Disney wasn’t too far behind when they created their Disney Channel Original Movie Smart House. It’s been roughly twenty years since the capabilities of this computerized home premiered, and today, smart homes are no longer a fiction, but a reality. Don’t fret, though. Your smart home won’t develop a mind of its own like Ben’s home did in the movie. Instead, major tech giants like Google, Amazon, and Apple are developing intuitive technologies that make everyday tasks easier so you can enjoy more of what life has to offer.
If you’re wondering how to turn your house into a smart home, we’re here to help. While it may sound complicated, integrating your tech gadgets into your home is easier than it seems. Below, we’ll go over how to sync all of your devices so they can live in harmony.
Decide on the Right Assistant
Before you bring all of your appliances together, from your lightbulbs to microwave and doorbell to speakers, you’re going to need a little help from an assistant. The two most popular assistants on the market are Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s Assistant. These assistants are accessible through voice commands, such as saying, “Alexa, turn the lights on,” or, “Ok Google, lock the front door.” Both of these assistants get their information from cloud-computing services provided by their respective creators, Amazon and Google, and are drastically changing how we use technology in our everyday lives.
These assistants can be found in a variety of devices, such as the Amazon Echo Dot and Amazon Echo Screen, as well as the Google Home and Google Nest Hub, along with third-party devices as well. Many of these devices act as speakers too, making it easy to listen to your favorite tunes, podcasts, and radio shows anywhere in your house. Once you’ve decided on an assistant, it’s time to set it up and connect the rest of your home.
Connect Your Computer
To begin automating your home, you can start with your computer. Computers have been around much longer than voice assistants, so you most likely know how to use them. On your computer, you can access both virtual assistants, such as Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant and view their platforms on your browser. Here, you’ll see which devices are connected and you can activate them straight from your desktop.
For further efficiency, you can streamline all of your computing needs with dual monitors that give you more screen room to get things done. If you’re wondering how to use a laptop as a monitor, all you have to do is your primary computer, laptop, and Microsoft Windows 10 on both devices. Once you have your devices turned on and discoverable, go to your system settings and select “Projecting to this PC,” and under the setting, “Ask to project this PC,” choose either “First time only” or “Every time a connection is requested.”
With dual monitors set up, you’ll create a more efficient home office that allows you to get more work done and easily access the rest of your smart devices. You can also connect your laptop or computer to your TV, and can even connect your smartphone to your smart TV wirelessly.
Connect Your Home Fixtures
Aside from syncing your computer to your smart devices, you can also sync your home fixtures to your voice assistants. Some popular fixtures you can sync include your:
To sync devices like these with your home, simply follow the pairing instructions on each device and sync them with Alexa or Google Assistant on your smartphone app. Additionally, you can use If This Then That (IFTTT) to sync all of your fixtures, devices, and appliances under one web-based platform.
Connect Your Home Appliances
Once you have your fixtures connected, you can begin connecting your home appliances. We’ve all had those moments of sheer panic when we left the house and have been driving for an hour asking ourselves, “Did I leave the oven on?” With smart appliances, you’ll have peace of mind knowing your house won’t burn down thanks to intuitive appliances that can be accessed straight from your smartphone. There are also smart fridges, washers, dryers, dishwashers, ovens, microwaves, coffee machines, toasters, and so much more. New tech inventions like these make doing everyday tasks a breeze.
Unifying Your Home
Now that you know all of the various types of smart devices available, you can begin to turn your house into a smart home. Slowly but surely, technology is changing everyday life by making daily chores, such as cooking, cleaning, and watering the plants, easier. With these technologies, you’ll be able to reduce time doing household tasks, so you can spend more time doing the things you love, such as entertaining guests with your smart entertainment gadgets, or hiking in the mountains while keeping a watchful eye on your home.
