It might feel like our houses aren’t as high-tech as they should be – we’re in the 21st century, but where are the robot-cleaners and self-cooking meals? Well, we’re not quite at that level (yet), but you’ll be surprised with what you can do.
You can bring the future into your home by using our advice on smart technologies. We can tell you about smart kitchen essentials including a good quality single wall oven, locks that know you’re coming and doorbells that let you know who’s coming no matter where you are. Let’s take one small step into allowing technology take up some of the slack around your house.
House automation is now a reality and can really make your home feel futuristic. There are a variety of kits available that let you control lighting, temperature, blinds and much more from your smartphone. What’s more, you can hook up systems to motion trackers, so lights come on and off as you walk through your house. In terms of security, the August Smart Lock can be locked via Wi-Fi, automatically unlocks when you approach it and monitor traffic in and out of your house, keeping a detailed log of comings and goings. In the kitchen, the LG Smart ThinQ refrigerator knows everything that’s inside it and can suggest recipes on its LCD touchscreen. It can even send you a shopping list when it’s low on stock.
Your living room can be the smartest room in the house. Many of us often use tablets while we watch TV, did you know you can control one with the other? Xbox Smartglass lets you easily control your console from your tablet (along with interaction with some games) and then there are universal remote accessories for Android and Apple tablets. All this without mentioning the TV itself – smart televisions are gaining popularity, being able to surf Youtube, watch Netflix and even make Skype calls. For the ultimate in entertainment, however, you might want to consider purchasing a media center PC. They can provide a platform for not only playing DVDs and Blu-Rays but also accessing a wide variety of streaming services, saving space by downloading purchased movies to its hard drive and they’re customizable to your needs.
Your home doesn’t get less smart when you’re away, either. There are technologies out there that allow you to stay connected and informed about what’s going on back at base. Smart doorbell systems, such as Doorbot, allow you to see and even talk to visitors wherever you are – handy for rescheduling visits. For less welcome guests, the Canary security system features cameras that are triggered by motion detectors, once again sending information directly to you online (also useful for keeping an eye on pets). This extends to the garden: there’s technology out there that connects your plants to Twitter and lets them tweet you when they’re feeling thirsty. The future is truly here, and embracing it could mean making life just that little bit more magical.
Debbie Fletcher is an enthusiastic, experienced writer who has written for a range of difference magazines and news publications. Follow her here:@Debbie_Fletch18