Smart Home 101: Intro to Home Automation and Security Systems

  AUTHOR: Carlos Paras
 UPDATED: February 5, 2024

Believe it or not, the ideas surrounding the modern smart home movement have been around for decades. From as early as the 1950’s, science fiction writers have been hypothesizing about a future where computer-driven smart devices would be available to every household, regardless of their social class or living situation.

In fact, many historians trace the beginning of smart home technology to the release of the ECHO IV Home Computer in 1966. The ECHO IV was the Electronic Computing Home Operator built by Jim Sutherland who was a computer-systems design engineer for Westinghouse Electric.

Typical of computers in that day and age, the ECHO IV needed a lot of room and a lot of power to operate. It was comprised of four cabinets weighing 800 pounds each, taking up 20 square feet of floor space and requiring 3,000 watts of power to operate.

With that being said, the ECHO IV was advanced for its time in that it could perform simple home automation tasks, such as: creating digital shopping lists, turning a TV or stereo system on or off, controlling the temperature within a residence, and even calculating the family budget on a monthly basis.

These tasks closely mirror popular smart home devices used in apartments, condos, and homes around the world today.

The greatest difference between the introduction of original smart home devices like the 50+ year old ECHO IV and the release of products like Amazon’s Echo Dot or the Google Nest Mini is seen in the significant drop in price.

While the underlying technology needed to create a smart home has been around for almost half a century, it is only now becoming affordable enough for the average consumer to make use of it in their own home.

Rapid advances in technology like artificial intelligence and the internet of things have allowed today’s smart home devices to quickly surpass the ECHO IV, let alone what was imagined by any science fiction writer of the past.

With such an exciting leap forward in technology, it’s no wonder that homeowners from all walks of life are using the power of smart home technology to work for them.

From being able to automate everyday tasks, to the assurance that your home will be safe and secure, there are many benefits associated with the implementation of smart home technology in your home.

And now that smart devices are available at low entry prices, creating the smart home of your dreams is more accessible and more affordable than ever.

So, with these trends in mind, I have taken the time to create the following introductory guide to smart home technology. I hope that this overview will empower you to use this technology to your advantage and to begin converting your home into a smart home.

Smart Home Deals @ Amazon

What Is A Smart Home?

A great place to start is to simply define a smart home. By definition, a smart home is any place of residence outfitted with electronic devices that can be connected in a network and remotely controlled through a smartphone or computer interface.

This is a solid definition, yet it fails to grasp just how beneficial the adoption of smart home technology can be. Some of the most significant benefits associated with smart homes are the long-term savings of time, money, and energy.

For example, smart home devices like iRobot’s Roomba (link to Amazon) and Braava (link to Amazon) can automate the process of sweeping and mopping floors throughout a home. This can provide an unprecedented level of convenience for those who find cleaning to be an unenjoyable chore.

Other smart home devices, such as the nest Learning Thermostat (link to Amazon), can learn your temperature preferences over time, while building a customized heating and cooling schedule around your lifestyle. This has the potential to save a homeowner hundreds of dollars on utilities throughout a year.

At its core, the implementation of smart home technology is all about helping to ensure the highest level of comfort for homeowners while also helping to conserve resources like natural gas and electricity over time.

Such goals are accomplished, in large part, through the mindful application of rapidly advancing technologies.

This is one of the main reasons consumers now enjoy devices ranging from artificial intelligence-powered connected speakers and thermostats to near-autonomous chore completion from smart vacuum cleaners, smart mops, and even smart lawn mowers.

Why Should I Start Setting Up A Smart Home?

As even the most modest smart home represents a cutting edge, fully connected experience, there are numerous reasons to start converting your home into a smart home.

Whether your motivation lies in the satisfaction of becoming the techie king of your neighborhood or the knowledge that life’s most menial tasks can become automated, there is a seemingly endless list of perks associated with this trend.

While I won’t have time to cover all of the benefits associated with setting up a smart home, some of the more notable reasons to do so include:

Remote Control of Devices or Appliances in Your Home or Apartment

Want to turn on your coffee maker and switch on the kitchen lights from the comfort of your bed? What about the opportunity to check up on things while away on vacation?

Through the power of smart home devices like smart coffee pots and smart security cameras ready to connect users to their home remotely via smartphone, you’ll always be close enough to home to ensure that everything is running smoothly.

These benefits are especially intriguing to those who find themselves traveling often for work or vacation.

Cost Savings on Home Expenses

While many adopters don’t realize it at first, smart home technology can assist in minimizing the cost of utilities. The ability to adjust the thermostat and turn off the lights with just a few taps on an app means you’ll never have to worry about spending tons of money on utility bills ever again.

Automate Daily Tasks

Have you ever stepped back to consider just how much time it takes to complete everyday tasks like sweeping, preheating the oven, or even doing your laundry? Wouldn’t it be great to be able to accomplish all of these tasks in little to no time at all?

Through the use of popular smart home solutions like IFTTT (If This, Then That) and smart devices that are compatible with the internet of things, you’ll be able to say goodbye to mundane tasks like these for good.

As you can see, there are numerous advantages afforded to owners of smart homes. With today’s modern world becoming more hectic all the time, the chance to automate basic everyday tasks, while simultaneously giving homeowners greater control and saving them money in the process, offers an invaluable combination that is hard to beat.

To highlight just how beneficial smart home solutions can be for the everyday home, apartment, or condo owner, let’s take a little more time to showcase the modern conveniences that home automation and security systems can help provide.

Smart Home Automation Can Make Your Life Easier

Now, I realize that smart home technology may not feel right for everybody and every situation. After all, allowing smart devices and their associated services access to one’s home (which has traditionally been considered to be a place of great privacy) can sometimes feel downright creepy.

However, I can assure you that installing smart home devices doesn’t have to feel like inviting Big Brother over for a permanent stay-cation.

Especially when you consider the fact that most reputable smart home device manufacturers have made fundamental changes that prevent users from having these devices eavesdrop on their conversations.

Learning to make the most of smart home technology can provide endless positives for users.

For those willing to give smart home technology a shot, their lives are sure to become a whole lot easier with these benefits:

Significantly Increase Your Home's Efficiency

For environmentally conscious consumers, managing your overall carbon footprint is as easy as selecting a few different settings on a smartphone application. While this is a benefit mainly for those who care about the environment, even those who may not make green living a priority will enjoy the fact that smart home devices tend to pay for themselves over time.

Make Your Entertainment More Entertaining

Many users don’t realize this hidden benefit at first, but smart home technology often combines devices and processes perfectly to create a high-tech entertainment system capable of operating throughout a home.

Custom lighting that will change depending on the mood of the TV show you’re watching, automatic (and speedy) streaming to multiple devices, the ability to start a movie from any screen and finish it anywhere in your home, and having complete control of your music with voice commands are just a few of the impressive untapped features within most smart home systems.

Smart Home Technology Learns and Adjusts

The very name “smart home” indicates one of the technology’s most important and significant characteristics: it is ridiculously smart!

Smart homes often leverage a type of artificial intelligence known as machine learning, which looks at the data you produce and learns from it to adjust the behavior of the devices in your smart home network.

Over time, this helps make your life significantly easier, while making it seem as if you have a digital home butler that is capable of adjusting to your every need.

Clearly, the widespread adoption of smart home technology is making life easier for countless individuals around the world. However, increased everyday convenience is a moot point if not paired with a reasonable expectation of personal privacy and safety.

Now, let’s take a deeper look at how smart home devices can help you to provide the highest possible level of protection for your loved ones and prized possessions.

Smart Home Security Can Protect Your Possessions and Loved Ones

Homeowners understand that every passing year leads to the development of new potential security threats. Whether it’s the risk of home invasion, destruction of personal property, or the rising trend of package theft, new threats demand innovative security solutions.

Thankfully, smart home security systems possess a number of notable advantages that help secure your property far better than traditional home security models.

These are some of the benefits that smart home security systems provide:

The Opportunity to Be Proactive Instead of Reactive

While standard security systems reactively alert you when a threat is already taking place or has already happened, smart home security systems are able to proactively warn users before potential security threats turn into dangerous confrontations.

For instance, if the back door were left open by mistake, users of a smart home security system would be notified, so there is no need to worry about any intruders wandering into your home while you’re sleeping or at work.

Smart Security Can Monitor More Than Just the Home

Smart home security systems can notify you of any issues occurring throughout your property, while traditional home security systems can only keep track of the home itself.

Smart cameras can view what is happening around your property, ensuring that you are in control at all times.

Additionally, if you ever forget to secure your home before heading to work in the morning, you can correct your mistake from anywhere, on almost any smart device.

Increased Value for Your Home

More and more real estate firms are reporting that home buyers are willing to pay far more for a home equipped with a smart security system and home automation features.

It is quickly becoming clear that one of the easiest ways to increase the value of your home is to install a smart home security system.

As those who have grown up with smart devices in their homes transition into becoming home buyers and owners themselves, those looking to sell their home should strongly consider the positive effects of home security and home automation systems on the overall value of their property.

How Do Smart Home Devices Work?

Much of the widespread success of smart homes can be attributed to a perfect storm of technology and innovation. Powerful smartphones combining with the recent advancements in artificial intelligence and the internet of things are creating new, state-of-the-art technologies that are transforming the way we live our lives.

The core of smart home technology is the internet of things, which is often known as IoT technology. IoT technology refers to a combination of devices and products that are interconnected and identifiable through complex digital networks.

The internet of things is what allows smart devices to be connected in a manner that provides intelligent feedback on numerous aspects of a smart home. As this web-like sprawl of interconnected devices has grown, it has led to the development of affordable smart home automation systems.

In addition to the internet of things, artificial intelligence holds the unique place of being the technology that has allowed smart devices to become truly “smart.” As previously mentioned, a certain form of artificial intelligence, known as machine learning, is what makes smart devices intelligent in nature.

Machine learning utilizes all of the data that homeowners create (such as thermostat adjustments, when the house is occupied or vacant, and other user preferences derived from everyday interactions with technology) and converts them into meaningful actions to be used by smart home devices.

What Smart Home Devices Are Popular Today?

Everyone has their own particular tastes when it comes to choosing the devices to get their smart home started, yet there are a few devices that really separate themselves from the pack. Here is a look at a few of the more popular smart home devices on the market today.

Amazon Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen)

The Amazon Echo Show 10 (link to Amazon) combines the convenience of a smart speaker with the added power of a 10.1" touchscreen visual display.

With Amazon's Alexa on board, users can control other smart devices, watch movies, stream music, make video calls, and more, all by using simple voice commands.

Improved sound quality and strong support make the Echo Show a no-brainer for getting any smart home started. Check prices, reviews, and more at Amazon .

Sonos One SL

The Sonos One SL (link to Amazon) enables homeowners to get the best sound quality with seamless integration into any smart home system.

These speakers come with Alexa built-in, so you have all the benefits of a voice-controlled smart assistant including the ability to stream music from online services such as Spotify, Pandora, and iHeartRadio.

As a punchy, but balanced set of expandable speakers, they are definitely worth investing in, especially if you are a music lover. Check prices, reviews, and more at Amazon.

nest Learning Thermostat

The nest Learning Thermostat (link to Amazon) can automatically learn your temperature preferences and program itself, which can save you time and money in the long run.

Connect to Wi-Fi to change the temperature from your phone, tablet or laptop. With the Home/Away Assist feature, the nest Thermostat automatically adjusts when you’re away to avoid heating or cooling an empty home.

Works with Amazon Alexa, Cortana, Google Assistant, Hue, Nest, and Wink. Check prices, reviews, and more at Amazon.

Philips Hue Smart Light Bulbs

Philips Hue Smart Light Bulbs (link to Amazon) leverage dynamic LED technology to pack a total of 16 million possible colors into these tiny bulbs.

These bulbs are fast, easy to install, and capable of being included within any smart home architecture, regardless of your chosen brand of smart home hub.

Control the lights from anywhere using the Philips Hue App on your smartphone. A must buy for any smart home enthusiast. Check prices, reviews, and more at Amazon.

Ring Video Doorbell

The Ring Video Doorbell (link to Amazon) is the best selling doorbell camera from Ring. Its unique features separate itself from the dozens of other smart doorbells cameras available.

Connect to Wi-Fi and be alerted when someone rings the doorbell or motion is dectected. You can see, hear and speak to visitors at your door from your phone, tablet and PC.

Sporting a full HD 1080p camera with a 155-degree field of view. The camera embedded within this doorbell will help you to determine just who is at your door, regardless if you are at home or away. Check prices, reviews, and more at Amazon.

These are just a few of the literally hundreds of smart home devices that are available on the market today. While it would be impossible for us to cover every device in depth, I firmly believe that these select devices will provide the strongest base for any new smart home system.

How To Get Started Building a Smart Home System?

With all of this talk about the amazing benefits of smart devices, you are probably wondering how you can get started. There are numerous starting points to converting your home into a smart home. Let's go through some of the easiest and best ways to begin.

First off, I suggest investing in a smart speaker like Amazon’s Echo Dot (link to Amazon) or the Google Nest Mini. Whether you choose to go with Amazon’s Alexa or Google Assistant, the key to creating the smart home of your dreams is getting started with the right voice assistant.

Smart plugs, like the Kasa Smart Plug Mini (link to Amazon), are an easy and affordable way to get started with home automation. They simply plug into any standard wall outlet and allow you to control any device or appliance plugged into it from an app on a smartphone. Smart plugs are a great way to convert conventional appliances into smart ones.

Next, investing in smart lighting devices, such as Philips Hue smart light bulbs (link to Amazon), is another easy way to develop some basic smart home functionality without breaking the bank. Other great smart light bulb options include those from manufacturers like Cree, TP-Link, and Kasa Smart (link to Amazon).

After getting the very basics of your smart home installed, a smart thermostat, such as the Nest Learning Thermostat (link to Amazon) or the ecobee New Smart Thermostat Premium (link to Amazon), will help ensure that your smart home will start paying for itself through drastically lower heating and cooling bills.

From here, I strongly suggest investing in some smart home security-based devices, such as a smart door lock, like the Schlage Encode Wi-Fi Deadbolt (link to Amazon), or a doorbell camera, like the Ring Video Doorbell (link to Amazon).

Once you’ve established some security features to pair with basic automation, the choices surrounding more smart home functionalities are really up to you.

One of the best parts of smart homes is their modular nature. If you don’t like a certain device or would like to get a few components upgraded, you can easily do so without negatively affecting the overall function of your smart home system.

You’ll be able to create almost any sort of functionality that you can imagine, yielding a truly customizable and personalized smart home experience.

Smart Home Technology Is a Growing Trend that Should Be Adopted By All

While I am somewhat biased in this opinion, I believe that everyone should enjoy the benefits that a smart home can offer.

Smart homes make life easier by taking care of mundane tasks and making sure your home's energy efficiency is optimized. These two features serve the ultimate goal of saving users time, money, and energy.

By incorporating automation and security systems in your home, you can be confident that you are always in control and can rest easy knowing your home and loved ones are safe and secure.

Next Steps

Hopefully this basic overview of the features and benefits of smart home technology will motivate and inspire you to begin the journey towards creating your own smart home.

If you are interested in learning more about smart home automation and security, feel free to browse through the rest of the articles on our website.

You can access articles that address some of the more frequently asked questions about smart homes by clicking here. Articles that offer tips and advice on building your own smart home can be found by clicking here. For guides and tutorials on smart home devices, you can click here.

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