The Future of Smart Homes: Four Essential Considerations

A home full of automations and smart devices in every room sounds like a futuristic dream come true. With voice-controlled ovens, TVs that double as art, and indoor gardens that practically manage themselves, it's easy to get caught up in the excitement of creating a smart home. However, before you start shopping for smart devices, there are some crucial considerations to keep in mind.

One of the biggest concerns when building a smart home is fragmentation. While it's true that the popularity of smart speakers like Google Home and Alexa has improved over the years, it's still easy to find yourself with a home full of devices that don't work seamlessly together. If you're not careful when choosing your smart devices, you may end up with a home where only half of their potential is being used. The solution is to pick a brain for your smart home – whether it's Alexa, Google Home, SmartThings, or HomeKit – and stick to devices that are compatible with ease.

In addition to choosing compatible devices, ease of use is another critical factor to consider when building a smart home. You're not building a smart home to make your life more difficult; turning on any smart light or appliance should be no harder than its dumb counterpart. With cross-compatible products, you'll have the option to build automations, routines, and commands that make controlling your smart home easier and faster. However, it's also important to remember that more is not always better. Smart home gadgets are generally more expensive than their dumb alternatives, and while a bulb that changes colors can be scheduled or controlled from anywhere in the world may seem like a luxury, outfitting an entire house with smart bulbs will cost significantly more.

The cost difference between smart and dumb products can quickly add up, and even if you're upgrading to a product that uses less energy than its dumb alternative, it's unlikely to make up for the initial cost within a few years. For example, a standard LED bulb may be cheaper upfront, but outfitting an entire house with smart bulbs will put a significant dent in your wallet. Don't be swayed by claims of purported energy savings; the actual cost savings will depend on the technology you're upgrading to.

Finally, security is a top concern when it comes to smart homes. With the proliferation of wireless connections and connected devices, it's easy to fall prey to exploits and other security flaws. DIYing a smart security system may seem like an affordable option, but it's only as strong as your Wi-Fi password. Give everything its own unique password to avoid falling victim to hacking attempts. By following these essential considerations, you can create a smart home that is both functional and secure – and enjoy the many benefits that come with living in a connected, automated home.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: ena home full of automations and smart devices in every room sounds about as futuristic as it gets a voice controlled oven a TV that doubles its art or an indoor garden that practically manages itself it all sounds great but there are some things you should consider when diving into a smart home of your own and here are four of the most important without a doubt the biggest concern is fragmentation it's certainly gotten better over the years with the growing popularity of smart speakers like Google home and Alexa but if you're not careful when choosing the smart devices to install in your home you'll find yourself with a home full of devices only using half of their potential the best way to go about it is to pick a brain for your smart home be it Alexa Google home smart things or home kit and only pick bulbs cameras locks and other accessories that work with that ease of use is also another point of consideration you're not building a smart home to make your life more difficult and turning on any smart light or appliance shouldn't be any more difficult than its dumb counterpart the more products that the devices you buy compare or communicate with the more you can do with your smart home cross compatibility will give you the option to build automations routines or commands that make controlling your smart home easier and faster and another thing to keep in mind more is not always better there is such a thing as too many smart speakers in a single house smart home gadgets are generally more expensive than their dumb alternatives and rightly so a bulb that changes colors can be scheduled or controlled from anywhere in the world and that will last for years should cost more than a standard LED bulb but outfitting an entire house with smart bulbs will cost significantly more and that's just for lighting when it comes to refrigerators toaster ovens coffee makers or just about any other smart home products that cost difference is only compounded and don't be so quick to believe the purported energy savings cost savings will depend on what technology are upgrading from but even the products that do use less energy than their dumb alternatives will likely take several years to make up for the difference in cost finally you should be concerned with security leave it to shows like mr. robot to feed us the smart nightmare fuel of the future while you can DIY a smart security system very easily and for less money than a standard security system would have caused you just years ago like anything with a wireless connection is also susceptible to exploits and other security flaws your DIY smart home security system is only as strong as your Wi-Fi password and the same general security tip is valid here give everything its own unique password for more smart home how-tos and other tips and tricks be sure to check out cnet.com forward slash smart livinga home full of automations and smart devices in every room sounds about as futuristic as it gets a voice controlled oven a TV that doubles its art or an indoor garden that practically manages itself it all sounds great but there are some things you should consider when diving into a smart home of your own and here are four of the most important without a doubt the biggest concern is fragmentation it's certainly gotten better over the years with the growing popularity of smart speakers like Google home and Alexa but if you're not careful when choosing the smart devices to install in your home you'll find yourself with a home full of devices only using half of their potential the best way to go about it is to pick a brain for your smart home be it Alexa Google home smart things or home kit and only pick bulbs cameras locks and other accessories that work with that ease of use is also another point of consideration you're not building a smart home to make your life more difficult and turning on any smart light or appliance shouldn't be any more difficult than its dumb counterpart the more products that the devices you buy compare or communicate with the more you can do with your smart home cross compatibility will give you the option to build automations routines or commands that make controlling your smart home easier and faster and another thing to keep in mind more is not always better there is such a thing as too many smart speakers in a single house smart home gadgets are generally more expensive than their dumb alternatives and rightly so a bulb that changes colors can be scheduled or controlled from anywhere in the world and that will last for years should cost more than a standard LED bulb but outfitting an entire house with smart bulbs will cost significantly more and that's just for lighting when it comes to refrigerators toaster ovens coffee makers or just about any other smart home products that cost difference is only compounded and don't be so quick to believe the purported energy savings cost savings will depend on what technology are upgrading from but even the products that do use less energy than their dumb alternatives will likely take several years to make up for the difference in cost finally you should be concerned with security leave it to shows like mr. robot to feed us the smart nightmare fuel of the future while you can DIY a smart security system very easily and for less money than a standard security system would have caused you just years ago like anything with a wireless connection is also susceptible to exploits and other security flaws your DIY smart home security system is only as strong as your Wi-Fi password and the same general security tip is valid here give everything its own unique password for more smart home how-tos and other tips and tricks be sure to check out cnet.com forward slash smart living\n"