Smart devices are all the rage in this present day and can be found in almost all American households; from products like smart garage openers to smart locks, technology is revolutionizing the living experience. And much like all other smart devices on the market, there is a huge variety of products and brands to choose from.
With an increase in expenditure of the normal American family during the recent Covid-19 pandemic, people had started to invest heavily in digital gadgets like laptops, PCs, Wi-Fi routers, gaming consoles – all to guarantee a consistent and safe environment for them as well as their friends and family as the world adjusts back into normalcy.
The use of smart devices over the past recent years has increased quite a lot, especially in terms of the variety as accessibility through our smartphones has become possible; effectively providing us with the option to check the locks to our homes, or the temperature our homes are set to by the simple tap of a finger. Comfort, convenience and security are what is brought around by these smart gadgets.
There are numerous advantages to installing these smart gadgets in our living spaces. In addition to the fact that they provide the ease of control of these smart devices from practically anywhere, regardless of whether you are at home or away, you can generally depend on these devices to alert you in real-time as to whatever is happening in your home!
Furthermore, they help in cutting back on and using energy in the most idealistic manner, which isn’t just better for the climate but also great for being light on your pocket when it comes to monthly utility bills.
What Standard Device You Can Switch With a Smart One
With technology progressing at this fast of a pace, you would eventually have to swap some of your old devices with smart ones. Here are two such devices that you probably should and why.
1.Smart Thermostats vs. Traditional Thermostats
Smart Thermostats are changing the way people now regulate the temperature inside their houses. Unlike the standard thermostat, these thermostats provide users with the ability to regulate their temperatures through remote control via smartphones or even voice commands – that too from wherever you are. They feature smart indoor regulators that can distinguish movement, which means your thermostat can basically analyze and deduce whether you are away from home, and save energy in the process by automatically shutting down.
Additionally, integrating a smart thermostat in your household enables it to turn the temperature up or down depending on the weather conditions, which not only helps in saving energy for the environment but also allows the user to save up by cutting back on the monthly heating and cooling bills. Through smart analysis reports of energy utilization, you can additionally figure out where and how you can save more. Gone are the days when you would have to walk up and manually change the temperature to your liking. It can easily be done through a simple ‘Hey Alexa’ or with one tap on your smartphone.
Smart Thermostats like the Honeywell smart thermostat series can really help provide you with the ultimate user experience without compromising on quality, even if you are on a budget. Honeywell smart thermostats retail and range from about $69 up to the highest price point of $199.
2. Smart Cameras vs. Surveillance Cameras
Smart Cameras provide a safe and secure environment for every household, not that regular surveillance cameras didn’t do the same. But with the ability to connect smart cameras directly to your smartphones, users can have peace of mind while they are away from home whether it is for work or for vacation – without having to worry about what’s happening and waiting to get home to check on things.
For your home to feel secure and in order to create a safe environment you would need a camera that can provide you with crisp, high-quality image of the inside and outside of your household premises – nobody likes a hazy and grainy video feed where it’s difficult to figure out details. This is where smart cameras come in; they provide HDR video quality while giving the user an excellent view of their property, with the ability to expertly distinguish between animals, people and vehicles and giving the user convenient cautions. You won’t have to keep utilizing conventional cameras with sub-par features anymore.
These smart camera devices require Wi-Fi connectivity that helps them record and store the camera feed live, but also include additional Cloud storage that allows the cameras to upload the live video feed for later viewing – it doesn’t leave a single moment where security can be compromised.
What’s The Catch Though?
Smart devices are your best bet at keeping up with the technology advancements and making your home more secure, along with the ease of convenience and automation. But is there a catch? Here is what you should know about Smart devices.
Smart devices, almost every one of them require having to be connected to the home Wi-Fi network. In the case where the internet connectivity lags, chances are the command set for these devices will lag as well. So if you were to turn on the heating while driving home from work, but the internet is having connectivity issues at home, then your smart thermostat would probably not receive its programmed commands in time.
Another thing to know is that smart devices can be pricey. Some are affordable, while some can be pretty expensive too. But are they worth it? A hundred percent! Smart devices serve as energy-efficient means of reducing your bills over time, not to mention they are a literal investment into your home. Head on over to FirstEnergy Home’s website and check out their catalog of smart home devices. You’ll definitely want to buy some for your home!
