The month of December is finally upon us and it’s time you start thinking about smart home essentials to make this winter safer, warmer and more enjoyable for you. With the range of technology made available to us in this day and age there are some products I think are essential for a good home environment.
Nest Learning Thermostat
The Nest Thermostat is a great investment because of how easy it makes warming up and cooling down your home. The companion app for iOS and Android allows you to change the temperature from anywhere with an internet connection. Whether you’re away for the holidays or hosting the festivities you’ll be able to keep your family and friends at just the right temperature.
You’ll also be saving money by using this smart home essential as it tells you how to save more money. All you have to do is turn the dial-up when cooling or down when heating until you see the green leaf icon. You can monitor how much energy you use each day with nest and how to use less.
A third generation nest costs $249 with a potential $100 tax rebate for US customers. The previous model of the Nest thermostat can be bought on eBay for around $150.
August Smart Lock
The August Smart lock is a convenient way to control access to your home through your smart phone. With this piece of tech you can send virtual keys to family and friends to allow them access to your home whether you’re there or not. You can allow access at a certain time as well as for a certain amount of time.
The companion app also has a 24/7 activity log so you can see who’s been going in and out of your home. As if all this wasn’t cool enough, the August smart lock automatically locks the door when you leave and opens when you arrive.
The august smart lock starts at $199 and is available in silver, dark grey, red and champagne.
Angee
As I’ve mentioned before Angee is a truly amazing home security product which surpasses its competitors. It provides a 360 degree view of wherever it’s placed and can stream a live feed over wi-fi to a smartphone or tablet. The device also has voice recognition, at-the-door identification, motion detecting rotation and runs on a rechargeable battery lasting up to 8 hours.
The estimated delivery date for Angee is October 2016 and can be pre ordered through their Kickstarter page.
Sonos
Whatever music you love it’s best to play it out loud. The Sonos smart speaker system lets you stream your favourite music wirelessly to any room or every room in your home. It’s perfect for background noise when your cooking or cleaning, keeping the party going or even when you want to party on your own.
Yes they’re a little on the pricey side compared to other wireless speakers but it’s the price you pay for a more immersive music experience in your home.
The Sonos product range starts at $199.
JordyJourno 