Gansters
Gansters
7 Ways to Turn Your Home Into a Smart Home
The concept of owning a smart home sounded like something out of a Disney movie. Now everything in your home can be connected to your Wi-Fi and controlled through your smartphone app.
This will make your home more convenient and comfortable. You may feel overwhelmed by the plethora of smart devices on the market. Here are some ways you can make your home smarter that can be used with most internet service providers
Smart Televisions
Smart Thermostats
Smart Lighting
Smart Security Cameras
Smart Outlets
Smart Home Hubs
Smart Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
So, Let's Have A Look...
1. Smart Televisions
Upgrade to a smart TV. Most of the newer models include features such as high-definition, music streaming, streaming video services, voice control, and universal search. A smart television can also be used with your mobile devices. The best thing about smart televisions is that they can be set up within minutes.
Being able to stream Netflix or Hulu on a large smart television is reason enough alone to get one. Did you know that you can live stream from other places around the world? Services like Ustream allow you to check out live events such as concerts and sportscasts. You can stream from the International Space Station.
You can even browse the internet by using your smart TV as a computer monitor. This eliminates the need to buy equipment and devices to stream content since the operating system is built right into the television. All you need is your Wi-Fi password and a mobile device with apps. As this technology improves, more apps will be optimized for it, which will provide even more features.
Typically, smart TVs support Ethernet, Wifi, USB, Bluetooth and flash memory cards from digital cameras, as well as coaxial cable, HDMI and other audio-video connections. Along with the OS and apps, the connectors enable on demand video services and access to pictures, music and video on connected storage devices. Smart TV apps allow connection to websites like Youtube, Netflix, Hulu and Vimeo and social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter.
2. Smart Thermostats
Make your home even safer with smarter thermostats. Your home can be set to the right temperature every time. It’s one of the best investments you’ll make when it comes to saving on heating costs. The best smart thermostats allow you to adjust your home’s temperature on a smartphone app when you’re away from home. You can turn the heat or air conditioner on right before you leave work so your home is comfortable the moment you step in the door.
Since your thermostat is connected to your smartphone app, you can adjust your temperature no matter where you are in the world. This can save you money since you’ll be able to shut off the air conditioner and heat when you mistakenly left it on. The latest line of smart thermostats will adjust the temperature according to your schedule.
Smart thermostats are the latest trend in home heating. A smart thermostat can switch your heating on or off remotely via the internet - so you can use your smart phone to turn your heating on when you're on your way back from a weekend away, or off when you pop out unexpectedly.
Heating represents the biggest portion of most domestic energy bills - especially during the winter months. As smart thermostats are connected to the internet over your wi-fi, you can use your smart phone to control your heating even when you're not at home or if you can't be bothered to get up from the sofa to turn the thermostat down.
3. Smart Lighting
Make your light bulbs smart too. Use light bulbs that connect to your Wi-Fi connection. Like your thermostat, you can adjust your lighting system to turn on and off whenever you want. Since these light bulbs are typically energy-efficient, you won’t be hit with a surprise bill in the mail.
Smart light bulbs come with many features and are easy to install. They can save you money by turning out the lights only when someone is home. The best smart light bulbs come in a wide variety of colors and can be controlled through your smartphone or smart hub. A smart light bulb makes a great gift for someone who’s afraid of using a smart hub or a smart thermostat.
Progress in technology is considerably increasing the intelligence of a lighting system. No longer merely adapted or adequately used, it becomes capable of communicating with its environment, drastically changing traditional uses and paving the way to many new ones.
Smart lighting thus becomes a key tool in smart city development, a means of giving areas complete digital independence, tantamount in principle to creating efficient, interconnected cities where citizens live as one with their environment.
4. Smart Security Cameras
For added home security, invest in a smart security camera. There are a wide variety of smart security cameras on the market such as outdoor motion sensors, smart locks, and surveillance devices. Home security kits provide all of these features for a low monthly fee. Most smart security cameras store hours of footage on a cloud-based storage, which means you can save it for the police.
You can even live-stream footage to your smartphone or tablet, so you watch your home while you’re away. Some of the larger systems require professional installation, but there are plenty of DIY options. The only thing you’ll need is a Wi-Fi password, the smartphone app, the security camera, and tools to place the camera wherever you want in your home. Most companies provide video instructions to make the installation process less intimidating.
Controlling lights with your voice used to be something only a god could do, but these days we have smart lighting systems to make any of us feel all-powerful.
The biggest name is Philips with its Hue bulbs, but now IKEA, Hive and a whole host of others have got in on the act too.
5. Smart Outlets
Sometimes you don’t need a complete smart home. You just want smarter outlets for your home. These outlets plug into your electrical outlets and connect to your Wi-Fi password. You can then control the outlets through an app on your smartphone.
You don’t have to install new electrical outlets. Depending on which one you use, smart outlets can communicate with the other smart electronics and appliances in your home. It can also connect to your smart hub, allowing you to use voice controls.
Controlled by an app, a smart plug lets you turn on and off any appliance that plugs into a standard wall socket. As part of a solution like Alarm.com, you can actively control it, or automate it so that it reacts to schedules and triggers from your security system.
Simply plug it into any wall socket, then plug your chosen appliance into it. You can use it with a lamp, a TV, a cable box, a coffee machine—whatever you like.
6. Smart Home Hubs
The best way to turn your home into a smart home is to use a smart hub. This device will control all of the electronic devices and appliances in your home. It controls everything from the lighting and security devices to your television and thermostat. Instead of using different apps for different smart devices, you can control them through the main hub through the use of a smartphone app or voice commands.
Smart hubs aren’t as intimidating as they sound. They’re typically affordable, easy to install, and come in a wide range of settings. All you need to set it up is your Wi-Fi password and a dedicated spot for your hub. Subscribe to the company’s email newsletter to get updates on your device, as companies enhance their devices with software improvements.
A smart home hub is hardware or software that connects devices on a home automation network and controls communications among them.
Smart home hubs, which connect either locally or to the cloud, are useful for internet of things (IoT) devices that use the Zigbee or Z-Wave protocols or Bluetooth, rather than Wi-Fi.
7. Smart Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Traditional smoke and carbon monoxide detectors have gotten smarter as well. They come with features like sensors that send alerts from the devices and on smartphones and other devices. They may also alert you about a specific room the smoke or carbon monoxide detector went off in.
A smart smoke and carbon monoxide detector is one of the best investments you can make without turning your home into a smart home. They’re fairly affordable and easy to install. If you can install a standard smoke or carbon monoxide detector, then you can install a smart one.
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