There has been a rise in smart homes over the years and this only seems to be growing. According to Oberlo, it is projected that 64.1 million houses will be using smart devices by 2025. What is the hype?
Smart Homes
Home owners with smart homes use internet connected devices for remote monitoring and to manage appliances. This home automated system controls locks, thermostats, lights, TVs, cameras and more all through a central device such as a tablet or laptop. It is now common to have smart devices in one’s home, such as: cameras to track what’s going on outside or inside one’s home when the owners aren’t around or LED lights that can change colors through an app on a smartphone.
Investopedia shared “Security and efficiency are the main reasons behind the increase in smart home technology use” (Hayes, 2022).
Smart homes can be secure if the process is done correctly. It is common for cameras and networks to be hacked into, but safety protocol needs to be addressed. This can be done by isolating the smart home network from all other networks by setting up guest networks. Kaspersky shared more about guest Wi-Fi networks here.
There is no denial that smart homes are efficient by helping to save energy and money. Philips’ Smart Bulb, for example, is an LED bulb that used 75% less energy and can be dimmed. For people who second guess if they shut their lights or locked their doors when they left the house, these issues can be fixed by a click of a smartphone.
How to Turn Smart Homes into Home Fashions
Ring Video Doorbell 3:
This 1080p HD video doorbell has enhanced features to detect any motion in front of the user’s door. The user can then interact with the person at the door video a connected device such as a smartphone or tablet. This upgrade of the Ring doorbell also strengthened the Wi-Fi connectivity for more accurate motion triggers. The Ring Protected Plan (sold separately) records all videos up to 180 days and makes videos and photos shareable. Ring provides two color options to the consumer – silver or black – so the consumer can make a purchase based on which one would look better on their house exterior. It’s on sale now for $139.99!
Echo Studio Speaker:
Amazon claims that the Echo Studio Speaker is their best sounding speaker – ever. This speaker provides an immersive audio experience with a powerful bass to improve clarity, dynamic midrange, and crisp highs. Songs can be streamed directly from Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and Pandora. The sound system adapts to any room and optimizes its playback for the best consumer experience. Users can also speak to Alexa through the speaker to play music, read the news, answer questions, and control compatible devices. Alexas throughout the house can also share messages from one room to another, like an intercom. This speakers has a built in Smart Home Hub which means it can discover any compatible devices to control lights, plug ins, and other demands. Most importantly, this device was designed to protect user’s privacy. There is a microphone off button that disconnects microphones so the device isn’t listening at all times. Thanks to Black Friday… this is on sale for $154.99.
Blink Outdoor 5 Cam Kit Bundle with Echo Show 5:
Although the Ring Video Doorbell gives you motion video access to who is at your front door, it is safe to have other security cameras surrounding your home. The Blink Outdoor Cameras are wireless battery powered HD security cameras that help you monitor your home during the day or at night thanks to the infrared night vision feature. These cameras run up to two years by using two AA batteries. These cameras were created to withstand any types of weather conditions from the outside of your home. Don’t worry about hiring a professional to set these up, it is easy installation that can be done in minutes. The Blink Home Monitor app allows the user to create motion zones and sends notifications to the user when there are breeches of motion. The app also allows for two way audio communication with whoever is outside of the home. The Blink Subscription Plan (sold separately) stores videos into a cloud and saves events locally to a USB drive. A great advantage to these cameras are that they are not too noticeable or bulky, they can be easily hidden and do not cause too much attention to them. Check them out, they are on sale for $199.99!
Echo Show 15:
The Echo Show 15 is a full HD 15.6″ display for family organization. The display shows widgets like shared calendars, personal sticky notes, to-do lists, shopping lists, or assigned reminders. Alexa helps the family with giving recipe inspiration with step-by-step instructions and adds ingredients to your cart. It can also order your take out for you! Similar to the other Amazon devices, it can detect other devices within the household and adds them to the home screen for quick access. Once you are done with your tasks and to-do lists, you can tune into some entertainment like Prime Video or Hulu or stream music or an audiobook. Connect your device to your Facebook for a full screen photo frame feature to go through photo albums or you can pick one picture and have it there like a picture frame while not in use! Another great feature is that each member of the family can create their own profile so it is tailored to their tasks and suggestions. This device truly centers your smart home by connecting everyone in the family and keeps calendars organized in one place. You can also tune into live camera feeds. This device has an energy dashboard so the user can understand the energy usage and can also transition into low power mode. The Echo Show 15 is a great device to get a household into becoming a smart home! It is on sale now for $169.99.
Other devices to check out:
Google Nest Thermostat: A programmable Wi-Fi Thermostat available in four colors to match your home and creates an energy efficient schedule through the Google Home App. This item is currently on sale for $89.98!
Brilliant Smart Home Control: This 2 switch panel has access to controlling Ring, Sonos, Hue, Google Nest, Wemo, SmartThings, and Apple HomeKit devices. There are controls for lights, music, lock access, and thermostats. This device simply replaces the light switch. There is also a build in camera with a privacy shutter. This has access to many appliances at the tips of your fingers, on sale now for $404.99!
Flume 2 Smart Home Water Monitor & Water Leak Detector: This device detects any water leaks before damage is caused. Additionally, users can collected detailed data of the home’s water usage right onto their smartphone. This feature can help the user reduce waste and conserve water. This encourages users to create water use budgets to save monthly on water bills. This smart home device is now on sale for $149.00!
Advantages of Switching to Smart Home Automation
There are some practical advantages that BlueSpeedAV shared that would be helpful to you as a consumer (2016). Here are 7:
- Managing all smart home devices from one central device
- Flexibility for new devices and appliances
- Maximizing home security
- Remote control home functions
- Increased energy efficiency
- Improved appliance functionality
- Home Management Insights
Each of the products I shared above check off each these boxes. It is important to do great research into the products, look the it’s reviews, and watch some consumer videos about the product to see how trustworthy it is. Here is one video you can check out to get started with your Smart Home collection:
The Downsides
Of course Smart Homes seem oh-so-glamorous, but there are some factors that homeowners must evaluate before making the transition.
First, it gets costly! Even the Black Friday sales were not exactly cheap, but you have to put in the research to understand the investments that are being made and how long they are going to last.
Second, home owners are afraid of being hacked. As mentioned in the beginning of the blog, there are ways around this to ensure your highest security while depending on so many technological devices within your home.
Lastly, it may be hard to link products. Whatever products you plan to invest in, make sure they are compatible with each other so they can all connect to one central device.
These downsides can be fixed by becoming more technologically literate.
Final Consensus
This is just the beginning of Smart Homes. There are already many colors to match homes for devices, and the devices are set up to adjust colors and sounds of the home. Additionally, there are other ways to keep it stylish, like by strategically placing TVs in between art works, or consolidating the control center so it is barely noticeable and making them multifunctional to act as a photo album or as an LED light.
These are all important aspects of home fashion and contribute to a homeowners dream home. The best way to see if this transition is for you is by making a cost-benefit analysis by measuring the benefits of the purchase minus the cost of that purchase.
It is not uncommon to have speculations about shifting to a fully technological reliant home, but the innovation proves to be trustworthy and projections seem to be increasing each year.
Maybe take a look at those Black Friday deals and get back to me with your decision… Happy Shopping!
References:
Aver, H., Grustniy, L., & Larkina, A. (n.d.). What’s a guest Wi-Fi network, and why do you need one? Retrieved from https://usa.kaspersky.com/blog/guest-wifi/16271/
Hayes, A. (2022, September 21). Smart Home: Definition, How They Work, Pros and Cons. Retrieved from https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/smart-home.asp
Lin, Y. (n.d.). US Smart Home Statistics (2018–2025). Retrieved from https://www.oberlo.com/statistics/smart-home-statistics
Ultimate Guide to Starting and Growing a Smart Home. (2020, August 15). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_vtoUmkot4
User, B. (n.d.). The 7 Greatest Advantages of Smart Home Automation. Retrieved from https://bluespeedav.com/blog/item/7-greatest-advantages-of-smart-home-automation
Gabriella Marinelli 