Remember those cartoons in your childhood where someone was talking into a watch making what we would now recognize as a phone call ? Have you watched any of the movies or TV series set in a future time where computer access is done via voice commands instead of a keyboard ? This book will help you navigate the waters of technology to see what is best for you and/or your family.
1. Smart Home Starter Kits
2. Voice Control (Amazon Echo, Google Assistant, Microsoft Cortana, Apple Siri)
3. Lights (LiFX, Phillips Hue, CREE, Sonoff)
4. Home Entertainment (Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV, Android TV, Harmony Hub)
5. Smart Tech in the Car (Roav VIVA, Android Auto)
6. Other areas to automate (Garage Door, Moisture Sensor, Smoke Alarm)
As with any technology, there is more than the installation to think about. More and more IOT (Internet of Things) devices require some type of cloud account on the company’s servers for control and updating of the devices. Implementing Home Automation can be challenging especially when using items from different vendors. There are emerging standards that are helping make this easier but there is still room for improvement.
Remember the TV shows and cartoons showing a certain crimefighter talking into a wrist watch device to talk to others? That technology is here today and continues to grow. There is already the option of making telephone calls and controlling devices in your home even when you are away from home. Do you have a streaming media receiver when you watch your choice of movies and TV shows? With most of the available options, you can extend control of those devices to include your voice. Do you like to watch movies and TV shows that haven’t aired in several years or are no longer running? Using a media server and an Over The Air (OTA) receiver, you can begin to amass your own collection of content. This are just a few of the possibilities that can be done today. We are at the beginning of what will be possible. As technology continues to improve, so will the possibilities of what you can control.
Start your journey of putting together your own SmartHome today !