Turn your house tech-savvy with these home automation gadgets!
Kwikset Kevo
Bring your home into the 21st century with Kwikset Kevo by UniKey. Yout smartphone will be transformed into a key used to unlock the doors of your home. The Kevo is the market’s first Bluetooth enabled touch-to-open smart lock so you don’t have to fumble for keys at the door anymore. The Kevo replaces the existing deadbolt and is easy to install. The iOS/web portal let’s you manage locks, send or revoke eKey access to members of the family and you can even view a lock history.
Our team member installed one in their home and here is there take: It was easy to install, it took some time to calibrate but once it was up and running it was super simple to lock and unlock the door. We liked how the product lets you send eKeys to others with ease and cancel them if it’s a one time entry. One cool aspect was the ability to rekey this lock to your key and dismiss with the locksmith. While you do need to have an actual key as backup, the convenience was nice, especially when our hands were full of stuff and having to fuss with an actual key would be more difficult. To open it, you must be within a short range away from the lock with your smartphone. We liked how there was a security feature to access the app. Thumbs up on this one. $219 unikey.com Watch the video here.
INSTEON Starter Kit
Control your house through your wireless devices. The INSTEON starter kit includes a hub that connects to your router and lets you remotely control INSTEON-compatible devices throughout your home. The hub allows you to enable control of devices through a smartphone, wireless remote or switches and keypads. This kit includes two LampLinc 2-pin lamp dimmer modules that allow control of compatible incandescent lighting.
One of our team members installed the system in her home and here is the result: It was super easy to install, I think the whole system took me an hour to get it up and running. I really liked how everything is managed through the smart devices and installed the system on my iPad and iPhone with ease. I did install extra accessories (webcam and water leak) and again, very simple and easy to get up and running. If you want to have remote access you do need to call in to the service and have them help you walk through the WIFI connection. $119.99 smarthome.com
Dropcam
The Dropcam makes it easy to see what’s happening at your home or business when you are not there. Dropcam provides a cloud service and a line of video monitoring cameras that work together so you can wirelessly stream live video to your smartphone, tablet or computer. You can zoom up to 8x, nightvision is also possible with its infrared sensors. The two-way talk feature via built-in mic and speaker lets users talk to love ones from anywhere in the world. Besides live video streaming, Dropcam provides an optional service called Cloud Recording that lets you go back and review footage from the past week or month so you can capture, relive and share important moments.
Dropcam $149 and Dropcam Pro from $199. dropcam.com Watch the video here.
INSTEON Smart LED Light Bulbs
Save your energy bill with INSTEON Smart LED Light Bulbs. These energy-saving light bulbs uses only 8 watts of electricity while the bulb for recessed lighting uses a paltry 12 watts. Shining as bright as a regular light-bulb, using INSTEON’s software you can customized lighting scenes, ramp rates, brightness levels and set lighting schedules all on your phones and tablet. Staring at $29.99. smarthome.com
INSTEON Wireless Thermostat
Hate to constantly change your thermostat to feel comfortable? The INSTEON Wireless Thermostat lets you control the room’s temperature at any location. Place it in the master bedroom, the basement, in the guest room and you can have room-specific, customized temperature control. Up to two wireless thermostats can be linked to a wired INSTEON Thermostat. Program the thermostat as an INSTEON controller to activate other appliances in the home based on temperature, humidity or mode changes such as ceiling fans. You can control the temperature through your smartphone/tablet or computer. $79 smarthome.com
Piper
Whether’s it’s off to college, or out of the dorms, Piper can help any new renter or dorm dweller stay at ease. Know who’s been coming in and out of your place and use Piper‘s security features to instantly give yourself peace of mind. Key features include: customizable security, alerts and notifications via phone call, text message, or email, and smart attractive hardware. $199.00 getpiper.com
Watch our segment with Fox 10 News about the ease of installation for smarthome gadgets here!
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