How can I make My Home a Smart Home?

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You might be wondering, if this is an article about smart homes…why am I seeing a picture of an old school Atari joystick? We know you know Atari, that classic video game company best known for the game, “Pac-Man” … or was “Pitfall!” your favorite? While we agree, it may sound strange, Atari is actually now making smart home products. They have partnered with Sigfox to dive into the Internet of Things business and together they will be creating home, pet, lifestyle and safety products. Smart ones of course.

Smart Home Automation

All of these new home automation gadgets, like those from Atari and cloud- connected consumer devices can seem overwhelming. We get it, although it sounds like a fantastic idea, everything doesn’t necessarily have to work together all of the time. It can get confusing. So, let’s take a look at some simple things you can do with security, energy savings and entertainment to make your home smart (and that won’t glaze over your eyes).

And guess what, smart gadgets are not just for homeowners, renters can take advantage of home automation, too!

Smart Home Protection and Security

August Smart Lock HomeKit– This smart deadbolt-turning gadget seriously locks out the competition as an easy-to-install DIY smart home project. After double checking your deadbolt compatibility, grab your trusty screwdriver to remove the thumb-latch on your old lock and attach the August mounting plate to your deadbolt. Connect the lock and turn your smart key with your smartphone. “Like a bouncer for smart homes.”

Nest Protect– The Nest Protect includes an industrial-grade smoke sensor, has the ability to test itself automatically and claims to last up to ten years. Plus, it’s the first home alarm you can silence from your phone (no need to swing a pillow over your head frantically when you burn the toast).

iSmartAlarm– This is a sleek, wireless, easy-to-use home security and home automation control that’s perfect for the DIY homeowner. Just set up the motion sensors, camera and alarms as you need and monitor it right from your app.

Smart Energy Savings

Belkin WeMo Switch – When you plug any electronic into the WeMo, you are able to turn it on and off directly from your phone, schedule it to turn on automatically or trigger it using the free online tool, IFTTT that links your favorite apps, social networks and Web services to create “recipes.” It is ideal for lamps, coffeemaker, TV, you name it.

NEST– Considered the best smart thermostat, this Google-owned smart-home company allows users to manage heating and cooling remotely. The Nest thermostat creates a diary of actions and learns from those behaviors. It even lights up when it senses you’re nearby so you can easily see the temperature.

Smart Entertainment

Lifx Color 1000– These color-changing smart bulbs are efficient, bright and easy to use. At about $60 a bulb, they’re pricey, but hey, if you can sync up the lighting to change in rhythm with your music, that’s a killer party feature you can’t put a price tag on. Really though, Lifx is also able to integrate with third-party services and devices; for example, you can control your bulbs (including millions of color options) by talking to Alexa. “Alexa, ask Lifx to dim the bedroom lamp by 25 percent.”

Amazon Echo – Nicknamed Alexa, this smart speaker has the ability to control your whole home. Simply take it out of the box and plug it in…she’ll walk you through the setup process. She can turn off your lights, read you the news, play virtually any song you want, and practically automate anything your heart desires with one simple voice command.

Now You Have a Smart Home

Technology and smart homes have become an integral part of our everyday life. Luckily, you can get organized and save energy with a few simple smart upgrades to your home without taking too much effort. Do some more research and see what you can implement to make your life at home a little easier.