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The best smart home devices you can buy right now (Fall 2020)
From voice assistant speakers to robot vacuums, and everything in between
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Millions of homes now contain a smart assistant speaker of some variety and sales of IoT products continue to grow as the market matures and prices come down across the sector. With so many options available, it's hard to know what to buy, and that's where we come in — this is a selection of our favorite smart home gadgets. Whether you want to just dip your toes in the water with a cheap Google Nest Mini or dive into the deep end with smart lights, cameras, thermostats, doorbells, and so on — we’ve got you covered.
Everything you've ever wanted to know about smart door locks, and why you should buy one
In many cases, they enhance your security and privacy, not take it away
Our homes are increasingly filled with gadgets that connect to the internet in ways that rightly have us concerned for our privacy and security. But when discussing those concerns, it's important to keep a level head and consider just what kind of privacy and security concerns actually stem from using these products, and in what instances they might actually enhance both for you in real, tangible ways. And like surveillance cameras, we think smart locks fall into such a category: they can actually make your home safer and more secure than a traditional, "dumb" lock, and they do it all while bringing a tremendous amount of convenience. For many people, the idea of a remotely-controlled door lock elicits a visceral, knee-jerk reaction; who could possibly think connecting physical access to your home to an app is a good idea? But when discussing the benefits and drawbacks to a smart door lock, we think that for most people they're a reliable, trustworthy tool that can bring peace of mind and practical security benefits a traditional lock can't match.
Some smart home gadgets seem like solutions in search of a problem, shoehorning IoT connectivity into something that was working just fine without it — unless you're that one guy who really needs to talk to Alexa while playing the keyboard. But on the opposite end of the spectrum, you've got the smart lock, an early leader into the world of the connected home that managed to reinvent a "dumb" product with some genuinely useful new functionality.There's no shortage of smart lock options out there, running the gamut from fully integrated replacements to add-ons that quickly attach to existing locks. Today I'm taking a look at the Encode Smart WiFi Deadbolt from Schlage, one of the biggest names in residential security. With hubless Wi-Fi connectivity, the promise of easy installation, and a solid, robust design, is this the smart lock to pick up?
Home Depot may not be known as the biggest tech retailer, but if you're outfitting a smart home it is the place to go especially now, as their Black Friday sale brings many of the most popular smart home and security products down in price. We've compiled some of the best deals so you don't have to hunt through the catalog yourself. All the following deals will be available starting Thanksgiving morning at 6AM EST, though some others can be had now — availability is noted in both cases.
Arlo is at CES 2019 with a few interesting announcements. The security camera maker is expanding its portfolio with more integrations and a new security system.
Back at CES, lock maker Schlage said it was on track to add support for Google Assistant to its popular Sense Smart Deadbolt. The company didn't have a firm timeline for the release but said it would be in the first quarter of the year. Well, that clearly didn't happen. It is happening today, though. Schlage says Google Assistant is now supported on the Sense Smart Deadbolt, but some functions are still limited to the app.The lock itself (around 0 on Amazon) uses Bluetooth to connect to nearby devices, but that won't work with Google Assistant. You need the separate Schlage Sense WiFi hub (another ) to connect the lock to your network. At that point, you can add Schlage Sense to your Assistant devices and configure it for voice commands.Schlage says you can lock the door ("OK Google, lock my door") and check the status ("OK Google, is my door locked?"). That's it, though. You cannot unlock the device by voice, which is a common security limitation for doors and locks with Assistant or Alexa integration. There's an official app from Schlage with lock/unlock, scheduling, and more.
If you've been itching to unlock your Schlage or August door locks with Alexa, I have some good news for you. Both companies announced a new skill that allows you to do just that. Some of you might have security concerns about this, but both Schlage and August are quick to affirm that this system is, in fact, quite safe.
Both require a unique, secure PIN code in order to verify your voice command. August previously allowed you to unlock your deadbolt with your voice with its custom skill, but now this feature is getting rolled into the company's official smart home one. Schlage, on the other hand, is keen to point out that this feature is disabled by default, requiring you to go into the Alexa app to enable it. Also, you need the $70 Wi-Fi adapter for Schlage, or the August Connect Wi-Fi Bridge and/or Doorbell Cam to get started.Something about unlocking my front door with just my voice over the internet makes me uneasy, but I'm also extremely lazy, so I'd also really enjoy it. It's a moot point anyway.
Support for the Google Assistant is ramping up from major and minor smart home device makers alike. It was only this January that we reported the Assistant had support for 1500 devices, but now that number has jumped, nay, soared to 5000 devices. Along with that happy threshold comes the news of many other upcoming integrations for our favorite smart home assistant.
Just ahead of CES proper, Schlage has announced that its immensely popular Schlage Sense Smart Deadbolt (say that five times fast) will soon work with Google Assistant. A few months back, it added support for Amazon's Alexa, right after adding an Android app for remote control. And now, sometime in Q1 of this year, you'll be able to 'Hey Google' your way into locking or unlocking your Schlage-equipped front door.The new feature will work in the Assistant on both hardware devices like the Google Home variants, as well as in the Google Assistant on phones and tablets. So whether you're yelling "Hey Google, lock my door," into your living room, or double checking "OK Google, is my door locked," with your bedside phone, it'll work either way. And, best of all, there's no monthly fee.
One of the biggest trends in consumer technology over the last few years has been the rise of the smart home. The number of different device categories that now make up the 'Internet of Things' (IoT) has grown immensely, with connected appliances now found in many households across the US and beyond.The smart home was once an expensive hobby for tech-fiends only but has now become an affordable aspiration for normal people. You can get started for less than $30 these days, with some lights or a smart switch that can connect to your Wi-Fi network and be controlled with your phone. If you want to go all in, you could end up spending thousands on the connected home of the future.With so many different products available, the smart home sector can be a little daunting. So let's break down the key categories and take a look at some of the best options in each one.
Schlage recently announced Android support for its Sense Smart Deadbolt lock, along with the launch of a new Wi-Fi adapter that enables remote access through the company's app. The same lock is now getting even smarter as it gains Amazon Alexa integration, which will allow you to lock or check the status by voice via an Alexa-enabled device such as the various Amazon Echos.As well as control and checking capabilities, the Schlage Sense skill can be used in conjunction with the Alexa app to add door locking to multi-step routines – a good way to ensure your door is locked before bed by adding it to your 'good night' routine.
Smart locks, as with all smart home products, are becoming increasingly popular. With that in mind, lock maker Schlage has announced that its Sense Smart Deadbolt now includes support for Android phones. Previously it was only compatible with iOS devices. At the same time, the company also introduced the Sense™ Wi-Fi Adapter, which enables remote access to the smart lock via the Schlage Sense app.The new Wi-Fi adapter allows you to securely lock or unlock the Sense Smart Deadbolt from anywhere using the free app, adding extra peace of mind when you're out and about. This is entirely independent of other home automation systems, of which Apple's HomeKit seems to be the only one to offer compatibility at the moment. The app allows up to 30 active access codes at any time, giving friends or family easy access to your home. You can even schedule the codes to work at specific times and view their usage histories. It's also possible to update settings and check battery life with the app.[EMBED_YT]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flrLdGipRcU[/EMBED_YT]The lock itself retails for $229, and can be found at select Lowe’s and Home Depot stores, or online at HomeDepot.com, Lowes.com, Amazon.com, and Build.com. The new Wi-Fi Adapter will set you back $69.99 and is available from THD.com, Lowes.com, Amazon.com, and Build.com. For more information visit the Schlage site.[EMBED_APP]https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.allegion.leopard[/EMBED_APP]