Smart home gadgets that make you feel like home

When you were young, did you ever wonder what the future might look like? I did, and it sure looks more and more like we’re heading into what I imagined. Like I mentioned in a previous article, the Internet is no longer confined to just desktops, tablets or smartphones, it’s expanding into every part of consumers daily lives and into their homes.

In only a few years, the smartphone has become the personal computer of over one billion people, and another billion will be added in just a few years. This success is not merely due to the electronics in the phone, but the infrastructure of cloud services, applications and storage that allow personal computing devices to pervade and enhance our lives.

This same technology is now moving into a range of products beyond phones like wearable accessories, SmartTVs, SmartCars, SmartWatches, SmartHomes, etc. These products will expand rapidly as the ecosystem evolves, and researchers forecast that wearable computing devices will get to approximately 500 million units by 2018.

Cool gadgets for your connected home

Did you know that you could use your smartphone to change the temperature in your house, unlock the doors and monitor your residence when you’re on the road? You can do all of this and more with the latest smartphone gadgets, most of which communicate with your phone or tablet. These devices don’t just make your life easier, but some can even help save you money, keep an eye on the sleeping baby or even make you a better gardener. Here are some of the coolest smart home gadgets:

• CloudKey Keyless Entry – With CloudKey on your iPhone or Android phone, you can lock and unlock your doors remotely with up to 16 unique keys so you can tell exactly who is coming and going. CloudKey is the software component of the SimpliciKey deadbolt system, which requires a one-time $350 hardware installation. Alphanumeric “keys” can conveniently be given to household members, visitors, babysitters and others. Users can program rules and alerts for each key, and entry is also accessible with an included physical key and remote-control fob.

• LG Smart Washer – With LG’s new Smart Washer, you’ll no longer need to hang around until the washing cycle completes. With an LG app for smartphones, you can monitor the status of your wash and remotely control the machine’s cycles via voice commands. Users can also access and adjust settings via an LG Smart TV as well as directly from the appliance’s LCD panel. Pop-up messages appear on the user’s phone when a laundry cycle finishes.

• DoorBot – Wouldn’t it be nice if you could see who is at the door just by looking down at your smartphone or tablet? The DoorBot lets you do that by streaming live audio and video to your mobile device. You can also chat with whomever is at the door, this will come in handy when you’re at work or on vacation. You could tell the delivery guy where to leave the package.

• Nest Thermostat – The smart, easy-to-install Nest thermostat can help you save on your heating and cooling bills. With its built-in Wi-Fi connection, the Nest can be controlled remotely via your iOS or Android smartphone or tablet. You can customize several features, including setting multiple home/away schedules for precise temperatures by day of the week and time of day. Also, if you’re not coming home as planned, you can adjust the temperature from wherever you are through your smartphone, tablet or computer.

• Koubachi Wi-Fi Plant Sensor – The Koubachi Wi-Fi Plant Sensor acts as a Big Brother for your greenery, constantly monitoring the health of any indoor or outdoor potted plant. With its embedded Wi-Fi connection, the sensor notifies you via a free iOS app about everything your plant needs in real time: water, fertilizer, light and change of temperature. It includes specific instructions concerning the exact needs of every species for the current season and climate zone.

• TappyTaps Baby Monitor 3G – The Baby Monitor 3G works with a pair of iOS devices. Place one iPhone or iPad in the baby’s room, while the parents keep the other. You can get real-time video monitoring if both Baby and Parent stations are on same Wi-Fi network. Parents can listen to their babies and even talk to them via Wi-Fi or a 3G/4G connection. With the parent’s station in sleep mode, any noise in the baby’s room sends a vibration alert.

How Americans feel about Smart Homes at the moment

As the tech landscape continues to evolve and shape-shift, it’s interesting to know how Americans feel about this fast-growing trend. How interested are we in these new products and do we feel ready for all things new and smart in the home and out?

According to an interesting research conducted by SurveyMonkey, people want smart homes, but they’re just not ready to invest in them yet. An impressive 70% say they would like a house that’s totally connected, but of this population, nearly a third doesn’t have any smart devices in the homes currently. Cost is the driving factor for hesitation with over half (58%) reporting that these devices are too expensive. Lack of confidence is another big reason for hesitation – 31% don’t believe they are tech savvy enough yet and 16% think the idea of smart homes is just downright creepy.

What about you? What do you think about turning your house “smart”? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Photo credit: blog.startapp.com