/C and staying indoors to beat the heat.  With your A/C running at full blast, you are staying cool, but you are using quite a bit of energy.  It’s hard to turn off the A/C in extreme heat, but you can balance the energy you are using by making a few adjustments to break even.

Some of the easiest ways to conserve energy can be found right in your kitchen.  Making a few changes in the way you cook food, or keep your fridge cold can save you money every month.  Here are some energy saving tips, right in your kitchen.

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The newest trend in television, connected or “Smart” TV, is becoming more and more popular. With features like custom programming, streaming content, web browsing, and applications – it’s easy to see why more and more families are making a Smart TV the center of the entertainment system. These connected televisions run off what’s called “IPTV” or Internet Protocol Television, but what does that mean? (more…)

Summer can bring scorching temperatures.  If you are in the market for a new air conditioner, visit Abt’s Learning center and read everything there is to know about picking the rightA/C in our A/C Buying guide.

After you’ve discovered which unit works best for you and your home, head on over to our Outdoor Grill buying guide and find the perfect grill.  You may even want to try a few recipes to perfect your culinary creations.

If you have any questions about the products we sell, our learning center is the go-to source for all your information.  Whether it is a blender or an HD 1080p TV, never be without professional help from our experts at Abt!

All 80’s babies should remember the Disney Channel original movie, Smart House. It starred the, now SAMCRO first lady, Katey Sagal, as the avatar named PAT. PAT could cook, clean, and entertain, making her occupants lives as comfortable as possible. Take a look at the list of products below from Abt that can turn your home into the smart house of your dreams, without the constant fear of an iRobot-like attack on your family or whirlwind of destruction that lovely old PAT turned into.

Linksys EA Series High Performance Smart Routers

Turn the heat on before you get home, or make more ice without getting out of the hammock in the back yard with these cutting edge routers. The new Cisco Connect Cloud feature turns your wireless router into the smartest hub in the house. Not only is it the fastest Linksys router available with dual-band performance for uninhibited connection speeds, but has its own application market for controlling your connected home from any mobile device or browser.

Samsung 28 Cu Ft Stainless Steel Bottom Freezer Refrigerator

A fridge with a built-in touch screen and Wi-Fi is a no brainer. Specialized applications designed for your refrigerator lets you leave notes for family, displays photos, and more.  Users can manage their calendar, and even check recipes through Epicurious and find ingredients before even opening the fridge. The fact that it’s an Tier 1 Energy Star model (highest efficiency) doesn’t hurt either.

Sonos Connect Music Player

Enjoy the sound of music in every room of the house. The Sonos Connect Music Player connects to the equipment you already have in place, and through a Wi-Fi connection, can stream internet radio, your iPod or iPhone, or music from your computer to any room in the house with another Connect device, or receiver. You can even listen to different music in different rooms.

Samsung 64” Series 8 LED Flat Panel 3D Smart TV

What smart house is complete without a smart home theater system? Smart features bring you customized streaming content from providers like Vudu, Hulu, YouTube, and more. A full web browser, and application market at connectivity and convenience, while Family Story and Fitness help you stay in shape and connected with the entire family. Change the channel with your voice, swipe through apps with a wave of your hand and enjoy a custom experience by loading your personal settings with a facial recognition system.

Sony 16GB Wi-Fi Tablet

Sony Tablet will be the wireless control for the entire home. Connect it to the Sonos system with an Android application and control a whole-house audio system. The built-in universal remote will control all your Samsung Smart TV and a Cisco Connect Cloud app will give you access to all the smart appliances on the network, not to mention all the native applications and thousands of others on the market to smart-ify your experience.

Did I miss something? What would you add to your smart house?

The New iPad is flying of the shelves at record breaking rates, according to Apple. As the iPad and other tablets continue to increase in popularity, a lot of consumers are reaching a crossroads in their buying habits. Do they continue to work with on laptop or switch to a tablet? Hopefully we can help find a solution that fits your needs, lifestyle, and budget.

The first thing you need to ask yourself is “What do I need it for?” Are you going to be running any demanding software? If you answered yes, a laptop might be the best choice. With faster processing, more memory and the option for a dedicated graphics card, a laptop will bring you high performance in a portable package. Laptops also give you the utility of an optical (CD) drive and full-size keyboard, access to more ports, bigger screens and a significant amount of durability, not found in a tablet. Avid gamers will also prefer a laptop due to their higher processing and graphics capabilities.

If your needs tend to lean towards the multimedia, social networking and gaming style; the portability and accessibility of a tablet may fit your needs. Touch screens gives users a unique interactive experience that allows for simplistic navigation.  Applications give users control beyond that of traditional software and essentially allow for a complete integration of the tablet into any lifestyle. Users can listen to music, browse the web, check their email and edit photo and video on a screen size around 10 inches. The biggest advantage of the tablet is its portability. Most tablets weight around one pound and can easily be stored in backpacks, purses and briefcases alike. Optional docking stations and keyboards gives tablet users access to some of the utility features of a laptop.

The bottom line is that your choice depends on what you are going to use it for. Take some time to really think about how you use your current set up and what you want out of your next one.

Basic and first time users will find the touch screen navigation of the tablet simple and intuitive. Users that demand higher performance will benefit from the utility and power of a laptop. While both options can be considered portable, the tablet is undoubtedly the lighter and more compact option. Whichever option you feel is right for you, come let Abt’s team of experts guide you through the buying process and provide you with a complete solution to meet all your current and future needs.

Do you know which style you want but not sure which product you like best? Take a look at our iPad and laptop buying guide for more information or browse our collection of tablets and laptops to find the right choice for you!

-Scott H.

If you are planning on purchasing a new home, or updating your existing one, your first stop should be the Design Center at Abt.  Located just 400 yards from Abt Electronics on Milwaukee Ave, the Design Center has what you are looking for.  Whether you are updating your bathroom, bedroom or kitchen, specialized stores with helpful representatives are waiting for you.

Right now, you can become a member and you will be informed of exclusive promotions and specials provided by each individual store.  Start joining our Design Center Members Program now!

Have you ever seen this icon and wonder what it is? Live chat is a cool way to contact a Live Sales or Customer Service person via your computer. They are there to answer any questions you may have in regard to placing an order or for an order already placed. The Sales department on Live Chat can answer just about any question you may have about the many products we have on our website. They cannot take an order via Live Chat but can help in placing an order via Live Chat. Our Customer Service on Live chat can help answer just about any question you may have about an order you may have placed. Unfortunately, at this time they are unable to take Live Chat requests for Appliance or Electronics Service. For that you would need to contact them via the phone at 847-967-8830.

So next time you are online and have a question for Abt you can just click on our Live Chat feature and have your question answered there.

-Neil K.

Have you ever wondered what is going on in your house when you are not home?  Well I wondered the same thing, but not anymore.  I recently purchased a Logitech Alert outdoor camera system for my home.  I just wanted to see what my dogs were doing outside at night and not have to worry about other animals in the yard.  This camera system really delivers!  It was easy to setup and I was complete in about 30 minutes.

The Logitech Alert System uses your power lines in your house to carry internet signal as well as power to the camera.  It can record on both a micro SD card slot or your computer to store information.  The computer software allows you to view your Camera which you can zoom to certain areas of view, as well as capture audio.  But my favorite feature is I can view my camera live from my iPhone or iPad.  Overall this camera system is very user friendly, expandable, and affordable.

-Chad Taylor