Smart home devices – What used to be a scene on a futuristic TV show is now a reality. There are smart homes where almost every aspect of the house, from lights and taps to blinds and temperature, is connected and can be controlled from a central hub or remotely from your mobile device. This is all part of the IoT or the Internet of Things. This fast-growing technology has many applications, but it is particularly useful in creating a smart home.
New products are launched every day, so where do you start? Let me share with you my 6 best smart home devices for 2021 to get an idea. Prepare to be surprised.
The echo of the Amazon
At first glance, it’s a high-quality Bluetooth speaker, but that’s just the beginning. It will control the smart environment in your home through voice commands. It’s like having PA in your living room to meet all your needs, namely Siri, Cortana, and Google Now, all gathered in one. It is powered by Alexa. This is the name of the AI assistant who runs Amazon Echo and will respond to voice commands to read audiobooks, take notes, answer your diary, reminders and alarms, report time, and many other daily tasks. Most importantly, Echo will connect to other smart devices and be your central control unit for the various devices as you add them. It even works with new technologies like If this is what it is (IFTTT).
Samsung SmartThings Hub
This versatile hub is just incredible. You can buy the basic hub or starter kit and slowly build and develop your smart environment as you go. The SmartThings hub converses with a large number of smart devices and can be controlled using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, and Z-Wave technology. It operates on an Android, iOS, or Windows application. It is also ready for IFTTT and there is a growing community of developers.
Logitech’s Harmony Ultimate Home
If you don’t want to chat with Alexa or use a mobile app, you may prefer Logitech’s Harmony Ultimate Homemade. This state-of-the-art universal remote control will solve all your problems. Forget everything you knew about universal remotes, as this is in an entirely different league. It communicates with Harmony Home’s amazing hub while driving all of your Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, ZigBee technology, Z-Wave technology, or other infrared devices in your home, all at the press of a button or two.
The NV Piper
If you’re looking for a quality, smart indoor camera, it won’t look much better than Piper NV. Watch live actions from anywhere on your iOS or Android mobile device, as well as control other smart devices using Z-Wave. Back to the camera, it’s a brilliant quality that offers digital, panoramic tilt, and zoom functionality and works well in low light. It also offers duplex audio if you want to communicate with someone in the camera area.
The Nest Cam Outdoor
For a good outdoor camera, the weatherproof Nest Cam is the one you should be looking for. Obviously, it has a weatherproof box.
It works via Wi-Fi, transmitting a copy in real-time in the video up to 1080p. Access it on mobile apps or the internet. You can also configure it to alert you in case of movement or audio.
Philips Hue lights
Even the lights have become smart. Still quite expensive, but the Philips Hue line offers lamps that you can control in both color and brightness. It works across multiple platforms, including Alexa, IFTTT, and Siri.
These are just a few of the many examples available. The intelligent future explains many more options and applications for the smart home.
So, waiting at a traffic light on the way home, you may be taking a shower, putting on the kettle, adjusting the temperature and lighting, and putting on some soft music in the background, before entering the door. The applications are endless and very exciting.
