Smart home technology allows you to monitor and control devices and appliances in your home remotely using your smartphone or other networked devices. Connected products like smart lights, thermostats, security cameras, locks, and more can be programmed to turn on/off automatically or be controlled manually from anywhere.
Smart home devices communicate with each other and with the homeowner through wireless protocols like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, etc. or through hardwired home automation systems. Cloud services and digital assistants like Alexa also enable voice control.
With home automation, you can save energy, time, and money while adding convenience and security. We cover and review the latest smart home gadgets and whole-home platforms to help you create your connected dream home. See our smart home product guides, news, buying advice, and more.
BenQ is mostly known for their affordable LCD monitors, but they also produce other products such as the ZOWIE e-sports peripherals and now a LED lamp specifically designed for e-Reading. It is a pretty niche product, but with the popularity of the Amazon Kindle, it could prove popular. From the BenQ website: BenQ WiT combines…
Home automation systems allow homeowners better control over their environments and more idea of what types of energy they are using and why. Home automation systems as a whole are designed to take some of the strain from homeowners – instead of worrying about whether or not they have locked their doors or left their…
I think the iSmartAlarm SPOT+ is the cheapest indoor CCTV camera I have been sent to date. My pack was the dual camera version which sells on Amazon for just £54.99. At this price, you have to wonder if this can possibly perform well? So, let’s find out! The cameras themselves are nicely sized and…
Not to be outdone by Apple with heir new Apple TV 4K, Amazon have just announced their new range of devices including: All-New Amazon Echo – All-new design, improved sound with Dolby processing, second generation far-field technology and a lower price – just £89.99 Echo Plus – Contains a built-in smart home hub to easily…
Recently, Barclays undertook a piece of research to identify attitudes toward smart home technology across the UK. This research has been carried out twice in the past two years showing how public opinion towards smart homes has changed over the past 2 years. The 2015 survey consisted of 4,370 adults and the 2017 survey was…
I love my HS110 plug sockets from TP-Link, they are affordable, easy to use and provide energy monitoring. So much so I have bought 3 of them, and will probably buy more. I have them set up so my office powers up in the morning and my PC auto boots on power. One I use…
The Panasonic KX-HNC800 camera is an indoor CCTV camera that integrates with Panasonic’s line of home monitoring devices, but it can also work independently. The specification of the camera includes: 1080p Full HD Camera with pre-Recording feature and Wide Angle view Works as Stand Alone IP Camera and with Panasonic Smart Home system Full HD…
Philips Hue has been one of my favourite purchases in recent months, I love being able to control my lights remotely and have them on schedules. So the idea of being able to do the same with my blinds is very appealing and the Soma Smart Shades do that, for a relatively affordable price and…
Smart Homes have been in the news a lot recently; we have Smart thermostats, smoke alarms, and lighting. Smart home technology has crept its way into the kitchen too, I even reviewed the excellent Samsung WW9000 washing back in 2014 and I saw a prototype of the Haier smart fridge back in 2013. However, since…
A treat dispensing pet cam may seem like a very niche product but it isn’t even the first I have reviewed, back in April last year I reviewed the Petzi treat cam. Today I am reviewing the Furbo Dog Camera, and looking at Amazon these 2 are the only products currently available offering this niche…
Recently we have covered the excellent Netgear Arlo and the not quite as good but cheaper Kidde Lync. Today we have the review of Blink Home Security. This works in a similar manner to Arlo, there is a sync module and then, however, many wireless cameras you want to add to the system. Blink currently…
At the start of this year, I reviewed the Heat Genius smart central heating system, and I loved it. At the time, it offered the best control for heating your entire house than any other product on the market due to the integration of smart radiator valves. It did have its quirks, though. The app…