Smart home technology is no longer reserved for the rich or tech-savvy, and the tech industry has responded with ever more sophisticated solutions. Many people believe that smart home technology is a result of gadgets such as Google’s Nest or Amazon’s Echo however the term encompasses many other solutions for your house. They range from remote-controlled heating and lighting to CCTV home security systems, doorbells and smart locks. Some let you monitor elderly relatives, pets, children and even monitor your children.
The most important aspect of any smart home bizcrisis.net system is integration. That is why the best products available are those that can work with other devices and systems to make your home smarter. A smart light bulb, for instance is able to communicate with an central hub to set your lights to a set schedule or turn them off after you leave the house. A video doorbell could warn you of any visitors and trigger your alarm system to call the police or fire department. Once you’ve got the hang of IFTTT (If This Then That) it is possible to use services such as Stringify to automate your devices in more sophisticated ways.
Of course, bringing new smart devices to the home is not without its own concerns. CNET strives to be aware of the privacy policies of companies, voice concerns and direct questions to companies.