To say technology has come a long way in the past few years would be an understatement.
The past decade has seen an explosion in everyday gadgets and appliances, changing our entire society.
It all started with social media, then smartphones gave everyone access to the internet on the go.
Apps started to change how we worked, how we shopped and how we played, resulting in the digital world becoming more than just a hobby, but an integral part of our lives.
It’s an obvious continuation of this growth that smart devices will expand into our homes, and for many of us, they already have.
If you have a smart home or are interested in knowing more, here are 3 of the top smart home devices you can buy to make your life easier.
Amazon Echo Plus
We’ve all heard of the Amazon Echo and it’s “brain” Alexa, but just what the latest versions of the Echo can do are astounding.
There are several different versions of the Echo, including the Echo Dot, the Echo Plus, and the Echo Show, with the difference between them being size, sound quality, and cost.
The original Echo, which you may know more about, was just basically a smart speaker which let you play music with a voice command. You could, of course, do other things like ask about the weather or check traffic reports, but as amazing as it was when it first came onto the market, times have changed.
The Echo Plus is so much more than that now.
It’s basically a hub for your home, connecting to other devices, allowing you to control everything with your voice.
It has seven microphones built in to pick up commands from any direction, along with a 2.5 inch subwoofer, giving it excellent sound quality.
By connecting the Echo Plus to other smart home devices, you can turn on or adjust the lights, open/close blinds and curtains, or turn on the TV – all without moving from your seat!
Phillips Smart Lighting
Smart lighting is a great way to try out smart home devices. They won’t change your life, but they’re a great tester for what’s possible.
The Phillips Hue is an incredible new smart lighting system which will change your home, both inside and out.
There is the practical side of smart home lighting, which allows you to turn the lights on while your hands are full. If hooked up to the above mentioned Alexa you can use voice commands, or simply set timers for your arrival home from work.
Motion sensors can turn lights on when you need them the most, or act as security lighting outside, illuminating unwanted guests.
And it’s not just about turning lights on and off – dimmers can bring the lighting down to the perfect level for movies or helping babies to fall asleep.
But as great as these practical aspects of smart lighting are, the Phillips Hue System takes it to another level.
The bulbs can emit light in any colour of the rainbow, transforming your home, room by room.
There’s even an App for the Phillips Hue, which allows you to control each room individually, turning on/off lights, changing the colour and brightness to suit your mood, helping you relax or energise you for the day.
The bulbs last more than 25,000 hours – that’s a staggering 23 years – with normal use, and can be installed as simply as screwing in a regular light bulb.
Nest Learning Thermostat
Let’s start off by saying that thermostats aren’t lightbulbs – they should always be installed by a professional.
In saying that, if you do want to upgrade your heating to a smart home device, then the Nest range of thermostats is where it’s at!
Because it’s connected to your hub, you can control your heating remotely, warming your house up on your way home from work, or cooling it down in the summer for your pets.
Smart thermostats allow you to schedule temperature presets, or check energy consumption and savings, but the Nest Learning Thermostat goes even further.
The 3rd Generation Nest Learning thermostat programs itself, automatically adapting to your lifestyle after only a week of learning.
Aesthetically, the Nest Thermostat is also gorgeous, turning into a digital clock when you walk into the room. It can also display the date, temperature, and humidity, as well as settings history, allowing you to see when you use more energy, and shows you how to use less.
Join the smart home revolution today!
If all these smart home devices sound like fun, well you’re not wrong.
Not only are they fun, but they also help in a practical way, helping cut energy costs and keep homes safe.
If you would like to know more about turning your house into a smart home, then call us today and we’ll have a chat about how we can help.
As one of New Zealand’s foremost experts in smart home devices and automation, we can help you slide into the lap of future technology with the minimum of fuss.
Our friendly and experienced staff will be happy to help in any way they can.
