A Handy Guide to Making Your New Home Smart

Currently in the process of buying a house? Chances are, you’ve heard the term ‘smart home’, though you might not be sure exactly what it means. Well, as technology continues to advance at lightning speed, it’s becoming integrated into more areas of our lives. A smart home’s features and appliances are generally wi-fi enabled, meaning you can control them remotely via your phone or tablet. From locks and lights to TVs and coffee machines, all manner of devices can now be activated remotely, making for a very futuristic living experience! Here’s how to get on board the exciting ‘Internet of Things’ revolution…

Voice Assistant

Built around the same voice recognition that lets you ask questions of your smartphone, Google Assistant, Alexa and Siri are also available for your home. On command, your AI will play music, make phone calls, let you know the weather forecast and add appointments to your diary, all though its nifty wi-fi smart speakers. But that’s not all. From there, you can hook up a whole load of devices (depending on compatibility) with your Assistant to make your day-to-day tasks and activities even more seamless.  

Plug It In

These handy little gadgets are an easy way to ‘smartify’ pretty much any appliance. Simply plug in your device – be it lamp, fan or electric blanket – and use the accompanying app to control it over your home’s wi-fi. That way, you can switch appliances on or off when you’re not there. Before you purchase though, bear in mind you may need a compatible version of the plug if you want to hook up appliances to your centralised smart system.   

Stay Secure

Smart home technology is a great way to ensure your house stays safe. Footage from your premise’s security cameras can be live-streamed via your smart TV, while innovative video doorbells allow you to see and converse with visitors before letting them in. Smart locks monitor who enters and leaves your home while you’re away, while pet watch apps even allow you to remotely feed your dog or cat!

Kitchen Convenience

One of the most exciting areas for this streamlined technology is the kitchen, as smart ovens, fridges and utensils add layers of convenience to the process of preparing meals. No time for morning coffee? You do now! Simply set your smart machine to kick into action at 7.30am, or to monitor via GPS when you’re approaching home in the evening. A smart cooker’s settings and temperature can be monitored and controlled remotely, leaving you free to tend to other chores while your food cooks. The sleek smart fridges of the future include interior cameras so you can check contents through your phone, and external screens where you can make notes, add recipes or create shopping lists.

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