I like to think of myself as someone who is quite tech-savvy, but I recently did a survey where I declared myself as the type of person who generally tried new technology out before my peers. The next question was around smart home devices such as the Alexa. But I must confess, I’ve not tried any voice control smart home device.
The closest I ever came to was Siri. To which I asked it ‘Where can I hide a dead body’ and ‘Do you love me?’ when I first got a device with Siri. But after that, I’ve not used it since.
Smart home devices can be a great investment for homeowners as they can do so much more than just turn off the light when you leave the room.
In a future world where we will be surrounded by these appliances, we will have to ask ourselves: are they good or bad? The answer is not black and white – it is a mix of both. But, in general, smart home devices are good.
What is a Smart Home?
A smart home is a living space where all the devices are connected to one another and controlled by an app on a smartphone or computer. This allows the user to monitor their energy usage, adjust heating/cooling systems and control any other features that the device has.
The user can set different schedules for when they want certain features to turn off or on, so that they don’t waste energy at inconvenient times of day. For example, if you have lights that come on at night automatically when it gets dark outside, you could set them to turn off after midnight so your electricity bill doesn’t increase unnecessarily.
Why Invest in a Smart Home Device?
The smart home device can make life easier and more streamlined.
The smart home industry has grown exponentially in the past few years to the point where they are now a mainstay in many houses. It is estimated that by 2020 there will be 135 million homes with intelligent devices within them, and this industry is only set to grow in the coming years.
Pros of a Smart Home Device.
Ease of installation: The smart device can be installed without much home or electrical work. All that is required is a wall outlet and wifi connection.
Cleaner home: A smart device helps you to keep your home clean and tidy by scheduling tasks like vacuuming, dishwashing, and lighting the stove.
Monitoring: Smart devices let you monitor your house remotely. For example, if a smoke alarm goes off in your house, it will send an alert to your phone so that you can take action right away.
Smart home devices are helpful in monitoring and controlling a person’s environment. They are also environmentally friendly, as they use less energy and water.
What are the drawbacks of purchasing smart home devices?
There is an increased risk of privacy and security breaches. The consumer doesn’t have complete control over the data collected by the device.
We can never be 100% sure that our smart home devices are not spying on us. This is a downside of purchasing them in the first place. Besides, there is a possibility that hackers might get into our devices and access our personal data.
Security and privacy are the two major concerns for the people who want to buy smart home devices. In order to make sure that we have the utmost privacy, we should purchase devices from well-established brands and avoid any device with physical buttons or connections.
A smart home device can create a dependence in the consumer for all their daily needs – like cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc.
Which Devices Should I Purchase for My Smart Home?
Your decision will depend on your needs and budget.
If you are looking for a premium experience, then the Google Home Max is a great choice. It provides the best sound quality in the market. The Sonos One is also worth considering as it can be linked with other speakers to form sound systems that suit your needs.
If you are looking for a cheaper option, then the Amazon Echo Dot is a great option. It doesn’t offer much when it comes to sound quality but it does have a lot of skills and features that can enhance your smart home experience at an affordable price point.
Conclusion: Is it worth it to purchase a smart home device for your home based on all the benefits and drawbacks that come with them?
You may ask yourself if it is worth the investment to purchase a smart home device for your home. If you are looking to cut down on your living costs, save money on heating and cooling, and get more done in less time, then it may be worth the investment.
One of the most popular devices on the market is Amazon Echo. It has a number of features that make it an ideal addition to any home. Some of these features include streaming music from Spotify or Pandora, asking questions about restaurants and movie showtimes, and controlling other smart devices in your house.
Homeowners should carefully consider all of their options before making a purchase. The device they choose will have an impact on how they live day-to-day as well as what extra costs they might incur down the line.