Smart Home Systems

Want to buy your first smart device but don't know where to start? These are the guides for you, overviews on what to consider before purchasing any connected appliance or product. In other words, read these first before you click 'buy,' or head to the store:

• How to make your house a smart home: This article helps you understand the basics in building a smart home system.
• From B to Z: How your smart home speaks wireless: This article explains the key wireless protocols you need to know when building a smart home.
• 5 questions to ask before purchasing a smart home system: GearBrain has put together a simple buyer's guide for the first time users of smart home devices. Here are questions you need to ask yourself which will help educate you on the options for you to consider before you start down the road of building your smart home.
• Here are 6 cool, smart home systems to consider: This will help you learn more about the alternative smart home systems on the market today.
• What is IFTTT and how it can help you run your home: Learn how IFTTT (stands for If This Than That) can be used to control all of your connected devices no matter what type of connected devices you have in your smart home.
• 5 best places to shop for smart devices: If in the market to buy any of these new connected devices for the home, here is our recommendation on the 5 best retailers to help you find the right device or devices for your smart home.
• 5 smart home installation services to hire that will set up (nearly) anything you buy: Here you will learn which companies can assist you in getting started in building your smart home as well as help troubleshoot any issues you might have if you installed devices or systems by yourself.
• 5 professional installers that can create the ultimate smart home space: If you don't want to build a smart home by yourself and just want to call a guy to do it, then this article will help you learn which guy to call to build your perfect smart home.
• Building a new smart home from the ground up: Here are the options to consider: And if you want to build the perfect smart home from the ground up, here you will learn which companies which specialize in building customized smart homes in the U.S.

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Podcast: How to Build a Smart Home Series - Part One

Smart Home How-To for Renters

If you're a renter, you probably have less control over what you can do inside your living space. (Landlords can be like that. We get it.) But that doesn't mean you're left out of this smart home revolution. There are tons of devices you can add into your rented space, and we have some guides that focus on exactly you and your requirements:

• How to give your rental apartment a smart home upgrade for $100: Even a rental apartment, see how you can upgrade it over time, with a huge range of inexpensive products that carry price tags of less than $100.
• Installing smart lights in a rented home: Your complete guide: In our guide you will learn how the fully reversible and landlord-friendly way to fit your home with smart lights. Smart Lights are the ideal device for people living in rented property, as they can be installed without making permanent changes to the property, and taken with you when you move.
• Can renters fit a smart lock to their front door? This article will show you what you can do with smart locks on your rental property.
• The renter's guide to installing a wireless smart video doorbell: This article will show you how to install a wireless smart video doorbell in an apartment as well as show you how to remove it when you leave.
• Best smart security camera options for renters: This article will provide you with a list of the best smart security camera options you can choose from to use in an apartment.
• The best removable and landlord-friendly smart home tech for renters: Do you want to buy smart home gadgets but don't own our home or dwelling? No worries. In this article, GearBrain can educate you on the connected devices which can be easily installed and then removed from your home when you decide to leave.
• Is the smart home market leaving apartments behind? With all the talk about smart homes, why isn't anyone talking about smart apartments? In this article, we help you understand how to use connected devices for apartments and the benefits they offer homeowners or renters.
• The best smart tech to secure an Airbnb: Are you an Airbnb owner who is thinking of adding smart devices to your rental property? If so, check out this guide on the best smart gadgets we recommend for you to use in an Airbnb property.
• 7 IoT devices for the smallest of apartments: Here is a list of the 7 must have IoT devices for apartments.

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Podcast:  How to Build a Smart Home Series - Part Two

Budget! Budget!

Look we get it: smart home devices can add up, and sometimes we get overwhelmed with what we need to buy first, or what kind of budget we need to set aside to get started. Luckily, there are options for any budget, whether you have a $100 or $1,000. These guides can offer you some suggestions on where to start, no matter how much you want to spend at the start:

• How much does it cost to turn the average house into a smart home? Here we talk you through the costs of adding smart tech to every room in your home. You will be surprised on how much you can spend to make your house smart.
• How to start your smart home with just $100: This article will help you get started in building a smart home on a very small budget.
• How to build a smart home for less than $500: This article will help you learn how to build a smart home on a budget of less than $400. You can see which are the key devices to help make your home smarter and save money.
• How to build a smart home for between $1,000 and $2,000: This is the game plan on building a smart home when money is not an issue.
• How to create a $170 budget smart home security system: Alexa, Ring and Wyze can help you put a security system all on your own, and in your budget.
• 14 smart home devices to lower your bills and save you money: These smart home products are kind to your wallet even after you buy them and put them to use in your home.
• How do you build a smart home sound system for a luxury yacht? Some might call a yacht their home. If so, here is how you can build a smart home sound system on your yacht.

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Podcast:  How to Build a Smart Home - Part Three

Smart Home Hubs

Many smart home devices need a hub in order to connect to the internet and then to each other. While not all do, it's good to understand which brands are more dependent on these than others. We run through which hubs you may need, and to learn if this is something you might need at your home:

• Best smart home connected hubs: GearBrain's list of the best connected hubs which can streamline and simplify your smart home by syncing all your connected devices together.
• Which smart home hub is right for you? Everything you need to know: An article which will help you find the best smart home hub for your house. You will learn if Amazon Alexa is the best device to power your smart home or if you need a more dedicated hub or no hub at all.

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Podcast:  How to Build a Smart Home - Part Four

What To Do With Your Smart Devices When You Move

Moving is stressful enough without thinking about what smart home devices to take, and which to leave behind. There are some smart devices you can bring which are no brainers. This would be smart speakers, smart plugs, smart light bulbs and maybe smart home security cameras. But what about your motorized window blinds, smart irrigation system and the smart home security system you have installed over the years? This is where the line begins to blur. GearBrain has a series of articles which can help guide you through this process:

• Moving your smart home: Which devices should you take with you? Here is our guide to help you learn what goes and what devices stay behind when you move.
• How to reset LIFX smart lights when moving and leaving them behind. If you own a lot of LIFX smart bulbs and don't plan on taking them with you when you move, here is how to factory reset your LIFX system.
• How to hand over a Philips Hue smart light system when selling your home. Here is how you do a factory reset on your Philips Hue Smart Lighting System so you can leave it in a state where the buyer can easily set everything up for themselves when they move in.
• Smart home devices for renters that are easy to install, pack and move. If you rent and want to build a smart home, but concerned about what to do with these devices when you move, this article will help you solve your problem. We will show you new devices that can be plugged in — and then unplugged, packed up and taken to a new space with ease.
• How to factory reset an August smart lock when moving house: Here is a guide for resetting your August Smart Door Lock when selling your home. Its rather easy to do too.
• How to factory reset your Nest Thermostat when moving house: Smart thermostats are not devices you usually take when you move. So what do you do with them for the new owner? You need to do a factory reset. In this article, we show you how to do it on the Nest Thermostat.
• 5 tips for moving your smart home to a new house or apartment: Moving house is probably one of the most stressful things we do, and with each move there's usually more and more stuff to box up and relocate. Here are 5 tips to take out some of the stress from moving.
• How to reset Arlo security cameras before moving or giving them away. Security cameras are among the most important smart home devices to reset when moving out. If you plan to leave them, you need to do a factory reset. In this article we show you how reset to factory settings. your Arlo Security Cameras, returning the system to as-new condition. This means any hardware left behind when you move can be set up and used by the new owner.
• How to factory reset your Rachio irrigation controller when moving into a new house: As with any smart devices you choose to leave behind when moving house, it is important to make sure the irrigation system is properly reset and left in an as-new state for the new owner. Here we show you how to do a factory reset on the popular Rachio Smart Sprinkler Controller.

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Voice Activation

More connected devices are coming to the market that can be controlled just with your device. This could be Amazon's Alexa, Google Assistant or even Apple's Siri. You can certainly check our thoughts on this way of controlling our home through our piece, Voice Is The New App. But we also encourage you to take a look at the different digital assistants, what they can do, and which one you may find you prefer. What's key here is that you're likely going to pick one, and then build your smart home around that specific digital assistant. So understanding how they work, and which one may fit into your life the best, is good to do before you start buying a lot of devices for your new smart home.

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Amazon Alexa

Alexa is Amazon's friendly digital assistant, and tied to the Amazon eco-system which also includes Ring video doorbells. Here are a few guides that will walk you through some of Alexa's better known products and how the work:

• Here's how to get started with Amazon Alexa: This guide is your first stop to know how to use Amazon's digital assistant in your smart home.
• Amazon Echo Dot (2018) review: New look, new sound - still just $50: A good review of Amazon's 3rd generation of Amazon Echo Dot (2018)
• How to teach Alexa to recognize your voice and create a personal profile: A solid How-To on getting Alexa clued into your preferences and data.
• New 2018 Amazon Echo Dot vs 2016 Echo Dot: Should you upgrade? Not sure if you should upgrade from an old Echo Dot to a new one? This article will provide you with enough information to help you decide which Echo Dot is right for your smart home.
• New 2018 Amazon Echo Plus vs 2017 Echo Plus: Should you upgrade? This article will help you see the differences between Amazon Echo Plus 2018 and 2017 versions which you can use to determine if you should upgrade.
• Amazon Echo Plus 2nd Generation Review: An Echo speaker and Zigbee hub that can connect to even more smart devices in your home.
• How to set up a second Amazon Echo - and why your smart home should have more than one: Want to learn how to setup your Amazon Echos to talk to one another? This article will show you how and the benefits for connecting multiple Amazon Echos.
• Amazon Echo: Best AI Digital Assistant For Any Smart Home: A good review on Amazon's first smart speaker.
• Amazon unveils a new $99 Echo plus other Alexa goodies at surprise event: An update on the new Amazon Echo as well as the other new devices Amazon launched which you can control using Amazon Alexa.
• Review Amazon Echo Dot: Echo's Little Brother with A Lot of Skills: A solid review on the Echo's little brother.
• What are Amazon Alexa Skills?: Do you know what Alexa Skills are? This article will help you learn what are skills and how you can find the ones you need to help run your smart home.
• We ♥ Alexa: An article with examples of the commands you can give to Amazon Alexa.

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Google Assistant

Google's digital assistant is simply called Google Assistant, and there are myriad devices as well that this voice A.I. controls. Here are just a few devices that work with Google Assistant along with guides with tips on how to operate them:

• Google Home Mini smart speaker arrives to take on Amazon Echo Dot: A look at Google's new smart speaker, Google Home Mini and how it compares to Amazon's Echo Dot.
• 8 Ways Google will supercharge your smart home with new Home and Assistant features: An article with 8 ways you can use Google's new Google Home and their voice activation platform, Google Assistant.
• The Google Home starter kit: 6 Google Assistant devices to kickstart your smart home: This will show you which are the best smart devices to get to build a smart home using Google Home.
• Lenovo Smart Display 7 Review: A look at one of the newest, compact smart display that works with Google Assistant
• Google Assistant crowned smartest AI assistant: After an 800-question test, Google's digital assistant came in first, Siri second and Alexa third.
• Nest Hub Max Review: A Nest security camera baked inside a smart display that works with Google Assistant
• Google Home Hub Review: A Google Assistant touch screen device for your home with Google Assistant baked inside
• How to make free phone calls with Google Nest: A guide on how to use Google Assistant devices to make free phone calls just by asking.

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Apple’s Siri

Those who own an iPhone, Apple Watch, Mac or MacBook are very (very) familiar with Apple's Siri. But the digital assistant can also help operate smart home products as well. The cornerstone of Apple's smart home plan is the HomePod, it's smart speaker. Apple's push to get Siri into more homes is continuing, and for those Mac users who find they leaning towards Siri, we have a number of guides that help you understand what the voice assistant can do:

• Apple HomePod to get soothing ambient sounds: Details on new HomePod features.
• How to train Siri to recognize just your voice: The smart assistant can learn you, and your needs. Here's how to set this feature up on your HomePod.
• Apple HomePod smart home speaker: Here are details to help you device whether or not to buy Apple's smart speaker
• Apple HomePod review roundup: Initial reviews on the smart speaker which praise its excellent sound but note that Siri may not be as advanced as Alexa.
• Apple launches HomePod, a Sonos-looking device meant to take on Amazon Echo: Information on Apple's smart speaker or digital assistant, HomePod.

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Microsoft’s Cortana

Microsoft does have a voice assistant named Cortana. It's not as widely used in the smart home space, even though it's well-known among Microsoft and Windows users. Here are some details about Cortana and how the digital assistant is making inroads in connected products.

• Alexa has a new playmate, Cortana: A look at Microsoft's voice activated systems, Cortana.
• Microsoft shows Alexa and Cortana working together: The two digital assistants are in beta tests to see if they can speak and connect with each other inside their ecosystems.
• Microsoft Cortana is now on IFTTT: A guide to using the Windows-based assistant with IFTTT applets to control smart home devices

Compatibility

One of the biggest challenges you face when building a smart home is finding the devices that are compatible with each other. There is nothing worse than going out and buying a device and to come home and find out it will not work with your current device or system. GearBrain is here to solve this problem with our new smart home compatibility find enginecalled The GearBrain. Using the The GearBrain, you can find all the compatible devices that work with a particular smart device, like Google Home or Amazon Alexa. Here is a list of just some of the connected devices you can see which devices work with them:

• Google Assistant
• Amazon Alexa enabled device
• Apple HomeKit
• Samsung SmartThings
• Insteon
• Lutron
• Philips Hue Smart Lights
• Xfinity Home
• Nest
• Ring Video Doorbells and Cameras
• Control4
• Somfy
• Altice One
• Honeywell Home
• Alarm.com
• ADT Home Security Systems
• Microsoft Cortana
• Loxone

IoT Security

Finally, one of the biggest concerns among consumers today is the security of their new devices. According to a recent research study by Houzz.com, they found more than half of the respondents to their survey would not buy a smart home device because they had security concerns. Here are two articles which will help you understand more about Internet of Things (IoT) security and ways to protect your new connected devices:

• 8 Ways To Secure Your Smart Mobile Device
• Why Your IoT Security Matters

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We hope these guides are helpful and prepare you for the next phase in the building of your smart home. Even though many of the new connected devices coming on to the smart home market might not be ready for prime time, we are very bullish on the market outlook. As more consumers understand how all these new devices work and determine which ones are right for them, we expect to see a big increase in adoption. We look forward to joining you on your new journey in building the right smart home for you.

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