5 Interesting Devices to Connect Your Home a Little More

If you watch tech news you know that technology for the home is the next big area of innovation. From tech gadgets to apps that can allow you to control random actions in your home while away to full home automation devices like Amazon’s Alexa, there’s no end to what you can do provided you have a strong broadband connection. Read this list to find a few more amazing technologies you can install in your home if complete home automation is still a little out of your league.

1.Phillips Hue Bloom - $60 on Amazon

The 120-lumen Philips Hue Bloom is an excellent choice if you’re looking to inject some color or custom light accentuation into a room. The bulb doesn’t go into a lamp socket like regular bulbs; it is instead powered by a plug. It can be controlled using Amazon’s Alexa or through your smartphone. The Hue Bloom should be used with the Phillips Hue Bridge which allows you to connect up to 50 bulbs. You have 16 million color options to choose from, including different shades of white light, and the light can become dimmer and brighter as desired.

2.Awair Glow - $119 on Amazon

The Awair Glow tracks indoor air quality – temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide and toxins. For more control, you can link other smart appliances in your home, such as humidifiers and air conditioning units through the Awair app for smartphones. When the Awair Glow detects that the air is too hot or dry, relevant connected devices will be switched on to restore comfort. Both the device and its app collect data and can give custom tips to improve your home’s air quality. The Glow also makes for a pretty light.

3.WeMo Mini Smart Plug - $20 on Amazon

The WeMo Mini Smart Plug allows you to control your AC/heater from wherever you are. If there’s a temperature spike and you want the house to be cool before you get home, you can use this device to turn on your air con. This plug connects using Wi-Fi in your house and can be controlled through a smartphone app. You can also use the plug to schedule devices to come on at preset times, such as a few minutes before your arrival. The plug also can be paired with the Nest Thermostat and Amazon’s Alexa.

4.Wink Bright – $119

The Wink Bright lighting essentials kit is one of the easiest devices to set up, and it is very reliable. Bulbs on this system can respond even in corners of the house where the Wi-Fi signal isn’t as strong. The kit includes two A19 bulbs seamlessly connected to the Wink Hub, the central device. You can use Amazon’s Alexa to control it, but the light settings are much easier to change using the Wink app.

Wink Bright includes a home sitting feature which turns lights on and off in sync with local sunrise and set times to make it look like there’s a person in the house even if there isn’t.

5.CUJU - $249 on Amazon

CUJU is basically a personal security firewall that you can use to secure your home Wi-Fi. If you’re worried about picking up malware or computer viruses or hackers gaining access into your system, the CUJU can detect and block these threats before any real damage is done. CUJU also has settings to block out undesirable websites throughout your Wi-Fi network, and the settings apply to all computers, phones, gaming systems and tablets connected. You can use a smartphone app to control settings and see all other devices connected to the network.