5 smart devices you need to automate your life – Rolling Stone

When singer Nathaniel Motte of 3OH! 3 and his wife moved into their new home in Los Angeles last year, the first thing they did was look for a new couch. The second thing to do was to start making some improvements to their 1920's Spanish-style home.

Motte, who recently co-wrote the platinum single "Lights Down Low" for the pop singer MAX, began by converting the garage into a home studio, while his wife Liz Trinnear eTalk information) spent hours searching for suppliers online. furniture. (They fell in love with a section of Room & Board). The last task: to transform their new house into a clever at home, equipping their space with a home automation system that would synchronize their entertainment, lighting, air conditioning and security devices in a single hub.

While millions of people know about Google Home and the list of Alexa-enabled devices (for example, the Amazon Echo bestseller), smart devices now include everything from light bulbs to TVs to smart thermostats, which allow users to monitor usage and control settings – even if they are not at home. They do not even need a virtual assistant like Alexa; just a phone or tablet, and a reliable signal will suffice.

"These devices are very practical," explains Motte. "They allow you to instantly access what you want to do from one place, like your phone, which always seems to be present."

Adds the self-proclaimed "tech geek": "Actually, I do not use Alexa or Google Home. We carry our current accessories through Apple HomeKit, if they are compatible, otherwise we access the controls via their independent applications under iOS. "

While Motte has added everything from the Sonos surround sound system to an intelligent watering system ("It adapts to current and future weather conditions so you're environmentally friendly and do not waste your time"). "water." very important, especially in California "), you do not need a ton of sophisticated gadgets to start streamlining your space.

Ready to set up your smart home? Here are five easy-to-install features that every smart home should have.

1. Amazon Echo Smart Speaker

When it comes to smart speakers, you can not go wrong with Amazon Echo. A handsfree speaker that you control with your voice, Echo's latest model also delivers audio quality, with Dolby technology delivering crisp highs and deep bass for crystal clear sound. Use voice commands to ask Alexa for the weather, to read the news, to get instructions, or to ask a "How To" question (for example, "Alexa, how long does it take to cook a rare steak?" ) your music streaming service and have Alexa set a playlist or call your favorite song.

What we like: Although you can control your smart devices with your phone, we like to set Echo as the main hub of your smart home, so you can control hundreds of devices with your voice, lock doors to turn it off at night. Purchase: $ 99.99 on Amazon.com.

2. Philips Hue smart light bulbs

There is nothing worse than going home to a dark room, especially if you have your hands full and you have to grope the lights. A smart light bulb will change all that, allowing you to use your voice to ask Alexa to turn on the lights, so you'll never be caught off guard. You can also turn lights on or off, or set them on a timer via your phone.

Philips Hue is the largest brand of smart bulbs in the world. Motte says he likes to use his Philips Hue bulbs "to easily create scenes and moods of spaces, as well as to set regular lighting scenes." It is convenient when you want a mood lighting for an evening, for example, or when you need to relax. and relax.

Smart light bulbs are also useful when you are away from home. Pair the lights with your phone and turn them on easily to turn off neighbors and noisy intruders. Or set them on a timer so that a "night light" turns on every night, even when you're not at home.

What we like: Philips claims that its bulbs last more than 25,000 hours (or about 23 years with normal use). The installation is as simple as screwing your smart bulb as you would with a regular light bulb. Once you have stepped on it, get yourself some accessories, such as a Hue Hue Switch, a Hue Tap Filter or a Hue Motion Sensor, to actually improve your lighting configuration. Purchase: $ 89.99 on Amazon.com.

3. Video doorbell with WiFi ringing

Motte, who traveled and traveled constantly, discovered that it was easy to install a Ring Video bell. Pair it with your WiFi network to answer the door remotely or to communicate with visitors via the built-in microphone and two-way conversation. The ringtone will also send alerts to your phone when someone comes to your door – this is great for keeping track of packages or for detecting unexpected activity.

What we like: Ring Doorbell broadcasts the video in 720HD so you can clearly see who is approaching the door. At night, infrared night vision keeps things visible even when it's dark. "It's great to be able to record in the house with the Ring system when you're traveling, or just want to get a real-time video of what your home looks like when you're away from home. "Purchase: $ 99.99 on Amazon.com.

RS Tip: Get a smart door lock (like the well-revised August lock) to lock and unlock your door automatically from your phone. It's great when you come home with a bunch of groceries and you do not want to fumble with the keys. Also great: you can check on your phone if you have locked the door when you leave for the day (otherwise, slide to lock), so you never have to worry about leaving the door unlocked again. Buy: 215.45 USD on Amazon.com.

4. Nest Thermostat

The Nest Thermostat bestseller lets you control the temperature of your home from your phone or voice assistant ("Alexa, turn down the heat"), making it a great accessory to help you save money. And save money on your heating and cooling bills. Left the house in a hurry without lowering the heat? Load the Nest app on your phone and adjust the settings to the desired temperature. Before going home for the night, increase the heat so as not to arrive in an unexpected and icy space.

What we like: Nest's easy-to-read display illuminates with a leaf icon when you choose an energy-efficient temperature. The Nest Learning Thermostat is the first thermostat to achieve ENERGY STAR certification, which means it has demonstrated "demonstrated energy savings and environmental benefits, as well as reliable performance, as well as convenient features. , intuitive and reliable. "Purchase: $ 206.67 on Amazon.com.

5. Toshiba Smart TV

There has never been a better time to choose a Smart TV, which allows you to use your voice to change channels, control volume, switch between inputs, and more. This Toshiba HD Smart TV has over 3800 online reviews, users praising its 1080p HD image quality and its ultra fast rendering Multi-core quad-core / GPU CPU for fast and reliable responsiveness.

Fire TV is integrated with this model. All your apps, channels, and streaming services are grouped into one menu. Connect an HD antenna and switch between live TV and Hulu by simply dragging the included remote control or voice command.

This Toshiba TV includes several input / output options, a USB plug and a solid warranty. The 32-inch model starts at $ 179, but for $ 20 more, you can upgrade to a crisp, crisp, 43-inch video experience. Purchase: $ 199.99 on Amazon.com.

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