Smart home technology is no longer a luxury reserved for the rich or tech-savvy, and the industry has responded with ever sophisticated solutions. While many associate this automation with gadgets like Google’s Nest, Amazon’s Echo or Apple’s HomeKit the term is more expansive than that and encompasses an array of options for your home. These range from remote-controlled heating and lighting to CCTV, doorbells, home security systems and smart locks. Some let you keep track of children or elderly relatives as well as pets; monitor water or electricity usage, and much more.
The most important aspect of any smart home system is integration. That is why the top products on the market are those that work with other systems and devices to make your home smarter. For instance lighting bulbs that are smart can communicate with an centralized hub to set your lights to a certain time or switch them off when you leave the house. A video doorbell could notify you of visitors who aren’t expected, and your alarm system can notify police or fire departments. Once you’ve learned the IFTTT (If this, then that) service, you can use services such as Stringify to automate devices in more complex ways.
Of course, bringing new technology into the home is not without the same concerns. This is why CNET is working to understand the privacy policies of the companies, highlight issues and respond directly to the businesses concerned.