How to get a SMARTER HOME

Running a household has its ups and downs so each week we bring you the latest tips and tricks to make your home life easy

Looking for the latest in smart home devices? It’s hard to keep track of what is worth getting for your home, especially with technology advancing by the day with new updates. Smart home gadgets are there to make your life simpler, safer and more secure – to give you peace of mind. Want to turn on the lights at home even though you’re not there? Easy. How about closing the blinds when you’re still at work? Done. Want to see who is at the door without getting up? No problem.

Ben Green from leading Australian lighting and technology business, Evolt (evolt.com.au), has tips for what to look for in smart home solutions.

RESEARCH THE DEVICE

Let’s say you need a smart light bulb to add a relaxing ambience to your home. The first step you should take is to visit the brand’s website. Determine if the brand is reputable by reading about its history, verifying accreditations/certifications and of course going through customer reviews. Then head to the brand’s social media accounts to examine if it’s authentic. Next, check if the product is designed for the Australian market and if it has easy-to-access local support.

ASK THE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS

When you decide on a brand, ask questions in-store such as:

Are you required to provide your personal details in order to control the device via a smart app? How will the product work with my existing smart home technologies? Whether you are buying from a retailer or trusting an installer to recommend a product, ensure the device is durable, easy to integrate in the smart home environment and secure with transparent and forced upgrades. Plan ahead and make sure you can easily purchase more of the products over time, and that they can easily integrate with smart home hubs such as Google Home and Alexa.

PROTECT YOUR WI-FI

Your smart TV, gaming consoles, security cameras and lights are probably connected to the internet. There are more connected home gadgets right now than ever before, so security is important. The most used passwords are very hackable. Go over to your router settings and use a strong encryption method, such as WPA2, when you set up your wi-fi network access. An encrypted network drastically reduces the chances of getting hacked. Don’t forget to set your password using a combination of upper and lowercase letters, and include at least one number and a symbol.

PLANNING TO SET UP OR ADD TO YOUR SMART TECH HOME? HERE ARE SOME TIPS TO CONSIDER