03 Nov Home Tip of the Week: Products that Make Your Home Smarter
Though we have not yet reached full Jetson status, there are many products coming on the market to control your home remotely on your smartphone. Check out our previous post on wireless controlled lighting here. Today, we’ll explore some other great gadgets.
Indoor
- Nest Thermostat: This thermostat automatically adapts to your life and the seasons. Use it for just one week and, after that, it programs itself. Look for the leaf icon to save energy. Discover your energy usage in the Home Report and learn tips for how to use less. Control from your smartphone wherever you are and receive alerts when something isn’t working correctly.
- Quirky Aros Window Air Conditioner: Similar to the Nest Thermostat, this window air conditioner learns from your budget, location, schedule, and usage to automatically maintain the perfect temperature and maximize savings. Control it from anywhere using the Wink app.
- Nest Cam: You can use your Nest Cam as a pet or baby monitor. Watch what is happening now or check your history to see what happened earlier. Motion alerts detect any movement in the room. The Nest Cam will also alert you if there is an alarming sound like a crash or an intruder. But don’t worry, it filters out background noise, shadows, and more. You can even talk to people or pets in the room.
- Nest Protect Smoke & CO Alarm: The Nest Protect has a friendly human voice that gives you an early warning. Get alerts and silence alarms from your phone. Nest Protect also auto tests. Getting a glass of milk in the middle of the night? Nest Protect lights your way. Its split-sensor can also differentiate between fast and slow burning fires.
- iRobot Roomba Vacuum: You can take vacuuming off your cleaning to-do list with the iRobot Roomba 980. It uses a high-efficiency cleaning pattern and a full suite of sensors to map and adapt to real world clutter and furniture for thorough coverage. Control from anywhere with the app.
Outdoor
- August Smart Lock: The August Smart Lock creates virtual keys for different people and adjust the amount of time those keys work, or even delete them instantly. It auto-locks behind you and unlocks as you approach. An activity log tracks who comes and goes 24/7. The best part? Your exterior door hardware stays the same.
- August Doorbell Cam: With August Doorbell Cam, see and speak with visitors via your smartphone with a one-way camera. It detects motion even if someone doesn’t ring the doorbell and sends an alert to your phone. You can also watch recordings later.
Systems
- Samsung SmartThings Home Kit: The SmartThings Home Monitoring Kit has everything you need to start monitoring, controlling, and securing your home from anywhere.
- iSmart Alarm: DIY your home security and automation with iSmart Alarm. No contracts or monthly fees. Customize with whatever you need from sensors to cameras to switches and more.
- Belkin WeMo Switch + Motion: If it has a plug, you can plug it into the WeMo—a lamp, a coffeemaker, you name it. Once you do, you’ll be able to turn that device on and off from your phone.
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