Where to start, what’s important to know? That is likely what most people ask themselves. In a few years, the world of smart home automation and the Internet of Things (IoT) has become vast. While you can pick up a smart bulb or a smart plug and get started, you should also be thinking about the ecosystem you want to operate in. The real smart home journey starts when you’re doing more than just controlling a few devices using individual apps.
In order to get the most benefit, you have choices such as Google’s assistant, Amazon’s Alexa and Samsung’s Smart Things to name a few. Additionally, if you have an iPhone and are used to Siri, you could use Apple’s home kit. So what are all those things I just rattled off? The technology from these companies are built into smart speakers allowing you to do things, such as issue voice commands, create automations and schedule devices to activate or deactivate.
Why is the ecosystem important?
Simply put, you want to be able to control all your smart technology in one place. Hey, if you want to have some devices linked to Alexa and others linked to Home Kit, that’s entirely up to you. I just think it’ll be a hassle. Personally, I’m more partial to Google’s assistant but that’s because years ago, in the race to corner the market, Alexa’s smart commands (or skills) were lagging behind. That certainly isn’t the case today, though I’m not in a position to compare how they stack up against each other. And well, when it comes to Siri, as an iPhone owner, Siri never made an appearance (I would always disable her). Won’t bore you with those details. I also liked that with Google, you weren’t limited to just a Google manufactured device, you could get your hands on assistant-enabled smart speakers that were manufactured by a different company.
Anyways, to the fun stuff, what ecosystem should you get started in? Your choice will depend on what you may already be familiar with. For example, if you’re an iPhone owner and you’re used to using Siri and all things Apple, you might consider the Apple ecosystem via Home Kit. However, if you have Fire TV Stick devices and already ask Alexa to find movies, maybe this works for you. Other factors include cost and device aesthetics, if you care about how it integrates into your décor.
What can you do with a smart speaker?
Once that’s sorted, you can pick up your preferred smart speaker and you’ll be on your way. With just a smart speaker, there’s quite bit you can do, even if you’ve yet to connect your first smart home device. Examples of how I use my smart speaker:
- Checking the weather or asking what’s the current temperature
- Setting an alarm or asking what’s the time
- Setting a timer or asking it to remind me of something
- Adding groceries to my shopping list
- Asking for quick calculations (e.g. 345 divided by 6)
- Converting currency and measurements (e.g. ounce to grams)
While it would be nice to ask Google to load the dishwasher, that’s still a dream…..for now. Whether you’re just beginning or have already started your journey, hopefully I can help make things more fun and interesting.