5 Best Smart Devices to Use With Your Smart Home
There’s so much you can do with high-speed Internet to make your life easier, especially when you get smart with smart home technology. Looking for some new smart devices to use with your smart home hub? Look no further! Smart home hubs like the Google Home or Amazon Alexa offer a variety of different functions, but you can take automation one step further by adding additional tech and smart devices. Whether you’re setting up a new smart home system or adding to your existing smart home, here are the 5 smart devices that will make your life easier:
There’s so much you can do with high-speed Internet to make your life easier, especially when you get smart with smart home technology.
Looking for some new smart devices to use with your smart home hub? Look no further! Smart home hubs like the Google Home or Amazon Alexa offer a variety of different functions, but you can take automation one step further by adding additional tech and smart devices. Whether you’re setting up a new smart home system or adding to your existing smart home, here are the 5 smart devices that will make your life easier:
Smart Plugs. Smart Plugs connect to your Wi-Fi network and your smart home hub to give you more control of your electronics and lighting. For example, if you use a smart plug with your coffeemaker, you can have your smart home hub make you coffee by programming the coffeemaker to start up when you tell your smart home “good morning” as part of your morning routine commands. You can use apps like ‘IFTTT’ — aka if this then that — to communicate with your smart plugs and do things like turn on all of your lights plugged into smart plugs when the sun sets. Make sure that whatever electronic device you’re connecting to the smart plug is in its ‘on’ position before connecting it to your smart plug. Most smart plugs also connect to their own app that can either be integrated with your smart device, or controlled directly from the app itself. Belkin’s Wemo smart plug is amongst the most popular, but there’s a lot of players in the smart plug game. Some smart plugs also function as mini power-strips, like the iClever IC-BS06, which turns one outlet into two smart ones that can be controlled independently.
Smart Bulbs. If you ever wanted to walk into your party and say, “Hey Google/Alexa, let’s party” and then your home responded by turning your smart home lighting into a multicolored, disco-ready arrangement — smart bulbs are for you. Not only can smart bulbs give you the ability to turn lights on and off remotely without needing a smart plug, but you can also change the color of the lights. If you’re looking for a smart bulb that doesn’t rely on a central hub and is easy to use, options like Lifx’s line of smart bulbs connect to an app and your smart home with very little setup.
Smart TV Devices. Forget fighting over a remote, now you can verbally spar with friends and family for control over your television! By connecting an Amazon Fire TV stick or Google Chromecast to your television, you can call up apps like Netflix, YouTube, or Spotify just by telling your smart home to open them up. Are you not entertained?
Smart Security Systems. Xfinity, Cox, and other cable companies offer security systems, and you can add on an energy package to easily integrate a smart thermostat in with smart sensors, video cameras, and other security features to create a safe and eco-friendly home. Different packages come with buildable systems that offer features like motion sensors, touch screen controllers, and remote access via an app. These security systems are installed by a professional to ensure proper use. Unlike DIY systems, cable service providers have the infrastructure and resources needed in order to provide monitoring and quality assurances that will help you sleep better at night, knowing your family is safe and sound.
Robot Vacuums. Hate vacuuming? Automate it and have a robot do it for you. The Ecovacs Deebot N79S is an Alexa-integrated robot vacuum that brings cleaning into the 21st century. The Eufy Robovac 11 is another great self-sufficient robo-vacuum choice, with different suction settings and cleaning settings, but no smart home integration. If you want a choice that’s completely automated (but on the pricier side), the Roomba i7 with Clean Base Dirt Disposal comes with an automatic dirt disposal setting so you don’t even have to empty it yourself. So, pick a robot, set a cleaning schedule, and send your automated vacuum forth into the world to eat up all those dust bunnies you know exist underneath the couch. (Right next to all the monsters that also live there, probably.)
Whether you’re moving into a new home or just revamping your current one, smart home technology offers new and exciting ways to make your life easier. Make sure you have the fastest Internet connection at the best value to keep all your home systems connected and working for you. Check out what offers are available in your area now, and stay smart.
Looking for some new smart devices to use with your smart home hub? Look no further! Smart home hubs like the Google Home or Amazon Alexa offer a variety of different functions, but you can take automation one step further by adding additional tech and smart devices. Whether you’re setting up a new smart home system or adding to your existing smart home, here are the 5 smart devices that will make your life easier:
Smart Plugs. Smart Plugs connect to your Wi-Fi network and your smart home hub to give you more control of your electronics and lighting. For example, if you use a smart plug with your coffeemaker, you can have your smart home hub make you coffee by programming the coffeemaker to start up when you tell your smart home “good morning” as part of your morning routine commands. You can use apps like ‘IFTTT’ — aka if this then that — to communicate with your smart plugs and do things like turn on all of your lights plugged into smart plugs when the sun sets. Make sure that whatever electronic device you’re connecting to the smart plug is in its ‘on’ position before connecting it to your smart plug. Most smart plugs also connect to their own app that can either be integrated with your smart device, or controlled directly from the app itself. Belkin’s Wemo smart plug is amongst the most popular, but there’s a lot of players in the smart plug game. Some smart plugs also function as mini power-strips, like the iClever IC-BS06, which turns one outlet into two smart ones that can be controlled independently.
Smart Bulbs. If you ever wanted to walk into your party and say, “Hey Google/Alexa, let’s party” and then your home responded by turning your smart home lighting into a multicolored, disco-ready arrangement — smart bulbs are for you. Not only can smart bulbs give you the ability to turn lights on and off remotely without needing a smart plug, but you can also change the color of the lights. If you’re looking for a smart bulb that doesn’t rely on a central hub and is easy to use, options like Lifx’s line of smart bulbs connect to an app and your smart home with very little setup.
Smart TV Devices. Forget fighting over a remote, now you can verbally spar with friends and family for control over your television! By connecting an Amazon Fire TV stick or Google Chromecast to your television, you can call up apps like Netflix, YouTube, or Spotify just by telling your smart home to open them up. Are you not entertained?
Smart Security Systems. Xfinity, Cox, and other cable companies offer security systems, and you can add on an energy package to easily integrate a smart thermostat in with smart sensors, video cameras, and other security features to create a safe and eco-friendly home. Different packages come with buildable systems that offer features like motion sensors, touch screen controllers, and remote access via an app. These security systems are installed by a professional to ensure proper use. Unlike DIY systems, cable service providers have the infrastructure and resources needed in order to provide monitoring and quality assurances that will help you sleep better at night, knowing your family is safe and sound.
Robot Vacuums. Hate vacuuming? Automate it and have a robot do it for you. The Ecovacs Deebot N79S is an Alexa-integrated robot vacuum that brings cleaning into the 21st century. The Eufy Robovac 11 is another great self-sufficient robo-vacuum choice, with different suction settings and cleaning settings, but no smart home integration. If you want a choice that’s completely automated (but on the pricier side), the Roomba i7 with Clean Base Dirt Disposal comes with an automatic dirt disposal setting so you don’t even have to empty it yourself. So, pick a robot, set a cleaning schedule, and send your automated vacuum forth into the world to eat up all those dust bunnies you know exist underneath the couch. (Right next to all the monsters that also live there, probably.)
Whether you’re moving into a new home or just revamping your current one, smart home technology offers new and exciting ways to make your life easier. Make sure you have the fastest Internet connection at the best value to keep all your home systems connected and working for you. Check out what offers are available in your area now, and stay smart.
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