Anyone who has ever taken on the early adopter role for a piece of technology knows, it isn’t always as easy as opening the box, plugging in the device, and using the shiny new piece of tech. Things go wrong, the tech doesn’t work like it’s supposed to, and a few hours on the phone with customer service later, you look like a disheveled Bernie Sanders on the campaign trail and are no closer to using your new piece of technology than you were earlier.
As The New York Times reports, smart home tech can follow the same pattern, especially considering how many different interfaces there are currently and how the various smart technology devices can’t necessarily communicate effectively, or at all, with each other. Window and door locks may be controlled via the same app while the lights require something different. Meanwhile the heating and cooling is controlled via its own device and no one can figure out what the four different remotes for the entertainment system do.
Still, you shouldn’t let all that deter you from sticking a toe into the smart home waters. Some of the simpler smart home technology systems are pretty streamlined and easy to use, and as time rolls on, the smart home will continue to increase in simplicity.
Starting with something like getting all the lights from one manufacturer and pairing it with a device like Amazon’s Echo can be a fairly easy way to start educating your home.
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