Brought to you by Terrance Gaines: Terrance Gaines is a technology evangelist who empowers the lives of people via his expertise with gadgets and consumer electronics. He’s a “Jack of All Tech” with his own technology consultant business (Tech Life Coach). He also posts daily technology commentary, tools, tips, news and reviews on his website, BrothaTech.com, in addition to writing for several tech-related online publications. He has also appeared on several tech radio shows and has presented at local technology events.
Since the mobile app craze took off a couple of years ago, all types of companies from a variety of industries are flocking to develop apps to supplement, augment, and market their goods and services to mobile device users. For me, the Home Automation (smart home) industry is a perfect fit for techies and non-techies to integrate their favorite smartphone/tablet into how they interact with their homes. Rather than introduce yet another "remote" for the home user to figure out, Home Automation companies simply create a single app that can do the same thing.
Whether it be consolidating/replacing a myriad of remotes, playing/streaming media (music, movies, and pics) across multiple devices, or complete home environment management (entertainment, lights, HVAC, security and energy), the ability of a mobile device to work one way when away from the home, then "code-switch" and work another way when inside the home just makes sense...to me anyway.
So now we see companies like DirectTV, Dish Network, Comcast, Time Warner, Sonos*, Crestron*, Lutron*, Control4*, HAI, and others are all racing to develop apps to run just about ALL of your household gear/and systems.
Whether it be consolidating/replacing a myriad of remotes, playing/streaming media (music, movies, and pics) across multiple devices, or complete home environment management (entertainment, lights, HVAC, security and energy), the ability of a mobile device to work one way when away from the home, then "code-switch" and work another way when inside the home just makes sense...to me anyway.
So now we see companies like DirectTV, Dish Network, Comcast, Time Warner, Sonos*, Crestron*, Lutron*, Control4*, HAI, and others are all racing to develop apps to run just about ALL of your household gear/and systems.
But I'm curious - How many consumers actually have their homes set up the right way to capitalize from the awesome Home Automation innovation that is being discovered via smartphone apps? I mean, sure, most people can probably user their smartphone to schedule their DVR to record "Two and a Half Men" re-runs. Others have even figured out how to get music from their office to their stereo. But does the average consumer know what goes into getting their home to send them an email to their smartphone when "Jenny" (I don't know your kid's names) comes home? Can the average user check their smartphone to make sure they turned off the fish tank lights, but kept the Foyer lights on?
It's not as easy as a simple app download is what I think I am getting at. In other words, for the Home Automation industry to REALLY resonate in the minds of the average consumer, there still is a great deal of education by industry leaders that needs to be done in order for "Joe Plumber" (I don't know your name either) to really start to grasp at all that their mobile device can do...at home and away.
-Terrance
Note from Gramophone: We are experts at explaining how a variety of these Home Automation tools work, and can demonstrate in our showroom. We’ve hand-selected those that we know are most reliable, and easiest to use.
Note from Gramophone: We are experts at explaining how a variety of these Home Automation tools work, and can demonstrate in our showroom. We’ve hand-selected those that we know are most reliable, and easiest to use.
*Sold at Gramophone.
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