Smart home technology has become a common option for all people, not just those who are wealthy and technologically adept. The tech industry has responded by developing ever more sophisticated solutions. While many people associate this technology with gadgets such as Google’s Nest and Amazon’s Echo or Apple’s HomeKit, the term is much more broad than that and covers many different options for your home. This includes everything from remote-controlled heating and lighting to CCTV home security systems, doorbells and smart locks. Some even let you keep tabs on children elderly relatives, pets and children; monitor water or electricity usage, and so on.
The main ingredient in any smart home system is integration. This is why the top products available are those that integrate with other systems and devices to make your property smarter. A smart light bulb, for example is able to communicate with an central hub to schedule your lights to run on a timer or turn them off after leaving the house. A video doorbell could notify you of visitors who aren’t expected, and your alarm system can call the police or fire departments. Once you’ve learned IFTTT (If This Then That), you can use services like Stringify to automate your devices in more sophisticated ways.
Of course, bringing in a range of new smart devices to your home comes with its own set of concerns. CNET works hard to understand company policies, raise privacy concerns, and even direct questions to companies.
