Build your smart house this year
According to Google, nearly 7 million Google Home Devices were sold over the holiday season, with Amazon's “Alexa” selling multiple millions as well. For most Canadians, these virtual voice assistants are likely their homes first smart device and they are discovering just how intelligent voice search has become.
One can safely predict that the popularity of these smart home devices as well as the reliance on the voice intelligent features of our phones are only going to increase over time. More and more people will become familiar with these AI assistants and will see their potential for making their homes safer, and more convenient.
The Ultimate Smart Home Accessories
For those looking for to create a ‘smarter’ home this year, we will highlight some great trends in home renovations and smart home technology worth investing in. You will find that most of the products we discuss will not only save you from some minor inconveniences, but they could also save you thousands of dollars over their lifetime.
1. Voice Enabled Smart Home Assistant
AI like Google assistant, Siri, and Amazon’s Alexa can do way more than tell you the weather outside, order your groceries, and play music. There are many different accessories and equipment that you can control with only the sound of your voice. All the following accessories we are about to list can be controlled with your voice.
2. Smart locks
Do you ever leave the house not remembering if you locked the door? Not only can you check the status of your door on your phone, but you can also lock it as well. At home, you can instantly feel more secure just by saying “Ok Alexa, lock the front door”.
3. Wi-fi light bulbs
The most popular smart lights on the market are the Phillips Hue, but many other brands are quickly jumping in on the trend. When it’s dark or your hands are full, just say “Ok, Google, turn on the lights” and your all set. These types of lightbulbs can also dim and change colour on command as well.
4. Smart plugs
Before we go to bed, one must make their rounds, turning off all the lights and electronics in their home. But with wifi smart plugs, all it takes is saying “Hey Siri, turn off the power in the living room and kitchen.
5. Smart Thermostats
Products like the “Nest” have been on the market for a while. You have the power to adjust the heat not only from anywhere in your house with your voice, but anywhere in the world using the mobile app. This is perfect for those looking to warm up their home 20 minutes before they arrive. Nest themselves claim that their thermostats can save on average $131 to $145 a year, paying for itself in a short window of time.
6. Smart Home Energy Monitoring
If you’re actively looking for ways to lower the utility costs on your home, you may be interested in a device like Curb Energy. By installing this device in your circuit breaker, you can get real-time energy consumption data sent right to your computer or smart device.
What to consider with smart home upgrades
It is good to note that the world of technology is always changing at a rapid rate. The sleek new Google home, smart fridge, and other smart devices may work well with you for the next 5 years, but new and improved technology will likely come to take its place in due time. So, it would be wise to keep yourself updated every 2 or 3 years on the latest in smart home technology.
To get the most out of your smart home upgrades, you may want to invest in a stronger wifi network or router to ensure instant communication and feedback. If there are areas in your home where the wifi signal is weak, you may want to consider investing in wifi range extenders.