tOOm Technology
Automating Your Hom
he "connected home" is one of the
biggest areas of technical innova-
tion today, with smart appliances,
learning thermostats, app-driven lights and
intelligent door locks taking center stage in
home improvement stores and magazines.
For some consumers, the concept of a
"smart home" can be overwhelming. Here
are a few things to keep in mind:
T
THE BASICS
Home automation gives you remote and
automatic control of a wide array of devices
in your home — it's ideal for convenience
and control, and some devices can help with
money savings. Home automation can also
alert you to events that you might want to
know about while you're gone, like leaks,
kids arriving home or security breaches.
IS IT RIGHT FOR YOUR HOME?
Not everyone is in a place to install a full
home automation system — literally and
financially, as apartment living, renting, low
cash flow, expensive installation fees and
advanced technical set-up can all be limita-
tions.
However, with stand-alone home automa-
tion devices and apps, you can make your
home smart without integrating a whole-
home automation network. For example,
smart locks, lighting, irons, coffee makers,
security cameras and refrigerators can all
be controlled by smartphones without the
need for a fully integrated system.
FIRST THINGS FIRST
In a recent analyst report from NextMarket,
the smart lock market will grow to $3.6
billion worldwide by 2019. With security
and access control leading smart home
product adoption, a logical place to start is
at your front door. Consider trying Kwikset
Kevo, powered by UniKey, which was the
first smart lock on the market. It makes it
possible to open the door by simply touch-
ing the deadbolt — without removing you
smartphone from your purse or pocket.
Via the Kevo app, users can grant and
revoke access to the house electronically,
A smart - lock door
view a lock history and get notified when
someone locks or unlocks the door without
connecting to the home network or a power
source. Available at many major retailers,
it installs easily, within a few minutes, with
just a Phillips head screwdriver, making it an
excellent example of how one product can
usher your home into the era of automa-
tion.
Smart home solutions are granting home-
owners access to information and features
that were previously unavailable. Bottom
line: You don't have to be rich or have a
fully connected home to enjoy the benefits.
If you're considering getting on board the
trend, do your research and find the best
technology and products for you.
■
Courtesy of State Point.
Use Your Smartphone To Get Your 'To-Do's Done
f your day-to-day to-do list is stressful,
finding ways to be more productive is
essential.
Nearly seven in 10 smartphone users are
"always looking to improve their productivi-
ty," according to the results of a global study
on productivity conducted by Blackberry.
Don't make the mistake of underestimat-
ing your smartphone — it can and should be
more than just a way to text or email. It can
be your secret weapon to checking off all
the items on your never-ending list.
To help, the experts at BlackBerry are of-
fering five savvy tips for making your smart-
phone your very own personal assistant.
FIND DEALS
Ensure you're getting the best deals when
shopping by activating the geolocation
feature on your smartphone. Many brick-
and-mortar retailers consistently push out
special offers and discounts to consumers
shopping nearby or who have "checked in."
Additionally, apps such as Flipp allow you
to browse the flyers and weekly ads of your
favorite stores, highlight the best deals and
clipping items straight to your shopping list
22
BOOM Magazine • February 2015
so you never miss out on a sale.
Making vacation plans? Use
travel apps to search hotels,
find the best flights deals and
track your itineraries.
therefore unable to type. The
assistant will take action based
on your voice commands, help-
ing you multi-task on the go.
SET REMINDERS
Creating reminders is a seam-
less way to stay on top of day-
to-day tasks. With apps such
as SlickTasks, you can boost
productivity instantly and focus
on what needs to get done
by creating and sorting tasks. You can then
build in reminders and easily keep track of
what you need to do.
8 DON'T BE CAMERA SHY
o Smartphone camera technol-
ogy has vastly improved over
the past few years. Many
z smartphones are capable of
E taking the same high-quality
photos as traditional point-
and-shoot cameras.
r,‘„
YOUR PERSONAL ASSISTANT
Most smartphones are equipped with voice-
recognition technology, allowing you to jot
down notes, search the Web, add calendar
updates, place calls and send messages
without typing. These "assistants" can prove
highly useful while on the go.
Driving from errand to errand? BlackBerry
Assistant can be activated via Bluetooth
and can detect when you're in the car and
I
PROTECT YOURSELF
From stolen wallets to stolen passwords,
thieves are always on the move. When it
comes to your smartphone, make sure all
security features are enabled. This includes
password protection, as well as activating
app permissions, particularly on your bank-
ing apps.
With the right tech tools and strategies,
you can get your to-do's done in record
time.
■
Courtesy of State Point.