How to Turn Your Home Into a Smart home
We live in fascinating times where the internet allows us to do all sorts of convenient things. If we were able to travel back in time with a smartphone, a solid connection to the internet and a few other devices, we would scare the socks off the people of that time. We’d be looked at as magicians, conjurers of tricks and blowing people’s minds!
Much of what we do on the internet these days however has become rather normal for us however, but as technology improves and companies continue to think up innovative ways to use the net, we’re always seeing new and exciting things become possible. It wasn’t that long ago that the thought of doing something sensitive like your banking online was considered risky. Sending that personal information into the aether and not really knowing where it was going to and who would be able to see it was a little scary. Many societies however now embrace this sort of convenience, and this type of accessibility to things we use daily has only propagated. It seems almost everything is connected to the web in some fashion and believe it or not we’ve really only scratched the surface of what can be done.
The Smart Revolution
Like the Industrial Revolution, the Smart revolution has changed the way society does almost everything. It’s changed the way that we live in terms of communication, automation, and accessing information. It’s allowed everyone to be more productive allowing for more tasks to be completed in a shorter amount of time.
There once was a time when the only things to be connected to this network were room sized computers that essentially only sent messages over long distances. This network of computers has significantly evolved in a short period of time, and now many devices are connected and talking to each other. The internet can now be used for everything from high quality video chat to automated window coverings to controlling large industrial machines from a distance. There are also some seriously cool things that people can now take advantage of – let’s have a look at some of the coolest and how you can turn your home into a smart home.
Best Smart Home Devices You Can Use Today
Ecobee3:
The Ecobee3 is a smart wifi-thermostat with room sensors that deliver comfort to the rooms of your home. Measuring just a few inches across, the device has a screen that allows you to control it in person with easy to use and intuitive controls. What’s really cool however is that you can control it from anywhere using the accompanying app that you can install on your smartphone, so you can ensure your home is just the right temperature at anytime. It’s compatible with Gas Oil or electric heating/cooling systems and retails for less than a couple hundred bucks. The EcoBee3 also comes with the ability to control your humidifier as well which can certainly help on those hot, sticky summer days.
Amazon Echo:
The Echo is a cool device that you speak to using normal, real language. Think of it as almost talking with another human. It works with a number of smart devices you can add to your home and you can control it using an “If this then that” control system that you can easily program without any extended knowledge. It’s a cylindrical smart speaker that responds to the words Alexa, Amazon or Computer followed by the command that you wish to give it. It will play your music, provide information, let you know what the weather will be like for the day, allow you to order products from Amazon and ever control things like lights, window blinds and set it to wake you up.
Logitech Harmony Elite
If you prefer not to talk to a smart device, Logitech’s Harmony Elite may be something more your style. It’s a universal remote control that controls more than just the TV. With it, you can control other Bluetooth devices, your wi-fi or any infrared device in your home.
NetGear Arlo Pro
The Arlo Pro is a wireless and weatherproof security camera system that is easy to install. It comes with two way audio and sound triggered recording. You can store those recordings on a USB drive through its included USB port or simply save recordings to the cloud. There are no subscription services needed to use it and because it’s wireless, you have a lot more flexibility as to where you can place the cameras.
The Nest Cam Outdoor
The Nest Cam Outdoor is also a security camera system that comes in both indoor and outdoor flavours. You can record up to 1080pm video and you can monitor what it sees via the web or a mobile app. It offers a continuous stream that you can check in on at anytime from anywhere you have an internet connection.
The Anova Culinary Precision Cooker Wi-Fi
The Anova Culinary Precision Cooker allows you to cook food that is sealed in plastic. The food is immersed in hot water and the device will provide you with details about how the cooking is going from a mobile app.
Smart Blinds and Nest
Nest was one of the pioneers when it came to smart home automation with the ability to set the temperature of your home from your smartphone. The system has evolved to work with security cameras, motorized solar shades and lights. More recently, additional smart devices have also been connected to Nest, from the locks of your home, the oven, Sleep Number smart beds ceiling fans and even smart air fresheners.
Other devices that are now considered ‘Smart’:
- Home video game consoles
- Home Audio Systems
- SkyBell – a smart doorbell
- Wemo switches
There are literally hundreds of products that can now connect to the internet and can be accessed and controlled from a smartphone app or web browser. It wasn’t so long ago that we’d never have thought that we could control things like our oven, let alone all of the other things we can these days. The automobile is also set to become ‘smart’ and are likely to become the norm in as little as 10 years.
