Smart Home Buying Guide: Home Automation

Dreaming of automated smart-home bliss, but unsure of where to start? You've come to the right place.

This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?

Sorry, you are not old enough to view this content.

Play

Home automation is nothing new, but a recent boom in smart-home tech has thrust it straight into the spotlight. Smart-home kits, sensors and gadgets have been a dominating presence at CES for the past two years, with big names like Apple, Google, GE and Microsoft right there in the thick of it. That's not surprising, given that market experts predict that the smart home's market share will be worth tens of billions within the next few years.

All that action adds up to a rapidly growing number of things in the "Internet of Things," along with a variety of platforms competing to control them all. That might make the idea of getting your smart home started a little bit overwhelming, but don't worry. It's actually easier than ever to start automating your home -- provided you know your options.

Tyler Lizenby/CNET

"Smart home" is a pretty broad term, covering a huge number of connected gadgets, systems and appliances that do a wide variety of different things. "Home automation" is slightly less broad, referring specifically to things in your home that can be programmed to function automatically. In years past, those automations were pretty basic -- lamp timers, automated holiday lighting and so on -- but that's fast been changing thanks to the recent sprawl of smart-home tech aimed at mainstream consumers.

The possibilities are immense, ranging from lights and locks to cameras and coffee makers. The common denominator is automation, and a promise that these devices can save you time, save you money or make your life a little easier. An automated lamp might turn on by itself as soon as you walk into the room. An automated thermostat might turn the heat down when it detects you've left for the day, then back on when it thinks you're on your way back.

To cut through all of it and figure out what's most relevant to you, imagine a typical day at home. Are there any devices you regularly turn on and off? Do you regularly adjust your home environment depending on what you're doing? Those regular habits and activities are typically the best candidates for automation. Figure out which ones are most important to you, and you'll have a much better idea of what to look for in the smart home space.

Here is the original post:
Smart Home Buying Guide: Home Automation