Smart-home gifts to turn your dull dorm into a cozy retreat

Not only can the $89.95 Philips Hue Lightstrip Plus jazz up any bland dorm room with 33 feet of color-changing delight, it also has a 1,600-lumen output.

That's roughly similar to the output of a traditional 100W incandescent bulb.

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For just $34, you can have the Bluetooth-enabled Flic button by startup Shortcut Labs do your bidding.

With partnerships from Spotify, Logitech, Philips Hue, LIFX, Unified Remote, WeMo, Sonos, Zapier, IFTTT and Domino's, you can use the related Android or iPhone app to program button presses --one press could turn on your Philips Hue Lightstrip Plus, two presses could order you a Domino's pizza.

Want some inspiration? Click here.

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Students who've hit legal drinking age might appreciate Fizzics, a $170 countertop beer gizmo that's supposed to give your store-bought brews draft flavor.

It didn't work perfectly during our tests, but it did improve the taste in many cases, particularly when it came to accentuating sweet flavors.

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Yep, $700 is a lot to spend for a cleaning product, but the Neato Botvac Connected will go a long way toward keeping your floors tidy. Add in the app component and you have even more control over this clever robot cleaner.

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You probably can't install a traditional smart light switch in your dorm, but you can install this smart light switch in your dorm.

The $40 Switchmate has magnets that snap onto the screws holding up your existing switch plate. Then use Switchmate's Bluetooth tech and the related app to turn off your lights from bed.

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Concerned about theft? The $70 Ezviz Mini is a great option for simple DIY security. Complete with local and cloud storage, as well as night vision, motion alerts and live streaming, this camera will keep an eye on things when you're out.

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Amazon's $90 Echo Dot is essentially a smaller version of the $180 Amazon Echo. That means it can speak via Amazon's Alexa voice-control software. Ask Alexa everything from the current forecast in your area to controlling lights and other products in your room.

If you have access to a kitchen, the $199 Pantelligent might make it easier to prepare the meals you love. Its app gives you step-by-step stovetop guidance, including when your food is ready to eat.