Deck the halls with smart home gadgets
(Image credit: TechRadar)
CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDES
We're bringing you a tech-focused Christmas present guide a day up to the
large day itself, to assist fuel your present buying inspiration.
Day 1: Apple fans | 2: Photographers | 3: Switch gamers | 4: Xbox gamers | 5:
PS4 games | 6: Retro gamers | 7: PC gamers | 8: Lego fans | 9: Music lovers |
10: Mobile gamers | 11: Home cinema dreamers | 12: Home cookers | 13: Smart
home starter kit
If your friends and family have an interest in developing their smart home
systems this Christmas, it are often tough to understand where to start out
because the gift giver. It are often a touch of a minefield if tech isn't your
area, and things can get expensive quickly. That's why we're here to urge you
started with a variety of practical smart home device recommendations.
First you would like in touch in mind the varied smart home ecosystems. the
large players are Apple, Google, Amazon, Samsung, and ZigBee, so it's worth
checking out the suite of products during which your giftee has invested, to
form sure your carefully-considered presents aren't incompatible. If they
haven't got a fully-fledged smart home system yet, it'd be worth keeping in
mind whether or not they have an Amazon Echo or Google Assistant speaker
already, for instance. If they need an iPhone, investigate Apple
HomeKit-related smart gear.
There are intelligent devices for everything nowadays: there are smart
doorbells, security cameras, light bulbs, and more, available for your
tech-minded loved ones. unsure where to start? Here are some Christmas smart
home gift ideas to form shopping a touch easier.
Sonos One
(Image credit: Future)
-No Hi-Res Audio support
REASONS TO BUY
+Rich sound+Alexa, Google Assistant, and AirPlay 2+Plays music when Alexa is muted
REASONS TO AVOID
A best smart home starts with a sensible speaker – and therefore the Sonos One
is that the best one you'll buy.
With Alexa and Google Assistant built-in, you'll control your music also as
your other smart home gadgets together with your voice alone – and support for
Apple AirPlay 2 makes this speaker truly impartial when it involves the
services and smart home ecosystems you would like to shop for into.
As well as all that, the Sonos One boasts the audio brand's multi-room smarts,
so you'll hook it up to other Sonos speakers for a very connected home –
that's one hard-working Christmas present.
Ring Video Doorbell 3
-No free video storage
REASONS TO BUY
+Attractive design+Great motion tracking+App is easy to to use
REASONS TO AVOID - No free video storage
Building the right smart home starts at your front entrance, and what better
to thanks to secure your loved one's home than buying the simplest smart
doorbell, the Ring Video Doorbell 3?
This nifty device replaces your traditional doorbell, adding a camera that
permits you to ascertain who's at the doorstep – albeit you're faraway from
home. Once someone approaches your door, you will get a notification on your
phone, and if they press the button, a video call will appear on your
phone.
Support for Google Assistant and Alexa means it is often controlled via your
other smart gadgets – for instance, you'll ask Google Assistant to point out
the view from your front entrance on your Google Nest Hub Max smart display.
Philips Hue
REASONS TO BUY
+Widely supported+Easy to install+Excellent app
REASONS TO AVOID
-Can be pricey
One of the simplest ways to form your 'dumb' home smart is to take a position
in some smart light bulbs – and therefore the best ones you'll buy are within
the Philips Hue range.
The Philips Hue lineup for LED bulbs is available a spread of shapes and sizes
for almost any household lighting need, also as different colors for fans of
mood lighting.
If you decide on Philips Hue bulbs, you'll get to get the Philips Bridge,
which is quite a sort of a hub for your lights. The advantage, however, is
reliability, and therefore the incontrovertible fact that the system is
compatible with a variety of various standards and residential control systems
including Apple HomeKit, Nest, and Samsung SmartThings.
Nest Learning Thermostat
(Image credit: Google)
REASONS TO BUY
+Elegant design+Clever
REASONS TO AVOID
-No Apple HomeKit compatibility
When you start looking into smart thermostats for your technophile beloved ,
you're bound to encounter Nest products; the Google-owned company dominates
the market, and with good reason. The Nest Learning Thermostat is that the
heating plant to travel for, because it uses its smarts to find out your
routine, so eventually you'll just let it do its thing.
While it's going to be a touch confusing for tech novices, and its lack of
zonal control means you'll get to tweak radiators in individual rooms,
investing in a Google-backed smart thermostat may be a great way to travel if
you're building a wider smart home system. Location-based features that turn
heating on or off counting on your phone's location may be a nice touch,
too.
Anker Eufycam 2
(Image credit: Eufy)
REASONS TO BUY
+No monthly subscription +365-day battery life+Weather-proof IP67 rating
REASONS TO AVOID
-Only records when triggered
The Anker Eufycam 2 may be a dependable mid-range option for many people
trying to find a sensible security camera. It doesn't have the simplest video
resolution and it only records when it has been triggered, but it's a good
sort of feature, and therefore the lack of a compulsory subscription keeps
costs down.
This, along side the 365-day battery and IP67 weatherproof rating, make the
Eufycam 2 the simplest affordable smart security camera option for many
people, with none pesky maintenance costs.
Read more: Anker Eufycam 2 review
August Smart Lock Pro
(Image credit: August)
REASONS TO BUY
+Good compatibility+Strong+Automatic features
REASONS TO AVOID
-Bulky
If you're serious about security, a sensible lock may be a smart choice. The
August Smart Lock Pro is that the better of the bunch, fitting on to your
existing deadbolt, and allowing you to use your existing key – with all the
advantages of a sensible lock.
It allows you to lock and unlock your door remotely, which is handy if you
would like to let someone in while you're away, and you'll even set it up to
unlock automatically when you're within 200 feet of your home.
You can also set smart alerts to allow you to know if you're door is locked or
unlocked. or when you've accidentally left your door open – an excellent gift
for the scatterbrain in your life.
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