The internet of things is the latest next-big-thing to come out of Silicon Valley. In this future they expect that all elements of a house will be smart and controlled through smart phones and computes. While there is still no single system that can address all the issues, there are homes which have been outfitted with connected appliances. Some house are even sold with its home automation features as selling point. Here are some things to look out for when considering such a home:
Brand
Home automation usually comes with a hub and array of devices from the same manufacturer or different vendors. First check the hub to make sure it is a known brand with some form of long term lifetime. There was an incident recently where an home automation company purchased by Google was shut down after two years, rendering a lot of people’s home setups useless.
Appliances
Most of the usefulness of connected devices is to be able to control it from a central location. Check the standard used by the hub and the appliances and make sure it will be easy to find replacement when any failures occur.
Compatibility
There are various standards when it comes to the internet of things. Most of them don’t work with each other. Unless you have a head for these things, it is better to stick to a house entirely outfitted with one vendor’s solution or at least the same standard. One such standard is Z-Wave, which is a little expensive.