SMART HOMES EXPLAINED

WHEN we say something is smart, we mean it’s connected to the internet and can be controlled from anywhere in the world, via a website or smartphone app. Devices can be scheduled, controlled manually, or be automated to react to certain triggers (you can tell your lights to come on when the sun goes down, for example).

THERE are many manufacturers making lots of smart devices, usually with a focus on one particular feature (things like home security, lighting, energy monitoring). You can get smart light bulbs, smart plugs, smart sensors, smart thermostats, smart security cameras, smart locks, things like that. Sometimes you need an extra “hub” that plugs into your wifi router to allow control over devices all over your home, some connect directly to your wifi.

WHAT about voice control and AI assistants? MOST of these manufacturers make their smart devices accessible to one or more of the three most popular AI assistants – Amazon’s Alexa, the Google Assistant, or Apple’s Siri. Alexa is by far the most popular, while Google is catching up. Siriconnected devices are more limited at the moment.

If you have an Amazon Echo or a Google home, you can control these devices with voice commands. Apple’s HomePod, due out in December, will provide similar functionality for Siri-controllable devices. Which device is compatible with which system is one of the minefields of smart home system set-up, which is the main reason a service like Maplin’s is so useful.