Does the phrase smart home make you think of robots controlling your house? With the expansion of AI into so many areas of our life, it can be unsettling to think of machines running our homes and lives. But that is not actually what a smart home is. Here we are going to talk about what a smart home is and debunk 4 common misconceptions about what a smart home is not.
First of all, what actually is a smart home?
The technical definition of a smart home is a residence that uses internet-connected devices to enable the remote monitoring and management of appliances and systems, such as lighting. In other words, smart devices are connected to the internet (at least in the setup; some do not require internet to operate) and allow you to operate your home more efficiently when there and manage and monitor your home when you aren’t. This ultimately gives you more control as you are the one setting the parameters, schedules, and operating the devices.
What if my smart devices are hacked?
One common concern is what if someone hacks into my smart home devices? Could they then operate all my devices remotely? Technically, anything that has internet access has the ability to be hacked, however, the companies that make these home automation devices use the same security encryption that banks do. And if you have heard the random story of someone being hacked, it usually isn’t the device itself that was hacked, it was the password. For example, if you use the same password for multiple accounts (your email, Netflix, DoorDash, etc.), hackers can try stolen username and password combinations from one site to access accounts on another site or app. This can be avoided by using unique passwords for your smart devices and enabling 2 factor authentication.
Are my devices always watching and listening?
Data privacy is a concern; but this is actually a big misconception in the world of smart home. Some smart devices have cameras and/or audio, but there are so many more that do not. If you don’t want security cameras or an Alexa or Google assistant, there are still many options available to you including a lighting system, automated shades, smoke alarms, electrical panels, and water protection to name a few. But remember that if you have a smart phone on you, you already have a device monitoring your location and listening to you.
This sounds too complicated.
Home automation is meant to simplify your life not complicate it. Technology can be overwhelming because it’s new but once installed these devices are very user friendly. You do not have to be tech savvy to operate them. The complicated part is often in the setup and that is what we handle for you!
Technology isn’t Reliable
If the Wi-Fi goes down, I don’t want my devices to stop working. This is a completely understandable concern. Some devices such as a Google or Alexa assistant need the internet to operate. But most smart devices are not Wi-Fi-dependent to operate. If you have a lighting system or automated shades, they will work with no Wi-Fi. If you have smoke alarms or security cameras, they have battery-back up and will work also. In some cases of battery-back up, they will even work if the power goes down. You wouldn’t be able to have access via the app, but you would still have local control and in the case of security cameras, they will continue to monitor and record.
As always, we hope we’ve made your day brighter! If you have any questions or would like to learn more, please visit www.inthelitellc.com.