Getting started with a smart home I lived in a smart home for 20 years. This is what you should know. I lived in a smart home for 20 years. This is what you should know. MakeUseOf spoke to one of our regular readers and commenters, Ben Stutt, from Rock Hill, South Carolina, USA, about his experiences living in a smart home. Read More How much does a smart home really cost? How much does a smart home really cost? A smart home could change your life, freeing up time in your day and regulating your routine so you don't have to remember what needs to be done. But how expensive is it, really? Read more . In fact, the hardest part of having a smart home is researching and choosing which projects to pursue!
And one of the best advances in home automation is the growing integration of Alexa voice control. How does Siri work? Voice control explained Alexa, how does Siri work? Voice Control Explained The world is moving towards voice commands for everything, but how exactly does voice control work? Why is it so glitchy and restricted? This is what you need to know as a lay user. Read More Wouldn't it be nice if you could start brewing coffee or close the blinds with just one voice command? Well it's possible.
There are a number of different options here that provide ways to integrate voice commands with various products. Check them all out because they are unique:choose the one that best suits your needs.
Amazon wasn't the first to introduce voice control to the home, but it certainly brought the concept to the masses with the debut of the Echo. Technically speaking, the Echo is just a "wireless bluetooth speaker" - but what makes it amazing is its ability to interface with other smart products. How the Amazon Echo can make your home a smart home How the Amazon Echo can make your home a smart home Smart home technology is still in its infancy, but a new product from Amazon called the "Echo" may help bring it to life. mainstream. Read more.
Echo is a device that always listens. For example, you can connect it to Phillips Hue lights and turn them on or off simply by saying, “Turn off the lights in the kitchen.” Other brands the Echo can connect to include Belkin WeMo, Samsung SmartThings, Nest, Insteon and more.
You can also order additional Echo Dot units Amazon Echo vs. Dot vs. Tap:What are the key differences? Amazon Echo vs. Dot vs. Tap:What are the key differences? A common complaint against the Amazon Echo was that it had too many features and cost too much. Amazon's response to that? Launching two variations with smaller price tags:the Tap and the Echo Dot. Read More it lacks the dedicated speaker (but allows you to connect your own external one) and is therefore half the price. Having said all this, the Amazon Echo It's one of the coolest products on the market right now.
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Still not convinced? Check out these incredibly creative ways to use the Echo 7 Creative Uses for Amazon Echo and Alexa 7. Creative Uses for Amazon Echo and Alexa. You've seen the ads starring Alec Baldwin, but you're still not sure what the Amazon Echo does or if you need one in your home. We're about to find out. Read More
CastleOS It is not an operating system in the common sense. It's just a central “engine” that runs on Windows and connects to a host of smart devices, acting as a central “operator” between all the smart devices in your home. Few people know it, but it's really impressive.
To use voice commands, you will need to connect a Microsoft Kinect. I know, you probably don't have a Kinect just sitting around your house, but once you realize that CastleOS lets you create custom #C voice scripts that can do just about anything, you'll want to invest in one. Q>
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CastleOS supports all major smart home protocols out of the box:Nest, WeMo, Z-Wave, Ecobee, X10, Sonos, Insteon, Lutron, and more. It's also future-proof thanks to its open architecture, which means future protocols can be integrated later without much hassle.
If you are an Android user and you are not using Google Now yet, then you are missing out. It can do some amazing things, including great hands-free convenience while driving. Do everything in the car. Hands free with Google now. Do everything in the car. Hands free with Google now. You don't have to text and drive. In fact, you can do a lot with just your voice while driving, even more than texting! Read More in fact, it integrates really well with a ton of popular apps. Read more.
But what's even more impressive is that Google Now can now automate your home life. How to use Google Now to automate your home and life. How to use Google Now to automate your home and life. Google Now can serve as voice control for your smart home gadgets. post to your favorite social media accounts, and even track your health. Read more. Not directly, unfortunately, but with a little IFTTT magic, you'll be able to create all sorts of automated tasks and integrations that will make your home life easier and more enjoyable.
Perhaps the best example is how Google Now it can integrate with Nest Thermostats via IFTTT, and if you use it well enough, you could end up cutting your home's heating bill in half every month 7 Nest automation tricks to cut your heating bill in half 7 Nest automation tricks to cut your heating bill in half If there was a Nest thermostat in every home, it would have the biggest impact on energy use in history; And it could save you more money than you can imagine. That is how. Read more . Other integration ideas include Fitbits, WeMo devices, SmartThings products, Wink devices, etc.
Sure, Google Now doesn't directly integrate with all of this stuff, but who cares? IFTTT is not only amazing, but you'll be able to use IFTTT for hundreds of other ideas, so you might as well learn it.
Not many people have heard of Ivee, mainly because the company hasn't done anything noteworthy yet. If you look at Amazon, you'll find some devices that never really got much traction, like the Flex (voice-controlled radio) and the Digit (voice-controlled alarm clock).
Now Ivee is advancing to the big leagues with the Voice, a voice-controlled home assistant reminiscent of the aforementioned Amazon Echo. The Voice is committed to connecting and controlling all kinds of smart devices and services.
It actually looks quite promising, but the downside is that it's still in the final stages of development and production. You can pre-order one of these for $99 and have it delivered in April or May 2016, but there are only 54 units available at this time.
Or you can wait for mass production, which is currently on track to begin in September with the first public units shipping in October.
the Nucleus is an interesting product because it is a unique device with a specific purpose:a "smart intercom" that facilitates better communication between friends and family, not only within the same house but between multiple houses if necessary.
There are three important features to know about: Room-to-room video, home-to-home video, and mobile-to-home video. It's like a dedicated Skype or FaceTime device that's surprisingly flexible with lots of ancillary features you're likely to like.
In fact, the Core can do many other things. It works as a music player, a security camera network, a baby monitor, but most importantly, it can seamlessly integrate with Nest, SmartThings, and Insteon devices right out of the box. .
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And because Nucleus supports voice commands, this means you can control connected smart devices simply by speaking.
Obviously there are better solutions if voice control is the main thing you need, but if you plan on getting a smart intercom anyway, then this is a wonderful extra feature to have.
Internet Of Things Is Gaining Popularity These Days Internet Of Things:10 Useful Products You Should Try In 2016 Internet Of Things:10 Useful Products You Should Try In 2016 The Internet of Things is on the rise in 2016, but what does it do? it's? mean exactly? How do you personally benefit from the Internet of Things? Here are some useful products to illustrate. Read More In fact, there are some big names making their way into the entire IoT trend, and one of those big names is Microsoft with its Cortana integration.
If you haven't heard, Cortana will one day be able to connect to and control all sorts of devices in your home, Including your refrigerator, washing machine, lights and more, and you can control it all remotely with a compatible Windows device.
The downside is that Microsoft isn't exactly known for its care of user privacy (as evidenced by all the privacy issues in Windows 10 Windows 10 is watching:Should I be worried? Windows 10 is watching:Should I be worried? Since Its launch Windows 10 has been dogged by rumors about user privacy. Some of these are accurate, while others are myths. But what is Windows 10 privacy based on, really? Read More) so if you're concerned about smart devices tracking your personal data. How much of your personal data could smart devices track? How much of your personal data could smart devices track? Smart home privacy and security concerns are as real as ever. And while we love the idea of smart technology, this is just one of many things to consider before diving... Read More
For those who don't know, Apple actually has a framework for smart devices called HomeKit, and with it you can integrate and control such smart devices. Philips Hue works with HomeKit:how to get the most out of it Philips Hue works with HomeKit:how to get the most out of it Philips has finally managed to integrate HomeKit into its Hue lighting platform, and it's amazing. This is what you need to know. Read More In fact, you can even control HomeKit devices with Siri!
The technology is relatively new, but we have already begun to experiment with it. For example, see How to Create a Siri Controlled Wi-Fi Light How to Make a DIY Siri Controlled Wi-Fi Light How to Make a DIY Siri Controlled Wi-Fi Light In this guide, you will learn how to create a Wi-Fi controllable light. -Fi and control it with Siri. Read more . Or go one step further and create a Siri-controlled Sonos sound + lights system How to Use Siri to Set the Scene for Romance How to Use Siri to Set the Scene for Romance Yesterday we showed you how to create a Wi-Fi light; Today we're going to take advantage of that knowledge to make Siri work with Sonos and then put it together in a romantic scene. Read more . It's great what you can do.
But as you can see from the instructions, the process is quite advanced and not user friendly. The sad thing is that even though HomeKit has been out for a few months now, there aren't many HomeKit compatible devices yet. Screening your smart home for Apple. HomeKit compatibility. Future Smart Home Review for Apple. The possibilities are quite limited at the moment.
For now, you're probably better off with one of the other options in this post or foregoing voice control in favor of IFTTT-based smart home integrations. Smart IFTTT Smart Home Integrations for your life. The future of the smart home is now. And thanks to online websites like IFTTT, creating a smart home is easier and more impressive than ever. Read more instead.
These are not the only options available, but they are the ones that are most exciting and show the most potential for mainstream adoption. However, if you are more of a DIY person and want to try something more complex, check out Jasper and VoxCommando .
In general, remember that smart home automation is not expensive. 6 Types of Home Automation You Can Really Afford 6 Types of Home Automation You Can Really Afford Are you ready to join the smart home revolution but worried it's beyond your budget? Smart homes aren't that expensive, and there are plenty of components the average homeowner can afford. Read More You're not sure where to start? Try These Smart Home Products That Are Well Worth It Attention Homeowners:5 Smart Home Features Worth the Extra Cost Attention Homeowners:5 Smart Home Features Worth the Extra Cost What smart home features are worth it? Which ones can be safely discarded and ignored? Let's take a look at some that are really worth it. Read More 9 Reputable Smart Home Brands with Products You Can Trust. 9 Reputable Smart Home Brands with Products You Can Trust. the longer you hold on, the harder it will be when the day of conversion comes. Read more.
Are you going to set up voice control in your own home? If so, which of these solutions appeals to you the most? If not, how is it possible? Share with us in the comments below!
