Smart home accessories are all the rage in 2016, and the Internet of Things will continue to grow in 2017 and beyond. As more parts of our homes can be connected to our phones and voices, it can be tough to keep up with all you can do. These smart home accessories are top-of-the-line options to get yourself started.
Phillips Hue Lights
Phillips offers one of the most popular and best performing smart lighting platforms on the market with the Philips Hue line of smart home connect lightbulbs.
After setting up the Hue Bridge, you can add Hue lights all over your home. Hue lights are energy efficient, easy on the eyes, and can change color from a few taps on your phone screen via WiFi or online from anywhere in the world.
Use the Hue app to customize your lighting ambiance or set timers. Hue bulbs and hubs can be purchased individually or as part of a starter kit with a combination of hubs, switches, and bulbs that match your goals for home lighting.
August Smart Lock
As you get out of the car and walk up to your front door, your house recognizes that you are home and unlocks the door, offering you a comfortable welcome home. This is not science fiction. This really happens for people today!
August Smart Lock is a lock that replaces the key on your front door and replaces it with a connected lock mechanism. It even uses existing external hardware for easy installation and a beautiful finished result.
The lock can be locked or unlocked using the August app, or connect it to a smart home hub or Amazon Echo to open using trigger actions like connecting your phone to your home’s WiFi or by voice! You can even grant access to others who download the app to let the maid in from the office or check to make sure the kids got home alright from school. This smart lock is a winner!
Nest Thermostat
Do you like the home a little warmer in the morning and a little cooler at night while you sleep? Do you struggle to deal with complicated timers and settings on old fashioned digital thermostats? Smart thermostat = problem solved!
The Nest Thermostat, made by Google, learns the patterns of what you like and what you don’t and automatically adjusts to match your preferences. The thermostat also knows when you are away from home thanks to your phone’s WiFi connection, and builds a schedule to save you money by lowering heating and cooling while you are away from the home at work. Save money, help the environment, and get a taste of the future with a smart thermostat.
Amazon Echo
These fancy appliances and connected home features are great, but most of them require you to use a smartphone app to control everything and a central hub to tie it all together. Once everything is connected, take it a step further with voice control.
An Amazon Echo is a speaker with far field voice recognition that can do a whole host of handy tasks for you and control your smart lights, locks, and thermostat with your voice.
Just say “Alexa” and your Echo starts listening for your commands. Ask for the weather, the news, music, or change the color of the lighting, unlock the door, and lower the temperature to kick off your next social gathering with style. All with your voice!
Start Your Future Home Today
What if your home recognized you as you walked up to your front door? The door could be unlocked, the lights on, and the thermostat set to your favorite temperature all before you walk in the door. That is totally possible with today’s smart home technology. Don’t have your dream home yet, find it with the help of the perfect real estate agent for your needs.
What are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments!
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