Those who closely follow the tech trends of the 21st century are well-aware that voice recognition devices are the next big hit alongside virtual reality. Currently Amazon’s Echo service is the undisputed leader of the industry, favored by homeowners and manufacturers alike. It didn’t take long for home security companies to see the potential behind Amazon Echo, either, and many have integrated it into their system. Scout Alarm, Blink Home and abode are among the early adopters, who enabled Alexa to extend her reach towards home defense alarms. Just say the word and all your sensors are armed instantly; no fiddling with the touch screen on the base station anymore.
Putting Alexa in charge of your home defense system provides several benefits. On one hand, you won’t need a hand to adjust the settings. Puns aside, using the ever-expanding skillset of Alexa, it only takes a few well-spoken commands to arm or disarm the security system, check the event history, or make specific changes in the pattern of certain devices. Amazon Echo basically has access to the same functions as your security system’s designated smartphone app. This way you don’t have to put down the grocery bags to arm or disarm your alarm system: you can just verbally give the command to Alexa.
Combining home security with voice control is an initiative we full-heartedly support. However, not every major home security service has realized the potential of this partnership, so here are three good examples of companies you have to consider for your home.
Scout has a fairly unique background, as the company was founded by a group of security engineers and designers, who implemented their innovative idea with the help of crowdfunding. Although a relatively new player on the field, they already sold over $500,000 worth of security equipment in the U.S. Scout’s strength is undeniably their ergonomic equipment: their access and motion sensors fit almost everywhere, and everyone can install the system in minutes. A door panel is also available for those who wish to silently monitor those who enter the house. Other than the well-designed security units, Scout offers a dependable monitoring system, coupled with a multifunctional smartphone app. The system lacks home automation and cameras, but it makes up for it with the low prices, as the monthly fee starts from $9.99.
Blink Home Security is a company who believes that camera-centric protection is the future. Even though they are mostly known for their standalone smart cameras and video doorbell, the company has recently upped the level of its service by adding alarms and professional monitoring to the portfolio. Its philosophy – jokingly referred to as “Seecurity” – revolves around the concept that their customers should always know exactly what is happening in their home. Blink’s mission statement highlights that the ability to check the live camera footage anytime and anywhere is what gives people true peace of mind. For this reason they provide quality indoor and outdoor surveillance systems, which are also compatible with Amazon Echo.
abode is a home security company who has decided to shake up the dusty old formula of home protection. Not only do they present customers with sensors that look good in your living room, but they also provide multi-functional equipment. The base station is capable of managing 155 connected devices and it has a loud siren to scare away intruders. The motion sensor also has a camera built into it that takes snapshots when someone moves by. And their environmental detector is capable of sensing temperature and humidity levels as well as changing lighting effects. abode isn’t afraid to let you fend for yourself through self-monitoring, but there are also two monitoring plans that require no initial contracts. Smart homeowners are able to integrate certain Nest products or manage their defense system via voice commands, courtesy of Amazon’s Alexa.
People often associate smart lighting systems with convenience, because the lamps and the electrical devices can be switched on and off remotely from your phone. It goes without saying that Amazon Echo elevates the concept to a whole new level, since you won’t even need to reach for your phone just to adjust the lights. It’s also possible to ask Alexa about the status of the smart light bulbs, or issue the activation of the energy saving mode. Some light bulbs even offer different color variations, and Amazon Echo lets you easily switch back and forth between them. Philips Hue and LIFX offer quite a versatile range of such light bulbs. But let’s not forget the security aspect, either; scheduling your lighting to brighten the house in regular intervals while you are away gives the impression that the building is occupied. This mode is easily accessible with the help of Alexa.
The lighting system isn’t the only part of your home that can be controlled through Amazon Echo. Smart locks are the most popular home automation devices because they make keys obsolete. Doors can now be locked and unlocked with a simple tap on your smartphone, or by using a keycard. Alexa, however, makes even such a small gesture redundant. Instruct Alexa to open the door for your guests without stopping for a moment, or just ask her to close it when you are leaving to go to work. The same rules apply to the garage door. When you’re in a hurry for a meeting every second counts, and simply tasking your virtual assistant to open and close the garage entrance spares you from the tedious hustle. For larger residences it’s also worth integrating a smart doorbell to the system, because Alexa will perform an audio prompt when someone rings it. Schlage and Kwikset are especially good at crafting multifunctional smart locks.
Naturally, the potential of Amazon Echo’s enchanted smart home doesn’t end here. The possibilities are nearly limitless, but let’s take a closer look at some of the commonly integrated smart devices.
The easiest way to connect Alexa to your home is to find an automation smart hub like the Nexia Z-Wave Bridge, which controls the rest of your home’s equipment. The Nest Learning Thermostat is an all-star device among smart homeowners. It’s capable of learning the family’s preferred temperature and will automatically schedule changes. The thermostat also connects to the Wi-Fi, allowing remote access from tablets and smartphones. With Alexa, however, you can ask for the current temperature level and instruct her to make specific changes, hands-free. Finally, we have the TP-Link Smart Plug. The concept is simple: plug in any electronic device, and turn on/off the smart plug remotely. With Amazon Echo, your TVs or computers can be switched on just by saying the magic words. Now that’s the future!
But not everything is sunshine and rainbows in the smart land of Amazon Echo. Many people have already raised concerns about Alexa eavesdropping 24/7, and the fact that everything is recorded rings a bell with any privacy-conscious homeowners. Despite Amazon claiming the device listening to all background noises only serves the benefit of the homeowner as well as contributes to service improvements, most people find it iffy to constantly have flies on the walls.
The help of Amazon Echo was enlisted sooner than expected, however, when crime investigators filed search warrants to Amazon after an Echo user was found dead in the hot tub, the detectives believing that the permanent connectivity of the system might hold some evidence regarding the crime. In this scenario the always-on nature of the device served a good purpose, but if the authorities receive such easy access to the archives of your voice command system then it could lead to a serious violation of privacy rights in the future. It’s also possible that malicious individuals would use it to spy on you, as they have already done with several smart devices. Currently the best available solution is to encrypt Alexa’s connection with a VPN.
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