In a very short time, smart home technology has come a long way. Before technology advanced to the point it is at now, engineers were using what they had available to create products. Those products, back then, impressed us, and many of us still use them today. What has changed, though, is what impresses us today – we’re on a whole new level (even if we haven’t reached flying car status yet). Here’s a recap of then and now, the smart home technology that has impressed us through the years.
Then: Self-Cleaning Ovens
Now: Smart ovens that you control remotely. And that send you alerts about things like reaching the preheating temperature, timers ending, and even diagnostics for the unit. Oh, and of course they can still self-clean, but now you can activate that from your phone or tablet, on the go.
Then: Fridges with Ice Makers and Water Dispensers
Now: Cameras. In. Our. Fridges. It is the future. We used to be impressed with fridges that could give us ice and water. And now we have fridges that we can look inside when we are at the grocery store. Fridges that can talk to us and tell us the weather and digitally manage our calendars, to-do lists, and shopping lists. Don’t worry though, they can still dispense our water and ice, they just do it with more intelligence.
Then: Streaming Boxes
Now: TVs with built in streaming. Why buy that extra streaming box to be able to access Netflix, Hulu, HBO and Amazon Prime videos? With a smart TV, you can run everything straight from the internal system. Connect it to your WiFi and you’re ready to go. TVs even have smart remotes now, that let you use voice search to find your next great binge-watch. I guess having to buy one less electronic device is good for us, and it saves us money on our energy bills.
Then: Swiffer
Now: There was a day when the Swiffer – and later the Swiffer Wet Jet – was the king of the floor cleaners. It offered a no-fuss, no-muss way to clean floors for those our increasingly busy lives. These days, though, we seek smart, robotic cleaners that automatically roam our floors, cleaning them while we sleep and returning to their chargers.
Then: Halogen Light Bulbs
Now: Smart light bulbs. I mean, the bulbs are so smart that the only thing they can’t do is change themselves. They can tell you how much energy you are using, change colors and dim. They can be hooked up to your entire smart home system so that they can adjust depending on your mood or night – from family movie night to a romantic dinner with your partner. And all can be controlled on site or remotely from your tablet or your smart phone. You can even turn the lights on or off as you arrive home or leave – without ever touching your light switch.
