The integration of smart home technology into Internet of Things (IoT) enabled devices has transformed our homes today. These devices can be leveraged in your booking.com home for maximum comfort, convenience and energy efficiency.
Smart home technology, also referred to as home automation, allows you to control smart home devices with your smartphone or other networked device. When connected with IoT-enabled devices, they share consumer usage data among themselves and operate based on homeowners’ preferences.
Here are the four top tech devices that can be integrated into your booking.com home in 2019:
#1 Google Home Mini & Home Max
Both types are available in a range of sizes, and are powered by the Google Assistant artificial intelligence.
Like the Amazon Echo Dot, the Google Home Mini is the smallest of Google’s smart home speaker range. Its portable size makes it possible for the device to be easily movable and fit virtually every space. The Google Home Max on the other hand is max by size, of Google’s speaker range. Due to its dimension, it will not fit well for wall-mounting but can be positioned either horizontally or vertically.
The two Google Home devices are good intelligent smart home speakers and they guarantee maximum sound performances. Although they both have the same power, the Google Home Max produces a louder sound than the Mini. And in terms of price, the Max is more expensive than the Mini.
#2 Smart Thermostats
www.techradar.com/news/best-smart-thermostat
Owing a smart thermostat is a great choice and a must-have tech device for a maximized experienced with your booking.com home. According to TechRadar, the largest UK-based consumer tech news, the Google-owned Nest Thermostat (third generation) is the best reviewed among others.
It has the ability to learn how you tend to adjust the temperature and automatically adjusts itself to suit your routines. Nest Thermostat also optimizes energy with its Eco Mode, by turning on heating and cooling periodically to maintain energy savings. Like other competitors, Nest Thermostat can be controlled through a voice assistant like the Alexa or Google Assistant. Alternatively, a smartphone can be used to control the thermostat.
#3 Voice-activated Virtual Assistant
Overtime, Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant are the best reviewed voice-activated virtual assistant devices and we recommend them for your booking.com home experience.
Amazon’s Alexa: Alexa is a smart virtual assistant that runs on Amazon’s cloud-based intelligent voice service. It supports Alexa built-in computing devices such as Amazon Echo, Amazon Fire HD tablet & Fire TV, and some third-party devices. Interestingly, Alexa transforms Echo devices into smart home hubs to control Internet of Things connected devices such as smart lights, thermostats, smart cameras.
How does it work? By using natural language interpretation, Alexa responds to user’s voice control by returning information on products, music, news, sports, weather, and more.
Key Features
- Complete voice user interface (VUI).
- Choice of connectivity – in the cloud, locally, on device or echo-pair.
- Rich, Multi-device experiences.
- Low barriers to adoption: control your devices anywhere.(developer.amazon.com/alexa/connected-devices)
Google Assistant: Google assistant can do a lot of things at a simple voice command, similarly as the Alexa and Siri. Over time, it is ranked as the most advanced and dynamic voice-activated assistant out there. Google Assistant can control a wide range of smart home devices at a simple voice command such as dimming your Philips Hue lights, and more. It also supports devices from third-party manufacturers including Sony, LG and Panasonic.
Features
- Safe, secure and in your control.
- Easy communication and smarter interactions – via text or voice.
- Works on both Android and iOS devices.
- Real-time spoken translations.
#4 Smart Lighting for Luxury and Security
www.techradar.com/news/what-is-smart-lighting-everything-you-need-to-know-for-your-connected-home
Not only do smart light devices give a high-tech feel, they can also detect when occupants enter the room and adjust lighting as needed. They can be controlled remotely via wireless, usually from an app on your Android or Apple smartphone. By this, you can conserve the energy consumed. Common examples are Hue from Philips Lighting Holding B.V., IKEA, and Hive. Interestingly, the Philips’ Hue lighting works with Apple’s HomeKit, Google Home and Amazon’s Echo. Smart lighting bulbs cost from $65, which is quite much I’d say.
