Smart homes are not something out of those futuristic movies we grew up with, they are very much a reality but it can be a really daunting prospect if you don't know where to start, can't it?
No doubt you'll have seen gadgets such as the Google Home or Amazon Echo and if you have one, you may be wondering what to do with it beyond the basic functions.
As standalone devices, they can offer quite a lot, with music streaming, access to facts, weather reports and sports updates. But when combined with other devices such as lighting, heating or smart TVs, they can become so much more!
So how do you get started?
The first thing you need to do is make sure you have a good broadband package, as streaming music will need a good connection to get the best experience. We are lucky that our EE package gives us a great signal so we never need to worry about our music cutting out mid-tune. If you don’t have home broadband you can also connect to your phone 4G via hotspot - so handy!
Once you have an internet connection, you are ready to go!
Setting up your device in 4 easy steps:
- Download the associated app for your device and from there you are able to sync your device to WiFi.
- Plug your device into the nearest power source and wait for it to initialise.
- Open up the app and select ‘set up new device’. Choose your device from the list and click to continue.
- The app will now prompt you to connect to WiFi. You must leave the app and go to your phone WiFi settings. You’ll see your device listed in the WiFi list - click on it to complete set up.
Return to the app and choose your home network or mobile hotspot from the list given to you. Tap connect and you are done!
Our app also gives us prompts for new things to try - we found out recently that it can read books aloud and the girls loved that they could find out where Santa was over Christmas. We also have email alerts set up to let us know of any updates available so that we always get the best out of our device.
How can I get the most out of my connected device?
Once you have a smart speaker, you need to have a think about what other devices would fit your home and lifestyle. The list is growing all of the time, with connected vacuums, kettles, washing machines, lights, TVs ... so many amazing possibilities. I saw a smart fridge advertised the other day - it is just incredible how fast technology is moving now.
We have several devices around our home and they all work to make our life easier. Because that is what we want isn't it?
If we can have one device to control everything else, we free ourselves up for more important things - like being together as a family.
We actually have two devices, one for upstairs and one for downstairs, so by using just our voice, we can control our heating, our lighting, our vacuum and of course we can use the Google Home Mini itself to play music and get other information.
Linking up other smart devices
Our heating is controlled by a Tado system, it was so easy to install - we simply switched our old thermostat for the Tado front plate and connected it to the associated app.
- Launch the app for your new device. It will prompt you to scan for the device - select it from the list given.
- Go into your smart speaker app and select ‘discover skills’. Search through the various skills and select the new device from the list.
- The two apps will now synchronise and connect.
The Tado app itself is so clever, it knows when we are on our way home using phone location and turns on our lights if necessary. This means you do need to have a good 4G connection so that the app can update the system and set the thermostat accordingly. Once home, being connected to our Google Home Mini means I can use my voice to change the temperature to whatever is comfortable. So easy!
We also have a Phillips Hue light system which my children think is some sort of magic trick. We wanted them because we see them an investment - they last 15 years or more! The most impressive thing for us is that they turn on as we approach home and turn off as we leave in the morning. One less thing to think about! The Hue Hub connects to our smart home in the same was as listed above and you are then able to turn the lights on and off or change the colour should you wish to create an ambiance.
My favourite device has to be our iRobot Roomba, which connects to our smart home system via the iRobot app. From that point, we can either use the app or ask Google to start the cleaning. Being able to do this remotely is brilliant though - it means our home is connected even when we aren't at home ourselves.
There are so many possibilities and I know that future birthdays and Christmases will mean more devices added to our collection!
Have you got a smart device? What other devices would you like to add to your collection?
You could be in with the chance of winning a Google Home Mini. All you have to do is tell us in the comments how your home is connected. We’ll pick a winner for the most ingenious use! Terms and Conditions apply.
*This competition is now closed*
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