Smart Devices for Your Home

Thank you to U.S. Cellular for allowing me to be a member of their Blogger Brigade. All opinions are 100% my own. Take a look at this Parent-Child Agreement if you’re looking to set some ground rules for cellular use within your family.

Technology…what do I say? Did you ever think when you were a kid watching the Jetson’s that we could potentially have that type of technology someday? But now…now it seems possible right? Every time I think they can’t possibly come up with anything better, there it is; something more advanced than before. I’m in the group of people that feels technology is a blessing and a curse, but mostly good. Just in communication alone, the good outweighs the bad tenfold. I know as kids we lived by the streetlights or whatever, but as a parent juggling many obligations with kids that also have multiple activities, I can honestly say I don’t know how we’d stay coordinated, organized, and on top of it all without the mobile technology of today. And let’s be entirely honest here, without technology my second job would be out of the home most likely meaning I’d never have time with my family, but by  being able to run this blog from home, it means I can generate income and be with my family and I can’t see how that’s bad at all. Just how connected are we though?

 

According to a recent U.S. Cellular survey, 91 percent of smartphone owners rarely or never leave their phone at home. I’d agree that I fall into this category and when I do leave it at home, I feel a little bare. According to the same U.S. Cellular survey, 49 percent of smartphone owners use smart home technology or connected home devices on a monthly basis or more. Now I found that to be pretty interesting. Smartphones have become an essential item in our daily routine and the newest technology can simplify and enhance our life by providing access to the home while away. I for one love that I can put an app on my Samsung Galaxy Tablet and see what the security camera in our living room is seeing. This is for security yes, but mostly it allows me to keep an eye on my teen son and our animals when we aren’t home. The ability to monitor my  home from my smart device while I’m gone provides a sense of comfort and I like that.

 

Did you know that with devices like Chamberlain MyQ Garage Door Opener and your U.S. Cellular smart device, you can turn off the lights or close the garage door while on the go? Running late for work and can’t remember if you shut the garage door or turned the light on or off? You don’t have to turn back to check anymore. Winning! Once the garage door is shut, set the alarm using remote monitoring that pairs with your home security system, using a resource such as Alarm.com.

 

Or you can use Nest Cam, now available at U.S. Cellular, and the whole house can be monitored from any of the latest smart devices. With the Night Vision feature on Nest Cam, it’s possible to keep an eye on things even when it’s dark. As much as we travel as a family and independently, I think devices like this are extremely valuable. Also, with the option of a Nest Secure subscription, users can record up to 30 days of video and keep it safely in the cloud.

 

One of our challenges is remembering to turn the A/C or furnace on or off when we leave for work and school and often come home to a house that’s too hot or too cold to be comfortable because all of that is manual right now.  Nest Thermostat, also available at U.S. Cellular, can make that an issue of the past though by allowing you to manage the temperature at home from the palm of your hand. Whether away on vacation or gone for a long day at work, the thermostat can be adjusted from a smartphone and help drastically save money by cutting down on energy usage, especially when the house is empty. This is definitely going on my running list of household upgrade wants!

 

So what’s on your want list? What type of smart device for your home would make life easier or afford you a little peace of mind? Is there a device that you already use that you love? Let me know in the comments below and thanks for reading!