The idea of the smart home, once present only in the pages of science fiction, that has rocketed into science fact and modern significance in a very short amount of time. People are investing in smart products everyday, everything from automatic coffee makers, to regulators for lights and thermostats. Once these “smart-products” were considered frilly luxurious, over-expensive pieces of hardware that did little or nothing different, but with the advent of smart home technology people are really taking it all quite seriously and maturing into a real industry with quite a bit of demand. More and more people are seeking out products of all shapes and sizes but that have one thing in common, all of them hold the promise to make life simpler and more convenient for their owner. This is why people buy iPhones, combining their phone, their music, with wifi and 3g all in their pocket. The modern day woman or man wants to be able to get things done and they don’t need clunky products that don’t work efficiently slowing them down. To that end we can attribute the rise of smart-home products. But does a smart-home really have any merit to the average person, or is it a luxury for the super wealthy. That certainly used to be the case but these days, smart-products are far more accessible to the everyday consumer. But what is the true benefit to a smart home? What are the detractors? Should you invest in the products for yourself? This small guide will illustrate the pros and cons of the smart home to help paint a better picture for you as the consumer.
Pros:
- Connectivity: Investing in smart home products is deceptive. You are not buying multiple products that work separately but multiple products that work with each other through the same system. Your coffee, temperature, lights, television and alarm system would all be joined so you would have control over all of them, hence the idea of a smart home, not just smart products
- Convenience: Having all your products programmed to your specific needs is a true luxury that comes with living in this digital age. Being able to manage your home wirelessly or even on the go. Setting the specific times that you want things done and having them done, it frees up time and removes stress so that you can do more in your day to day life.
- Customization: Smart home technology is not limited to one type of product; you as a consumer have a great deal of say in what goes into your home and how you manage it. You have the power to create a smart home that truly feels like your home, which runs on your systems and manages your products in the same way that you would.
- Installation: You would think that this would fall under the cons section, the idea of smart home probably evokes images of a difficult and time consuming installation, but that is honestly not the case. Almost all smart home products can be installed by someone with little to no experience, so you don’t have to hire people to do it for you. It is all wireless so you can install it and manage the upkeep of the products by yourself. So if you ever wanted to expand you could do it without having to call in a professional.
Cons:
- Expense: While it is true that is possible for the average person to afford these products, that does not mean that they are cheap. The products are expensive and often require additions to work the way you want, making them even more expensive. The cost can be unreasonably high, at least compared to ordinary non-smart products. The price can be higher than many people are willing to pay.
- Reliability: While the idea of a perfectly synchronized wireless system governing every aspect of your home sounds very appealing, naturally there are a few kinks in such an ideal vision. Oftentimes the wireless signals that govern your technology can be cut or interrupted by other electronics, this makes it difficult to add new products to your smart home for fear that the electronic signal might interfere with your home’s network causing it to slow or stop functioning altogether.
- Distance Limitation: Depending on how large your property is, there can be a distinct possibility that there are places where your signal does not reach and therefore cannot be governed by your smart tech, and because there are limits to the number of sensors you can use to control your systems so if you do have something that is out of reach, chances are it will stay that way.
So there are clearly a great many pros and cons to think about when deciding whether or not to upgrade your home with smart tech. Ultimately you have to ask yourself some questions before you make any kind of decision. How much money are you willing to spend? How much do you want this technology? Is your property too big for the signal? Do you have too many electronics that could be interfering? Is the customization important to me? How convenient is all of this to me specifically? It is up to you to put your own price down and determine what works for you. Smart homes are not for everyone, they can be an amazing simplification for some people and a huge economic burden for others. It is up to you to decide what category you fall into. Hopefully this list gave you a good idea about what to expect from this new technology, how it can benefit you and what you might have to take into consideration before committing to it. Overall smart homes, like all technology these days, are not for everybody particularly at this stage, sometimes technology is not accessible to people’s budgets and will not be until it becomes more commonplace. So think carefully before you decide anything and take these pros and cons into account to ensure that you are making the decision that is right for you.