There is a misconception that if you don't own a home, you can't own a smart home. Well, I'm here to tell you that it's possible to transform your apartment, duplex, room in your parents' house, or anywhere else you might live into a smart place, one that will impress your friends and make your life easier.
I'm telling you this because I'm about to transform my apartment and I want you to know that you can do the exact same thing.
The best way to transform your place into a smart place is to understand what you are buying . By buying products you're comfortable with, you can better configure your place to be smarter than ever before.
For me, the first step was to get a Raspberry Pi, which is an inexpensive computer and great for learning about programming languages. Plus, it opened me up to the world of DIY projects, which changed the way I spent my weekends and got me excited about other smart home appliances.
While I'm still learning, and it might have taken me a lot longer than expected to build projects that interest me, at least I feel like I'm on the road to success.
The best of the Pi, and why I think it should be the first item on your list of smart products It's because it can do so many things. As we've covered here at MakeUseOf several times before, the Pi is essential to many interesting DIY projects Raspberry Pi and Arduino Home Automation Guide Raspberry Pi and Arduino Home Automation Guide The home automation market is awash with expensive consumer systems, incompatible with each other and expensive to install. If you have a Raspberry Pi and an Arduino, you can basically accomplish the same thing in... Read More
Next up:the Amazon Echo, a bluetooth speaker that costs almost $200 USD. Although the price tag is more expensive than a Pi, it can be easily configured to work with other smart products. For many, it's a must-have as it can spice up your place and can be used for all sorts of home innovations.
Amazon Echo could also help you get in on the smart product craze, as it's pretty easy to set up right out of the box.
Another smart product to consider is an automatic coffee maker, because we all know that getting up in the morning is a chore.
Mr. Coffee, from the well-known brand WeMo, created a Wi-Fi enabled coffee maker that connects with your iPhone or Android device and brews a delicious cup of coffee in less than 7 minutes.
It's not required, as you can easily make coffee without it, but it can really make your morning routine a lot easier. I can't stress that enough.
As you get a little more serious, you may want to check out the Philips Hue smart LED lighting system, which can take lighting to the next level 4 ways Philips Hue can take your lighting to the next level 4 ways Philips Hue can push your lighting to the next level Without Philips Hue, however, the smart home concept may never have taken off. Here are some cool ways to make use of them. Read more.
The smart system can display up to 16 million colors and can be controlled by an iPhone or Android smartphone, and has proven time and time again to be a reliable piece of smart equipment.
At this point, you are almost in the process of transforming where you live. And if you want to go further, you should consider Logitech's Harmony Elite. The universal remote is easy to set up as you can do it through a mobile deive app, and it can control a wide range of smart devices, such as a TV, game consoles, lights, etc.
Like the Amazon Echo, it's also a must-have and easy to use.
Now that you have an idea of what to buy, you may want to learn more about what their products can do. Here's a quick list of projects to help you get excited
With the Raspberry Pi home automation system and OpenHAB (which also works with Arduino, an open source electronics platform), the number of projects you can do is almost limitless (with some easier than others).
First, you'll want to check out the automation guide Getting Started with OpenHAB Home Automation on Raspberry Pi Getting Started with OpenHAB Home Automation on Raspberry Pi OpenHAB is a mature, open source home automation platform that runs on a variety of hardware and protocol. agnostic, meaning it can connect to almost any home automation hardware on the market today. Read More Then consider creating smart sensors that can help keep an eye on your home.
If that's too difficult, consider checking out the list of Raspberry Pi Beginner Projects Raspberry Pi Projects for Beginners Raspberry Pi Projects for Beginners These 10 Raspberry Pi Projects for Beginners are great for getting an introduction to both hardware and software capabilities. del Pi, and they'll help you. You're up and running in no time! Read further for more ideas.
This project, bringing together the Amazon Web Service 4 Great Uses for Amazon S3 Web Services 4 Great Uses for Amazon S3 Web Services Even though Amazon is best known for its retail services, they actually offer a lot of web services for developers and home users that take advantage of Amazon's expertise and scalability with large amounts of... Read More the day. Sounds pretty cool, because who doesn't want a voice-activated system that you can interact with?
This one is really simple. Alexa asks whether or not you've remembered your keys (or anything else you want to include). You respond in response with a "yes" or "no." If you say "yes," Alexa moves on to the next item. If you say "no," Alexa tells you to fix the problem and then signs you out. When you're done, Alexa closes and wishes you well on the road with keys in hand. Not bad.
Using Philips Hue, this project aims to replace your physical light switch with a virtual one. While it may sound more like a clever novelty project, turning your lights on and off from your couch can be very convenient.
The project also connects with Unity Get Started Making VR Games in Unity 5 for Free Start Making VR Games in Unity 5 for Free Let's say you want to get involved in VR development. Where do you start? This guide will provide you with all the tools and information you need to get started! Read More, a platform that can create cross-platform 3D and 2D games and experiences.
Now that you have some options on what to buy and what projects to tackle, a couple of tips might help you further. Here's a quick list of tips to keep in mind when tackling smart projects:
As Joel Lee writes, sticking with big name brands is the first step that is absolutely crucial. 9 Reputable Smart Home Brands With Products You Can Trust 9 Reputable Smart Home Brands With Products You Can Trust The modern world is moving towards all kinds of smart home automation. and, the longer it is held, the more difficult it will be when the day of conversion comes. Read More Not all brands are perfect, but well-known brands such as Philips, Amazon, Samsung, Google, etc. have proven to be reliable and must-buy products.
It doesn't have to be expensive to work. A Raspberry Pi (and the free OpenHAB home automation platform) is a solid, affordable option, and one that smart people can choose. If you must buy something expensive, make sure it's reliable and that you're willing to take the time and invest.
The last piece of advice, and one that I personally have had to repeat to myself several times:never give up. Smart projects don't have to be technical 7 Common Smart Home Myths That Just Aren't True 7 Common Smart Home Myths That Just Aren't Smart home devices are no different than most other devices, and there are plenty of them. misconceptions that people have about them. Let's clear that up! Read More They just have to be something you're proud of. Most smart DIY guides have ratings indicating whether the projects are for beginners, intermediate students, or experts. If necessary, start with easy projects.
With the right suggestions on what to buy and what projects to tackle, making your apartment, duplex, room, or anywhere you live smart can now be a much easier task. What are you going to tackle next?
Do you have a smart home, apartment, room, etc.? Which products have? What projects are you willing to try?
