The world changes rapidly, that is certain. And the way technology has developed in the past forty years is without precedent in history. In the palm of our hands, we hold computers that have the ability to access any knowledge that mankind has discovered. There are countless applications for technology in all areas of life, but one thing is certain –it makes our lives easier. One of the fastest-growing trends right now is making your home “smart”, i.e. equipping it with digital devices that enable it to perform many functions around the house that we would usually have to do ourselves. However, there is a problem –many of these devices are too expensive for the average person to be able to purchase and maintain. Therefore, here are five devices which you can use to turn your ordinary old home into a smart one, without making too big of a dent in your household budget.
1. Insteon Remote Control Wall Thermostat
This thermostat is not on the expensive side, and yet it offers a range of options to make your home more interactive and eco-friendly. Among other things, you can use it to adjust the temperature in your home even while you are at work or out of town. Moreover, it can also be set to only activate air conditioning when its sensors detect movement around the place.
2. Logitech Harmony 665
If you like to have things in your life under control, this universal remote is the right thing for you and your wallet. It allows you to connect as many as ten entertainment devices at once, all to be controlled with the push of a button on your remote. While it may not be as sophisticated as other universal remotes, it certainly gives you a wide range of abilities for your budget.
3. Leviton Decora
Smart bulbs are the newest trend in smart homes, as they can be programmed to turn on and off at certain times of the day. However, it is far friendlier for your budget to get a smart light switch like this one that allows you to control all of your lights, and that even has a dimmer option. This way, you can always keep track of your bulbs, and prevent unnecessary energy being wasted when you are not at home.
4. Blink Security Camera
This camera is a breath of fresh air for users on a budget, as it is quite small and compact, and offers infrared motion detection up to twenty feet away from it; moreover, it records in 720p, and it stores up to twenty hours of footage on the cloud for free, should you want to review what is going on in your home while you are away at work. One of the best things is –this camera is completely wireless, and it requires only a couple of AA batteries to operate, which last up to two years.
5. August Bluetooth Keypad
This is a budget-friendly way to always be able to enter your home, even if you somehow misplaced your keys, or just have multiple family members who are prone to losing them. One of the advantages of this locking system is that it does not rely on your phone to open, which comes in handy if you happen to lose it.
