This year, we should expect vast improvements in smart devices and their integration. In 2017, we saw the explosion of smart home ecosystem...
This year, we should expect vast improvements in smart devices and their integration. In 2017, we saw the explosion of smart home ecosystems, facilitating the integration of various devices and functions into one single network. This has helped us in all aspects of our lives, from having a virtual assistant that can order online for us to devices that manage the energy consumption of our homes. Smart devices and gadgets can decrease our electricity bills, effectively paying themselves after some years of use.
2018 and 2019 will establish the smart home as a new staple of modern, environmentally-friendly and ultimately economic living standards. Are you looking to improve your home this year during Black Friday or Cyber Monday shopping festivals? This guide will help you choose your ecosystem and pick the most useful smart devices for your home.
1. Amazon Echo
One of the most popular speakers alongside the Google Home and the Apple HomePod. The Amazon Echo also has a smaller variant, the Echo Dot, and a larger one — the Echo Plus.
This year, we are seeing the rise of its 2nd generation, with improved features and design. Its low price is also a great advantage for a speaker that satisfies all your smart home needs for a hub of smart home activity. Alexa remains a good AI with a good comprehension of natural voice, and her automatic integration with your Amazon account makes her ideal to order more smart devices online. It’s worth explaining the Echo line’s variations:
Amazon Echo Dot: A smaller device, with most features intact. It’s very accessible, but its speakers’ quality leaves a bit to desire in comparison with the other items in the collection. It’s recommended for those who are starting out in the smart home world and wish to get used to this new world.
Amazon Echo Plus: A larger device with extra features. Its sound quality and connectivity are improved over the regular Echo. It is a good choice of hi-fi speaker for music too, even if you are an audiophile.
2. Google Home
Another solid option for a voice-controlled smart home hub. The Google Home hasn’t gained a version since last year, but its virtual assistant did get a lot of updates, improving continuous conversation abilities. The main distinctive feature of a Google smart home ecosystem is the integration of all Google accounts and access to their services. This is convenient since you probably use at least its search engine frequently. Much like the Echo, the Home has two variants as well:
Google Home Mini: While the standard Google Home is a little pricier than its Amazon counterpart, the Mini is as affordable as the Dot, if not more. With a lot of its IoT-friendliness and Bluetooth connectivity features present, it can be used as a controller for other smart devices just fine.
Google Home Max: A powerful, yet heavy device. Home Max shows great sound delivery capabilities. Much like the Mini and unlike the standard Home, the Max version looks like a huge but cute cushion in a box. This makes it a good style option as well.
3. ECOVAC DEEBOT Vacuum Cleaners
Floor cleaning can take up a lot of your time, but that shouldn’t be the case in the age of smart devices. The ECOVACS’ DEEBOT line offers a number of different vacuum cleaner robot models that can clear the floor of your house effectively and independently.
They’re all distinctively integrated to both aforementioned smart speakers too, so it’ll blend in these ecosystems easily. This should make floor cleaning an easy, seamless activity in your everyday life.
There are vacuum cleaner robots designed for every type of home. They OZMO 930 can scan your house and learn to map it, thanks to its Smart Navi technology. This also allows you to program it to focus on or avoid certain sections of your rooms. There are also options indicated for hardwood floors and houses with pets, such as the SLIM.
4. Philips Hue Light Bulbs
It’s important for a smart home to be energy-efficient and smart lighting is crucial to help it achieve this goal. Conditioning the lights of your house is a good health improvement measure, too: adequate lighting dramatically improves sleep quality. If there are so many apps and features out there to regulate the lighting in your devices’ screens, why not extend this convenience to your light bulbs? The Philips Hue light bulbs were made for this purpose and come in different kits.
Hue White: You can control or program the lighting of your house from anywhere in the world. This is useful if you want to make it look like you are home when you are not:
Hue White Ambiance: Using shades of white according to the time of the day, you can achieve better concentration and energy levels throughout the day. You can also keep a warm light during the night without changing light bulbs.
Hue White and Color Ambiance: This kit offers the benefits from White Ambiance and allows you to paint your house with light during special events.
5. NEST Learning Thermostat
Thermostats make our life easier by regulating our house’s temperature. We do have, however, to regulate the thermostat — unless it learns our behavior and preferences. This is what the 3rd generation of the NEST Thermostat can do.
Self-regulating thermostats can be a big advantage for comfort and energy-saving since you won’t ever forget to turn it off when you’re away. After a while, it will start turning it on or off and adjust the temperature according to the time of the day. You can also control it through your phone, making it a good choice of smart device for your home that will, in fact, pay itself through energy consumption reduction.
6. Lockitron Bolt
Security is one of the areas that benefit the most from smart technology. From a pure security standpoint, you can make your house more protected against intruders. Nowadays, you can even purchase smart carpets that can send alerts if walked on when they shouldn’t. However, another aspect of locking your house that can also be improved is convenience. Smart locks can be accessed from your phone or other devices via Bluetooth, replacing or adding an extra bolt to your door.
Lockitron is the most affordable and simple example of such locks, eliminating the chance that you’ll have to look for lost keys ever again. Have you ever wished you could call your keys the way you call your own phone when you’ve lost it? This is one of the main benefits of a smart lock. Other options may include permanent guest passes and full integration with smart home ecosystems.
2018 and 2019 will establish the smart home as a new staple of modern, environmentally-friendly and ultimately economic living standards. Are you looking to improve your home this year during Black Friday or Cyber Monday shopping festivals? This guide will help you choose your ecosystem and pick the most useful smart devices for your home.
1. Amazon Echo
One of the most popular speakers alongside the Google Home and the Apple HomePod. The Amazon Echo also has a smaller variant, the Echo Dot, and a larger one — the Echo Plus.
This year, we are seeing the rise of its 2nd generation, with improved features and design. Its low price is also a great advantage for a speaker that satisfies all your smart home needs for a hub of smart home activity. Alexa remains a good AI with a good comprehension of natural voice, and her automatic integration with your Amazon account makes her ideal to order more smart devices online. It’s worth explaining the Echo line’s variations:
Amazon Echo Dot: A smaller device, with most features intact. It’s very accessible, but its speakers’ quality leaves a bit to desire in comparison with the other items in the collection. It’s recommended for those who are starting out in the smart home world and wish to get used to this new world.
Amazon Echo Plus: A larger device with extra features. Its sound quality and connectivity are improved over the regular Echo. It is a good choice of hi-fi speaker for music too, even if you are an audiophile.
2. Google Home
Another solid option for a voice-controlled smart home hub. The Google Home hasn’t gained a version since last year, but its virtual assistant did get a lot of updates, improving continuous conversation abilities. The main distinctive feature of a Google smart home ecosystem is the integration of all Google accounts and access to their services. This is convenient since you probably use at least its search engine frequently. Much like the Echo, the Home has two variants as well:
Google Home Mini: While the standard Google Home is a little pricier than its Amazon counterpart, the Mini is as affordable as the Dot, if not more. With a lot of its IoT-friendliness and Bluetooth connectivity features present, it can be used as a controller for other smart devices just fine.
Google Home Max: A powerful, yet heavy device. Home Max shows great sound delivery capabilities. Much like the Mini and unlike the standard Home, the Max version looks like a huge but cute cushion in a box. This makes it a good style option as well.
3. ECOVAC DEEBOT Vacuum Cleaners
Floor cleaning can take up a lot of your time, but that shouldn’t be the case in the age of smart devices. The ECOVACS’ DEEBOT line offers a number of different vacuum cleaner robot models that can clear the floor of your house effectively and independently.
They’re all distinctively integrated to both aforementioned smart speakers too, so it’ll blend in these ecosystems easily. This should make floor cleaning an easy, seamless activity in your everyday life.
There are vacuum cleaner robots designed for every type of home. They OZMO 930 can scan your house and learn to map it, thanks to its Smart Navi technology. This also allows you to program it to focus on or avoid certain sections of your rooms. There are also options indicated for hardwood floors and houses with pets, such as the SLIM.
4. Philips Hue Light Bulbs
It’s important for a smart home to be energy-efficient and smart lighting is crucial to help it achieve this goal. Conditioning the lights of your house is a good health improvement measure, too: adequate lighting dramatically improves sleep quality. If there are so many apps and features out there to regulate the lighting in your devices’ screens, why not extend this convenience to your light bulbs? The Philips Hue light bulbs were made for this purpose and come in different kits.
Hue White: You can control or program the lighting of your house from anywhere in the world. This is useful if you want to make it look like you are home when you are not:
Hue White Ambiance: Using shades of white according to the time of the day, you can achieve better concentration and energy levels throughout the day. You can also keep a warm light during the night without changing light bulbs.
Hue White and Color Ambiance: This kit offers the benefits from White Ambiance and allows you to paint your house with light during special events.
5. NEST Learning Thermostat
Thermostats make our life easier by regulating our house’s temperature. We do have, however, to regulate the thermostat — unless it learns our behavior and preferences. This is what the 3rd generation of the NEST Thermostat can do.
Self-regulating thermostats can be a big advantage for comfort and energy-saving since you won’t ever forget to turn it off when you’re away. After a while, it will start turning it on or off and adjust the temperature according to the time of the day. You can also control it through your phone, making it a good choice of smart device for your home that will, in fact, pay itself through energy consumption reduction.
6. Lockitron Bolt
Security is one of the areas that benefit the most from smart technology. From a pure security standpoint, you can make your house more protected against intruders. Nowadays, you can even purchase smart carpets that can send alerts if walked on when they shouldn’t. However, another aspect of locking your house that can also be improved is convenience. Smart locks can be accessed from your phone or other devices via Bluetooth, replacing or adding an extra bolt to your door.
Lockitron is the most affordable and simple example of such locks, eliminating the chance that you’ll have to look for lost keys ever again. Have you ever wished you could call your keys the way you call your own phone when you’ve lost it? This is one of the main benefits of a smart lock. Other options may include permanent guest passes and full integration with smart home ecosystems.
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