Member ConnectUpgrade Your Home with Automated Technology
If you're looking to upgrade your home with automated technology, here is a look at some of our favorite products.
Do you have an alarm clock? A DVR? A garage opener? If you answered yes, then you have some sort of automation inside your home. Designed to make your life easier, technological automation has become a huge part of the modern home. Controlling everything from your thermostat to your front door, these gadgets help you create a “smart” home that fulfills all of your needs.
There are a lot of new devices coming onto the market everyday. While many people fear they are too complicated (or expensive) to install in their own homes, the truth is many are easy to set-up (and relatively inexpensive). If you’re looking to upgrade your home with automated technology, here is a look at some of our favorite products.
Nest Learning Thermostat
Nest has designed a programmable thermostat you don't actually have to program. Nest uses “learning technology,” which means that your thermostat pays attention to your actions and learns your preferences. Basically it notes when you manually turn it up or down and, after a few days, starts to make the same adjustments.
Of course, Nest realizes that there might be days when you want to make some additional changes. For this reason, Nest has a smartphone app that allows you to adjust the temperature inside your home. It also has a motion detector so that it can sense when people are home.
Between its “smart” technology and its low-voltage heating system, Nest claims that the Learning Thermostat can save users up to 20% on their heating and cooling bills. It’s also super easy to install. Just screw the base plate to the wall in place of your current thermostat and connect the wires through the simple color coded wiring system.
Cost: $249
WeMo Switch
Belkin has created a Wi-Fi-enabled switch that allows you to control household appliances from your smartphone. When you plug your appliances into a WeMo switch, you can turn them on or off through the WeMo app. You can even create schedules for appliances such as your lamps, space heaters, and TV.
WeMo is extremely easy to use. Just plug the switch into any outlet and then plug your appliance directly into it. Download the free app, which you can then use to turn it on or off.
Cost: $50-100/switch
Philips Hue
Philips Hue is an energy-efficient LED light bulbs with built-in wireless capabilities. Through the corresponding app, you can control the brightness and color of your bulbs. You can even set timers to turn them on and off.
A starter pack includes three bulbs and a base station. The bulbs work like regular light bulbs, which means all you have to do is screw them into the socket. Once your bulb is installed, plug the base station into the wall and connect it to your router through the provided network cable. Download the app and simply follow it’s instructions!
Cost for starter pack: $200
Icontrol Networks Piper NV
Icontrol has created a security module that is geared at protecting your and your home through Wi-Fi. The system includes a camera, sirens, and sensors that detect everything from motion to ambient light. this is a security module with a camera, a siren and a whole bunch of sensors that detect everything from ambient light to motion. The system connects to your device, letting you see live video of your home as well as receiving alerts whenever something is amiss.
Piper also gives you an extra level of control by allowing to remotely control your lights and your appliances. And, best of all, there are no monthly fees attached to your service.
Setting up your Piper is surprisingly easy. All you need to do is download the app, plug in your Piper, and then run the setup in order to connect your system to your Wi-FI. It only takes a few minutes.
Cost: $269
There are thousands of new smart products being released into the market. These advancements in technology have helped make home automation affordable and easy to use. By choosing to upgrade your home with smart technology, you can save money, increase the value of your home, and improve your overall living conditions. Try one of the these devices today and see just how smart your home can be.
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