Smart Living: Incorporating Smart Electronics into Your Home
Article By: Caitlin Curbello-Rodriguez
Advanced technology is undoubtedly a part of our everyday lives with personal smart devices, telecommuting for work, and Wi-Fi-capable-everything. Now your home can also become, in every sense of the word, a smart-house. Well, a smarter house. We already have incredible technology at work in our homes (thank you, air conditioning), but can you fine-tune your home’s lighting (and hue) with a few words to our virtual buddies, Alexa and Google Home? Actually, yes you can! Let’s take a peek at what technology you can seamlessly plug in to your home in 2018.
SMART ENTERTAINMENT
Smart Home Assistants/Speakers| Do you find yourself asking inanimate objects random questions throughout the day? You aren’t crazy, and you’re not alone. Smart home assistants like Google Home, Amazon Echo and Apple HomeKit are skyrocketing in popularity, and can be used to play music, search the Web, create to-do and shopping lists, shop online, get instant weather reports, and control other smart-home products – all with the sound of your voice.
TV / Streaming Services | When cable/satellite (pay-tv) first appeared, it was a wondrous invention with limitless entertainment all in one place. Although pay-tv providers are still a viable source for catching up with the Kardashians, we have even more options for entertainment consumption. Game consoles like the Xbox One or Playstation 4 have the ability to stream content from sources like Netflix and Hulu already, but don’t necessarily come with an affordable price tag. A bulky game console wouldn’t be practical for solely streaming Netflix if you aren’t a gamer to some degree.
Video streaming devices (“streamers”) such as Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV and Android TV have taken the video streaming world by storm. Through these devices you can stream video from all of your favorites like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and YouTube. “But what about my favorite shows that are only available on Showtime or Fox networks via pay-tv providers?” Cable networks such as Showtime, Fox, ABC, PBS and ESPN are all privy to this new direct streaming trend, and most offer their very own app* for streaming devices. For instance, you want to watch Showtime’s Shameless but don’t have Showtime as a part of your cable package. Now, you can download and subscribe to Showtime’s app on most of these streamers – while likely paying less than you would directly through your cable provider for that access.
You won’t have to pay all of those pesky, extra fees (cable equipment rentals, satellite dish) when using one of these streaming devices – you simply need some decent Wi-Fi. Furthermore, pay-tv providers such as AT&T, Comcast, and Dish Network also provide apps for use on these streaming devices. You may still need a pay-tv subscription in order to fully unlock the capabilities of these providers’ apps. *Not all premium channels or content are available without a pay-tv account.
SMART APPLIANCES
Thermostats| Smart thermostats are popping up in homes everywhere, and not just for their sleek design. Smart thermostats can help reduce energy costs by allowing supervision and control of the home’s temperature inside and outside from several devices. Some of these devices tailor heating and cooling cycles according to the current room’s environment, including if the room is occupied. Several reviews of smart thermostats say the Ecobee4 seems to be the best overall choice because its sensors allow you to achieve the right temperature on a room-by-room basis. This particular smart thermostat comes with a dedicated app, working alongside many other smart home systems. The Ecobee4 has Alexa voice assistant built in, eliminating a need to purchase a separate Echo or Echo Dot. Ecobee4 is also compatible with Google Assistant/Home, Apple HomeKit, Samsung SmartThings, Logitech, Wink and IFTTT.
Light Bulbs | With Smart LED Bulbs such as the Philips Hue Smart Bulb lines, the lighting in your home is completely customizable. LED bulbs last much longer than other types of lights and consume much less energy, too. With the Philips Hue White A19 starter kit (named best smart bulb on tomsguide.com), you receive two bulbs and a hub to connect them to other smart home devices via Wi-Fi. In this starter kit, you can’t change the colors but can adjust the brightness (up to 800 lumens) and add up to 50 bulbs to a single hub. These bulbs are compatible with Alexa, Apple HomeKit, IFTTT, Google Home, and Nest. If you’d like the capability of changing the color (or creating “color scenes”) of lighting, try the Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance starter kit that comes with a hub and four bulbs, which can change color. How many colors, you may wonder? Over 16 million colors. Beyond the basic smart bulb, many manufacturers offer light strips, standalone lamps, light fixtures, and accessories such as dimmers and motion sensors for even further customization.
Smart Switches | Are you relatively new to the concept of a “smart home”? Don’t let the influx of smart technology intimidate you. Instead, start small with one of the simpler smart home gadgets: a smart plug (or switch).
Smart plugs allow you to control various lights, ceiling fans and small appliances without being present in a room, or even the country. Smart plugs are connected to Wi-Fi and controlled via an app on your smartphone, or for some models, voice commands through smart home assistants like Alexa or Google Home. Turn on that hallway lamp from bed in the morning to avoid tripping over Legos; turn on your space heater in the uninsulated bathroom for a cozy morning routine; or plug your entertainment center’s power strip into a smart plug, then turn the entire setup off at night when you aren’t using it to avoid power surges or trickling energy use. The possibilities are endless! Another cool feature: some smart plugs (Belkin WeMo Insight Switch) provide information on electricity usage and consumption, showing the running total of how much a particular device costs to operate. Smart Hint: schedule the devices that consume more energy to be turned off when not in use.
Some smart plugs can turn ordinary floor lamps into a piece of your home security system through features such as an “away mode”, which turns lights on and off to make it look like the house is occupied (TP-Link HS105 smart plug). Smart plugs now have sleeker designs so that you may have two separate smart plugs utilizing the same outlet for more conversion of the ordinary to extraordinary. Bonus: don’t have smart bulbs in your home? Some varieties of smart plugs (WeMo Wi-Fi Switch) can be set to automatically sync lamps with sunrise and sunset (coupled with WeMo Wi-Fi Light Switch) to ease you into your nighttime routine..
SMART SECURITY
Smart Locks | Fumbling around your belongings for house keys can be a pain, especially with arms full of groceries. Smart locks are here to make the entrance into your home more convenient and secure.
Most online reviews favor the August Smart Lock as the best smart lock overall. The August Smart Lock replaces the inside portion of your deadbolt, making for easier installation and the ability to still use your same key. It comes with an auto lock and unlock feature, while also alerting you if you’ve left the door open. This smart lock does not include a built-in alarm, which many other varieties do include for elevated security. August Smart lock does come with its own app that’s compatible with Android and iOS devices, but is only compatible with Apple HomeKit, Nest and Xfinity smart home hubs. However, August Smart lock does have a bundled option (Smart Lock Pro) that includes a Wi-Fi bridge so that you can control and monitor your door remotely. You can also purchase an optional keypad or doorbell camera with this setup.
Generally, you can find smart locks that grant you keyless access (locking/unlocking); remote control/monitoring capabilities via smartphone (dependent on if they connect through Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or a specific smart hub/personal digital assistant); optional keypads; integrated security camera; security alarm for unwanted visitors; programmable passcodes; virtual keys to hand out for temporary access; history log of who comes and goes, and more! The Schlage Connect Touchscreen Deadbolt boasts a touch screen that is smudge and fingerprint-resistant, so no one can attempt to guess your passcode. You’ll of course need to check individual smart lock product specifications to determine which features best fit your needs.
*Most Smart Locks require Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or a compatible smart home hub to operate.
Smart Doorbells | In the wake of smart home technology, home security has been a hot topic. Several smart home security devices serve dual purposes, such as inclusion of a security camera on doorbells alerting you when a package arrives at the door, or when family members arrive home safely.
Smart doorbells come with several impressive features, varying from each device to the next. Some have live video streaming, compared to others that only record a short clip when motion is detected within its field of vision. When motion is detected, many of these doorbells will send an immediate notification to the owner’s related smartphone app. Some have local video storage available, while others upload footage to a cloud or server. Even further, some smart doorbells offer free cloud storage while others may charge a fee for that feature. Most have related apps compatible with Android or iOS devices that allow you to either access live streaming video or stored footage. A few models also offer night vision or infrared capabilities whose range differs depending on the product. These smart doorbells not only capture video, but can also serve as a two-way voice communication system where the owner may use their smartphone app to speak with visitors. As if these doorbells didn’t sound “smart” enough, a few of them may also be integrated with Alexa, Google Home and other smart home systems.
Different models provide their own battery life through run-of-the-mill AA batteries, while others must be installed using existing doorbell wiring. When purchasing a smart doorbell, keep in mind its durability and weather resistance, as some can withstand much more extreme temperatures or moisture. Also take note that normally, the higher the resolution of camera incorporated into the doorbell, the higher the price tag.
SMART HUBS
Smart hubs are a terrific way to streamline your smart home, connecting and controlling all of your smart gadgets from one place. This includes thermostats, light bulbs, wall outlets, door locks, energy monitors, window coverings, appliances, motion sensors, leak sensors and wireless cameras. Smart hubs are all relatively unique and support different connectivity protocols, so remember to research which hubs support the devices you use now before purchasing.
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- Samsung SmartThings Hub
- Wink Hub 2
- Amazon Echo / Dot
- Samsung Connect Home
- Logitech Harmony Elite
- Apple HomeKit / HomePod
- Google Home
- VeraEdge Home Controller
- Securfi Almond 3
- Xfinity Discovery Hub
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