Convenient Smart Home Technology
Smart home technology has been around for at least 10 years, but back then the idea of controlling your lights, door locks, vacuum, lawn mower, thermostat, refrigerator, washer and dryer, coffee-maker, DVR and home security was a not-yet-realized dream. Today, the convenience, safety, and integration of artificial intelligence in products like Amazon Echo and Google Home are fixtures in American living rooms – 40 million of them, to be exact!
If you need a security system but don’t know where to start, here’s a look at current and coming-soon technologies, plus major DIY and professionally-installed security package tests and results to help you determine which might work best for you.
Smart Kitchen Appliances
One of the most important appliances in the kitchen is the refrigerator which can now do much more than just keep your food cooled to 43º. Today’s smart refrigerators are loaded with convenient features, making it easy to:
–Listen to your fridge read recipes to you while you cook.
–Sync grocery lists to your phone
–Peer “into” your refrigerator without opening it
–Alert you when your filter needs changing
–Let you know when food is expiring
Induction stovetops have been around since the first World’s Fair in 1933. In their latest incarnation, these stovetops not only heat food quickly, they do it by heating an induction-compatible pot or pan. Once the pan is removed, the cooktop saves energy by automatically shutting off. This is also a safety feature because it prevents a burner on when you’re finished cooking.
And new this year, a technology that allows for your cooktop to detect the pan’s footprint, heating only the area making contact. These induction ranges are easy to clean, so it’s easy to keep an induction stove looking like new.
From smart plugs and vacuums, to lawn mowers and indoor cameras, check out PC Magazine’s review of the cream of the crop in smart products.
Smart Home Security
Smart security systems are highly customizable and can be purchased as complicated set-ups that need to be professionally installed and monitored, or as do-it-yourself kits.
If you’re not ready for a dedicated security system that’s monitored off-site 24/7, there are plenty of individual devices available that allow you to monitor your home remotely using your phone or tablet. These systems include indoor and outdoor security cameras, video doorbells, motion sensors, and smart locks.
Check out the latest test results for smart security systems from PC Magazine. All of the systems tested for DIY monitoring feature a downloadable smartphone app which then becomes your command center. From the app you can arm and disarm the system, add and delete components and receive notifications when alarms are set-off. Most apps allow you to watch live and recorded video, lock and unlock doors, change thermostat settings and silence alarms.
Smart Living in Crystal Valley
Homes in the master-planned community of Crystal Valley are increasingly outfitted with the latest in energy-saving features and the potential for smart technology integration. Check out all the new homes from Richmond American Homes, Kauffman Homes, Century Communities and D.R. Horton, designed with contemporary needs in mind. Set in natural surroundings with easy access to nearby amenities, find the new home of your dreams here in either a ranch and two-story model, priced from the $300s.
