Smart Tech for The Home
Harley Dixon We’re living in an age of the Internet of Things, meaning that we’re more connected than ever thanks to the wide range of different gadgets on the market right now.
One of the key areas that the IoT industry has focused on in the last few years is the home, and the aim has been to make the home as efficient and convenient as possible. To do this, homeowners can choose from well over a dozen state-of-the-art gadgets designed to make their home both more comfortable and modern.
1. Amazon Echo 3rd Generation
Alexa has become one of the most popular virtual assistants in the world, and no device integrates more seamlessly with the assistant than the Amazon Echo. It boasts incredible sound quality thanks to a 3-inch woofer and 0.8 inch tweeter.
It also comes standard with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, meaning that it can connect to just about any other smart device in the house. It can learn commands easily, and will tell the user the weather, read audiobooks, make online purchases, and allow full control of any connected devices around the house, making it perfect for relaxing with a game of bingo in Canada.
2. Ecobee
Ecobee is a smart thermostat that comes with Alexa pre-installed, and offers the user a way of ensuring that every room of their house is cooled or warmed to the perfect temperature. On top of this, the Ecobee can be used to play music thanks to Spotify integration.
Temperature and music control can be done with voice, but the Ecobee also has a modern touchscreen, allowing for full input in every regard.
3. Philips Hue White A19
The Philips Hue White has become a favourite among those that like to set a certain ambience in their homes using smart lighting. The kit includes a hub that connects to two bulbs, all of which can be integrated with other smart home devices.
While the user can’t change the colour of the bulbs they do have full control of the brightness, which can be pre-set or controlled through voice commands. The hub can connect with most smart home systems, including Nest, Google Home, Alexa, and Apple’s Homekit.
4. WeMo Mini
The WeMo Mini is a smartplug that can connect with most other smart home systems. They’re designed small and slim, allowing at least two to fit together snugly into wall sockets, and connects to everything form Homekit to Google Home.
The idea behind the smartplug is that it gives the owner the ability to shut down any appliance they wish. If they’re at work, for example, and are worried about a lightning storm causing damage to an appliance, they can simply cut the power to that appliance remotely.
5. Nest Protect
Nest Protect is a smoke and carbon monoxide detector that alerts the owner as to where the source of the danger is thanks to its connection to a smart home system.
It can also detect fires, sending out a notification to the owner so they can alert emergency services.