Page 27 - MASALA LITE ISSUE 89 | FEBRUARY 2018

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LIGHTS
Smart lights can also be controlled via smartphone or your hub, or you can set
schedules for when these lights turn on and off . What’s better is that you can even
change the colours to refl ect what you are doing or your mood, and best of all,
smart lights are LEDs, which consume far less electricity than incandescent and
even fl uorescent bulbs.

Winner – Xiaomi Yeelight
Runner up – Philips Hue

Now this may come as a surprise winner to many, as the Philips Hue is a very
popular choice amongst tech reviewers, but hear me out. The Yeelights come at a
way cheaper price (B700 compared to Philips’ B3,000 per bulb). Also, these things
have full integration with Google Home and Amazon Alexa. Imagine saying “Hey
Google, turn on the lights in my bedroom” to your Google Home, or the Google
Assistant on your phone. It works like magic!

SMART PLUGS
2018 AND BEYOND – WHAT’S NEXT?
A smart plug or switch is the easiest and cheapest way
to make any appliance in your home “smart.” Connect, Buoyed by the widespread adoption of Alexa and Google Assistant-equipped
say, a lamp to the smart switch, and then plug the switch kits, and fl exible platforms like Samsung’s SmartThings and Apple’s HomeKit,
into the wall, and voila, you’ll be able to control the lamp smart home tech feels like it’s fi nally on the cusp of mainstream endorsement.
from your phone. Or connect this to your coff ee machine Connected home products are getting some proper time in the spotlight –
and have a fresh cup brewed before you even get to the and there’s no brighter place than Las Vegas, where this year’s Consumer
kitchen. You can also set schedules for the plugs to turn Electronics Show (CES) saw a slew of smart home devices launched and teased.
on and off and link them to other smart home devices. In fact, Samsung announced at CES that it’s aiming to make all its products
not only internet-connected by 2020 but also “intelligent”, via its smart voice
Winner – TP-Link Smart Wi-Fi Plug assistant Bixby (Yup, Google and co. have a new friend/ competitor).
Runner up – the extremely expensive Belkin WeMo

SMART LOCKS

Beyond allowing you to lock Samsung Family Hub
and unlock your door using your
smartphone, a smart lock will also Some of the smart home trends and products that caught my eye at
let you issue temporary passes to CES, and may be widely relevant sooner rather than later, include the fully
others and see who’s using your door. wireless kitchen, where Samsung’s smart refrigerator, the Family Hub takes
Integrate the lock with other smart centre stage. Products for health and sleep also fl ourished at Vegas, with
home devices, and you could have new sleep trackers and smart beds looking to provide us with better data on
your lights turn on automatically our sleeping patterns and give useful recommendations.
when you unlock your door while
returning home in the evening.

Winner – August Smart Lock Pro
Runner up – Schlage Sense
The stylish August Smart Lock Pro +
Connect is the most fully-equipped
smart lock available. While this is on the expensive side (B8,500), it provides
peace of mind and security, so it’s defi nitely worth investing in one. Some of its
best features include:
• Ease of installation – attaches to your existing deadbolt and installs in
10 minutes.
• Controlling your door from anywhere, all from your phone
• Alexa, Siri, or Google Assistant control
• DoorSense knows and can notify you when your door is open,
TM
closed or locked.

Nokia Sleep
Indeed, the biggest takeaway on the smart home front is that it still
feels like it is only the beginning. Tech companies are fi nding so many ways
to deliver the connected smart home that it seems likely to fi nd us one way
or another, eventually.

ALL- A C CESS INT O B ANGK OK ’ S C ONTEMP OR AR Y INDIAN LIFEST YLE