How to use IoT connectivity in your home

Imagine you could take full control of your home, from your doors to your appliances, with just a few clicks from your smartphone while saving on electricity bills.
With the rapid growth of the Internet of Things (IoT), these possibilities have become realities and many are already available in the market.
The recent home market study of Telsyte, a Microsoft commissioned Australian telecommunications and research company, forecasted more than a ten-fold increase on IoT home products and services spending for the next four years from AU$289 million in 2015 to AU$3.2 billion by 2019.
IoT enables a connected and automated home allowing you to synchronise your various devices, gadgets, and gizmos seamlessly. It gives people the opportunity to enjoy a more streamlined lifestyle and lessens menial tasks so you can focus on the more important things that really matter.
Here are some ways to get you started on IoT connectivity for your modern smart home:
Home Security
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Your home property is your best hedge against inflation and a very important investment that you need to secure. Modern IoT technology has revolutionised home security, which you can control and monitor using your mobile devices. Smart security cameras, such as MyFox security system has smart sensors that can predict events even before they happen. Its security cameras can record HD video that can detect motion, record in night vision, and store 7 days of continuous footage. It shows live feeds of your property any time you like so you can keep an eye on your kids or pets even when you’re away from home. Next generation smart locks are also available that allow you to let in your trusted technician even while you’re seated at work. You can also authorise access to your family and friends to enter your house using their smartphones instead of lending them your keys or leaving one under the doormat.
Wireless Lighting

If you want to spend a romantic night at home, you can easily change the colour of the lighting to set the mood with just simple gestures on your smartphone. Smart globes enable you to automate the lighting by connecting them to other devices giving you freedom to alter your household environment. One good example is the Philips Hue. After you screw the smart light globe into an existing light socket, you can regulate and schedule your home lights through the app on your smartphone using various settings to suit your different needs and emotions.
Smart Appliances

Now you don’t need to run around your house to turn on and off the various appliances. By connecting your smart appliances to a phone application, you can control them the way you want to. You can have a fresh coffee brew ready the moment you get up in the morning with a Wi-Fi enabled kettle. There is even a wireless speaker tech gadget, which also serves as your virtual assistant. Currently available in the market, the Amazon Echo is a voice command operated device that is incredibly accurate and quick to respond with feature upgrades every week. Alexa, the virtual assistant’s name, has numerous capabilities, such as playing your favourite music, setting time alarm, announcing weather forecasts, alerting traffic updates, dimming the lights in your living room, and even ordering a pizza – all using real time information.
Home Entertainment Systems

Having Internet connected entertainment devices that you can easily control through your mobile gadgets, simple hand gestures, or voice commands can greatly add comfort plus fun to your home. The SingleCue for instance enables you to control all of your home entertainment systems (HES) through touch-free interactions by using hand gestures. Raising your finger gives you the ability to manipulate different features of your connected HES, from turning the power on to changing volume levels and channels.
Stay tuned to learn more useful tips on how to get the best possible connection at home. To get the best Internet plans for your home, you can visit our Plan Guru or call 13 22 88 to speak to our 100% Australian advice specialists.