It is pretty easy to turn your home into a Smart Home now. Smart home devices are ever-increasing, with newer products, with the latest features rolling out every year – even better than before. And we have technology to thank for that.
Smart technology started off with being available and only catered at a commercial or industrial level for some time. Robots in factories replacing employees, software data that doesn’t require certain office roles anymore making them redundant, automatic doors, escalators and even sensor lights. You would’ve normally found such technology in malls, hospitals, big factories, universities – you get the picture.
Over time smart technology has entered the domestic market, one product at a time. As of the present, the Smart Home catalog extends beyond two or three ‘fascinating’ devices. It was like a privilege to have sensor lights in your home, or curtains that would drawback with remote control. But now it’s the much simpler things, and simpler, affordable devices that can turn your home into a smart home within a matter of minutes!
Voice Assistants: Are They Worth It?
Having a voice assistant around is obviously a great help because well, you have your own virtual assistant! Whether you have a Smart Home or not, it doesn’t matter, because they are a very useful technology to have. Voice assistants come installed in smartphones, the first one ever being Siri in Apple iPhones; then they also come installed in Smart Speakers, like the Amazon Echo featuring Alexa and the Google Nest Speakers featuring the Google Assistant. Here is what voice assistants can be great for around a smart home.
Interconnectivity
The greatest thing about voice assistants is that they are usually compatible with other smart devices around your home. Could be anything from your smartphones, smart TVs, Chromecast, lights and thermostats – even a smart coffee machine if you happen to have one! It’s easy to connect your devices with a voice assistant and control them with just your voice; hands-free help if you will.
Voice-Enabled Control
Interconnectivity is what brings us to our next point: voice-enabled control. Syncing your smart devices to a voice assistant, whether it is through your smartphone or a smart speaker, enables you to control them with your voice. Simple voice commands like ‘Hey Alexa, turn down the thermostat in the living room’ or ‘Hey Google, play Blinding Lights’ are enough to get it going.
Voice assistants make it so much easier for you to carry out simple tasks. Switching on the lights, playing your music from Spotify or YouTube playlists, reading out and sending texts or emails while you do your laundry, even unlocking your smart lock if you can’t get to the door yourself.
Check for the weather forecast, ask your voice assistant about the traffic situation before you head out for work, set reminders for yourselves and schedules for your other smart devices to follow too. It really is impressive what this technology can really do.
Over time Amazon’s Alexa has been known to adapt to new things making it one of the most advanced voice assistants to exist. There is of course the Google Assistant, Siri, Cortana and Bixby – but these still fall behind in the game when it comes to compatibility with other smart home devices. Though they may be installed in smartphones, you would more commonly find smart speakers installed with Alexa or Google Assistant.
Smart Home Gadgets worth Investing In
Given that voice assistants are essentially a crucial part of a smart home in particular, what would you possibly need to turn your ordinary home into a Smart Home then? Here are some smart home gadgets that are worth investing in for a complete Smart Home feel.
- Smart Thermostats
You would be lucky to have a smart thermostat installed in your home. Not only are these devices’ voice assistants compatible and controllable through our smartphones, but they work towards reducing energy wastage which basically also means lower utility bills for you to pay!
- Smart Door Locks
Take security up by a notch with a smart door lock on any doors that enter into your home. Smart door locks provide keyless and tamperproof entry into your homes, allowing you to unlock your doors with either personalized passcodes or simply with the tap of a button on your phones – from practically wherever you stand might we add.
- Smart Lights
Having a voice assistant and smart lights is like the best combination for a home. Imagine not only turning your lights on or off with your mobile phones, but also with your voice! Just woke up? Ask Alexa to switch on the lights. Cozied into your couch ready for date night and a movie? Just speak up and your voice assistant would turn off the lights!
- Video Doorbell
Another device for home safety that would work great in a smart home and with voice assistants. Get alerts on your mobile devices and through your voice assistant when someone is at the door, whether the bell has been rung or not. Watch the video feed from your smartphones from wherever you are – work, home or miles away on vacation.
- Smart Smoke Detector
Smart devices can double as security and safety gadgets for you home, and that is exactly what smart smoke detectors can do. Not only do these devices detect smoldering and fast-burning fires, but they can also pick up on carbon monoxide leaks.
Running a smart home will require your devices to be interconnected and in sync with one another in order for smooth functioning. That is precisely why voice assistants are a crucial part of a smart home. They provide seamless connectivity, just with simple voice commands. Head on over to www.firstenergyhome.com and browse through their collection of voice assistants that would fit right into any home.
Jesse Ortiz is an avid home blogger, with the goal of helping his readers find inspiration and ideas for their next project. He writes about everything from small design projects to large renovations. His goal is to help people transform their homes into something that reflects who they are.
