So tell me - what is a Smart Home?

January 03, 2020

Smart Homes. Connected Home. Home Automation. All terminologies surrounding the bigger Internet of Things and the Connected Life. But what does that really mean? 

Let me paint you a picture. You arrive home after a long hard day; you've been pining for that glass of wine and chillax on your couch all afternoon. Your hands are full of heavy shopping but instead of having to fumble for your keys, the front door automatically unlocks. You walk through into the hallway greeted by your 'zen zone' - the welcoming, orange glow and the chilled out beats of Nina Simone. It’s freezing and dreary outside. But you’re instantly transported into the warm cocoon of home as you slip off your shoes, pour yourself some wine, and settle down on the sofa..."Siri, set the living room to relax."

Smart home essentially refers to devices connected across the internet. And a smart home is a vision of a future where lights, thermostats, doors, blinds, fridges, and more all automate in tandem with one another. 

But what does the smart in smart home technology really mean?

On the technical side, it means communication through wireless / WiFi / the cloud so that a device can perform certain functions. But on a more human personal level, it means opening up doors to convenience, lower costs in the longer run, saving energy, and quite simply, a greater level of home technology personalisation than has ever existed before. With smart home products, it’s a bit like 'you don’t know what you’re missing' until you have that awesome weekday wake-up without an alarm for the first time since....well ever. 

If you’re here, you may be interested in smart home devices. But ecosystem fragmentation, cost, and the plethora of products on the market are leaving you feeling overwhelmed about where to start. 

Or maybe you’re a complete IOT novice and don’t think you’re technologically savvy enough. Or perhaps you're not convinced which products might actually make your life better.

Chances are, you’re already using a smart home product without really being aware of it. Amazon Echo, Nest, Sonos. Yep, these are all smart home products. 

Home automation has existed for years. So what's changed? 

Integrated lighting systems, heating, security, audio have all been automated. But in the past this was exclusively at the luxury end of the market, reserved for those wanting to get an expert involved, and usually involving a large number of 0000s. Why? Because home automation involved wires, construction work, and systems being built into the fabric of homes. It's no small task. 

But with smart devices and WiFi, the possibilities are so much more. No more wires, no more costly set-up, and no more pre-planning. Hello DIY. The smart devices now on the market have specifically been designed with your average consumer in mind; with simple installation and set-up. And more importantly, the price point for devices is dropping. Another big change? This kind of home automation is offering renters a chance to customize their homes with technology just as much as homeowners. 

Our homes are already filled with technology. The light bulb...the microwave....the kettle. They’re only no longer thought of as technology because they’ve been in our lives for so long performing the same task. But what if you could take these old technologies and transform them into something extra ordinary. That’s what’s happening in the smart home industry. 

What if a light switch wasn’t just a light switch, but a way of helping you get your kids to sleep. What if your bedroom lights became your new alarm clock so you never had to wake up to that incessant beep again. What if you never had to return to a cold house after a weekend away ever again. What if your thermostat worked in conjunction with your fan to circulate an even temperature throughout the room. 

These are no longer 'What Ifs.' To some people, it may sound pretty futuristic and complicated to set up. But for others it’s becoming the norm, and a lifestyle game-changer. Today technology is sold as the time-saving, stepping stone to happiness. But so many aspects of technology don't deliver on that. That's where we believe smart homes can. Starting a smart home needn’t be a minefield of uncertainty about which products to buy, how to use them, and where to use them. 

We’re here to help you navigate through the smart home noise. We’re here to help you get the best out of smart home products. We’re here to introduce you to a more simple connected life. Are you ready for life a little less ordinary? 

If the answer is yes, download our free app and discover how you can get started on your smart home journey. 

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