‘Alexa turn on the lights;’ how to add smart technology to your home – SW News Media

In 2020, there is a plethora of new technology to turn your regular, old home into a smart home. Forget about vacuuming, using light switches and security systems of the past your new smarter home is waiting for you.

Smart assistants

Smart technology has on the market for many years, Apple first installed Siri on the iPhone in 2011 and smart assistants of all kinds followed today we ask Google, Alexa and Siri to turn on or up the music, to answer our questions and even to turn on and off our appliances.

The three smart speakers can do so much more than tell you the weather, turn on your music or search the internet they can turn your appliances on and off.

Inexpensive smart plugs, like the WeMo mini smart plug, connect your appliances lights, fans and more to your phone and your smart speakers. Then all you have to say is Alexa, turn on the lights.

Smart thermostats

Smart thermostats can save you money and reduce your carbon footprint while making your home more comfortable by controlling the internal temperature of your home.

Honeywell, a brand you might recognize in home products, has a Wi-Fi Smart Color Thermostat. The thermostat boasts easy set-up, an energy-saving mode, do-it-yourself installation and more. The thermostat has a Wi-Fi connection but can also be controlled via a tablet or computer or the Honeywell phone app, according to the Honeywell website.

The Google Nest thermostat has many of the same features of the Honeywell thermostat but with a very simple look. The thermostat can be installed by anyone and should take about half an hour, the Google store website says. The Nest thermostat gets to know your schedule as you turn up the heat or air conditioning at certain times and will start to do the work for you.

The thermostat can also be controlled by Amazons Alexa, according to a spokesperson for Nest, Google Nests support for new technologies like Alexa gives you more ways to control your Nest home while youre out and when youre at home.

The Nest thermostat cannot be controlled via the HomePod but can be via an Apple store app, the spokesperson said.

Smart security

Smart technology has brought a wave of new security systems for those looking to protect their homes with all of the technology at their fingertips.

Nest also makes a Google Nest camera but unlike security cameras of the past, the Nest camera doesnt use memory cards to store the video footage.

Instead, it uploads your video continuously to the cloud. This lets you view live footage on your phone or computer, and if youve subscribed to Google Nest Aware, your camera will automatically store your continuous video history in the cloud, the Nest spokesperson said.

This technology keeps security footage safe its protected from theft or damage and can be accessed from anywhere.

Ring is a security system that launched in 2012 and has gained popularity, particularly for its video doorbells. The doorbell camera detects motion when people come to your property and you receive a notification on your phone, tablet or computer, then you can open your Ring application to see who it as your door, the Ring website says.

Ring also sells several cameras and an alarm kit that will alert you when a door or window is opened or those looking for an even more secure home, the website says.

Robot vacuum cleaners

The Roomba robot vacuum cleaner has been around for nearly two decades, launched in 2002 but having a robot doing your cleaning remains part of 2020 smart home.

iRobot products, like our Roomba robot vacuums and Braava jet robot mops, help free up time by providing a helping hand around the house. Whether its scheduling a Roomba to clean up the kitchen after dinner, or helping allergy sufferers maintain a certain level of daily clean, our products are an effective tool to get more done, and give customers back time, Public Relations Manager for iRobot, James Baussmann told the newspaper.

Today there are many robot vacuum cleaners to choose from, including the classic iRobot Roomba which now has five vacuum cleaners and three robot mops. The company has now even introduced a robot lawn mower.

iRobot Roombas sweep and vacuum up dust and debris. All of its vacuums can clean carpets, and get into the edges of your home, the iRobot website says.

Certain Roomba robot vacuums and Braava jet robot mops have mapping capabilities and can understand more complex voice commands, such as, Tell Roomba to vacuum the kitchen. There are even Roomba models that can empty themselves, automatically disposing debris into a Clean Base charging station that holds 60 days of dirt, dust, and hair, Baussmann said.

No matter what kind of smart technology you are looking to integrate into your life a hands-free assistant like the Amazon Echo, a safety expert like the Ring doorbell or a maid like the iRobot Roomba, the technology exists in 2020.

Read the original post:

'Alexa turn on the lights;' how to add smart technology to your home - SW News Media