Welcome back to Part 2 of my 5 Must-Haves in Smart Home Devices. There are many areas of our home lives that the IoT is beginning to impact – or will be in the future. In case you missed Part 1, which mentioned smart thermostats, washers, dryers, dishwashers, refrigerators, and garbage cans, you can read it here.
Alright, so moving on, here are the final two items on my list of 5 Must-Haves in Smart Home Devices.
4. Lighting
Window coverings now come with a motor and can be programmed to open or close, based on how much light is coming into the room. Imagine how much energy could be saved by connecting your window blinds system to your thermostat system! And then there’s the lightbulb. The $60+ lightbulb. The lightbulb that can decorate your home, serve as a security system, and be personalized to meet your every lighting need. Suddenly $60 doesn’t seem quite as outrageous as it did a minute ago.
- The Perks?
Smart window coverings sound particularly enticing to me, since my home does not have much natural shade and it can get very warm in the summer. Lighting can also impact your energy levels and mood, so customizable lighting throughout the day could potentially be very useful. - The Downfalls?
I’m still not completely sold on the fact that a smart light bulb is worth the price tag.
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Home Safety and Security
Smart technology makes it possible to use a smartphone to lock or unlock your front door to accommodate for visitors to your home, such as a cleaning service or handyman. Security cameras placed strategically outside of your home can be connected to the television sets or computer screens within your home.
Sound detection devices can detect activity in different areas of your home, or even for specific types of noises, such as glass breaking. Remember Nest®? Well in addition to the thermostat, the company also has developed a smoke detector that also detects heat and carbon monoxide. How many times have you disconnected a smoke detector because it just wouldn’t stop beeping? With Nest Protect, you can wave at it to make it stop. And it will never beep due to faulty batteries. Instead, an alert is sent to your smartphone.
- The Perks?
Everyone wants to feel safe within the four walls of their home. There are so many levels to the technology behind home safety and security that can help you rest a little easier.
- The Downfalls?
Hackers exist and will continue to exist, making me wonder…is a smart home truly a safe home? Plus, (you guessed it), high prices.
Have you noticed the one common denominator of this smart technology? Yup. The costs are high. But think back to the first computers and first cell phones. I predict that we’ll see the same type of pattern in the coming years as the technology is honed and becomes more readily available. Not only will the technology become more reliable as the kinks are worked out, the prices will drop as well. It’s exciting to think about the time, energy and money that can potentially be saved in our future homes!
About the Author:
Carmella Giancursio is L-Tron’s Public Relations Specialist & Content Editor. When she’s not working, spending time with her husband, or taking care of her 3 young kids, she can be found in the kitchen, channeling her Italian heritage! Email info@L-Tron.com with questions, or call us at (800) 830-9523.