{"id":360211,"date":"2021-10-30T16:00:32","date_gmt":"2021-10-30T13:00:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/smart-homes-are-boring-now-and-thats-a-good-thing-review-geek\/"},"modified":"2021-10-30T16:00:32","modified_gmt":"2021-10-30T13:00:32","slug":"smart-homes-are-boring-now-and-thats-a-good-thing-review-geek","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/smart-homes-are-boring-now-and-thats-a-good-thing-review-geek\/","title":{"rendered":"#Smart Homes Are Boring Now (And That\u2019s A Good Thing) \u2013 Review Geek"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a41aea0dc782\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a41aea0dc782\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/smart-homes-are-boring-now-and-thats-a-good-thing-review-geek\/#Lights_Lights_and_More_Lights\" >Lights, Lights, and More Lights<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/smart-homes-are-boring-now-and-thats-a-good-thing-review-geek\/#Plugs_Locks_and_Cameras\" >Plugs, Locks, and Cameras<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/smart-homes-are-boring-now-and-thats-a-good-thing-review-geek\/#So_What_Does_That_Leave\" >So What Does That Leave?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/smart-homes-are-boring-now-and-thats-a-good-thing-review-geek\/#The_Boring_Future\" >The Boring Future<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/smart-homes-are-boring-now-and-thats-a-good-thing-review-geek\/#Boring_Really_Is_Good\" >Boring Really Is Good<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><strong>&#8220;#Smart Homes Are Boring Now (And That\u2019s A Good Thing) \u2013 Review Geek&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"article-content-area\">\n<figure style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"type:primaryImage wp-image-96538 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/08\/df732a28.png?width=400 400w, https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/08\/df732a28.png?width=1200 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, 400w, 1200w\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/08\/df732a28.png?width=1200\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" data-credittext=\"Signify\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"type:primaryImage imagecredit\">Signify<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>I\u2019ve been writing about smart homes for years and purchasing smart home devices even longer. And you know what conclusion I\u2019ve come to all these years later? Smart homes are pretty boring now. Seriously incredibly boring. But that\u2019s a good thing for everyone.<\/p>\n<p>Unless you count super fancy custom-built-for-you expensive smart home setups, like those from Contro4 or Savant, I have a pretty advanced and intricate smart home. Nearly every room contains a smart speaker, smart lights, plugs, and more. I have smart blinds, smart locks, video doorbells, cameras, a smart garage door, and more.<\/p>\n<p>The only thing I don\u2019t have is smart water <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>liances\u2014faucets, showers, and shut-off systems. I also don\u2019t think they\u2019re necessary or all that great (yet). So that leaves me in a pickle: I have nothing to look forward to because no one is doing anything new with smart homes right now.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Lights_Lights_and_More_Lights\"><\/span>Lights, Lights, and More Lights<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-100580 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/10\/bbd5616f.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" data-credittext=\"Josh Hendrickson\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Josh Hendrickson<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>If you look at the big tent smart home products announced over the past year, you can group most of them under one heading: smart lights. Wyze announced a new <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/101645\/wyze-launches-an-affordable-smart-light-switch-and-improved-smart-bulb\/\">smart switch and smart bulbs, Philips Hue always has another new light on the way, Nanoleaf released new panels and lines, and Govee has been on an ambient light tear. But those are all smart lights.<\/p>\n<p>And smart lights are great, but how many do you truly need? Eventually, you\u2019ll replace all the bulbs and switches in your home, and that leaves you with the optional stuff. Ambient lighting is fantastic looking, but it\u2019s usually expensive, and it tends to take up more room.<\/p>\n<p>When I installed the new Nanoleaf Lines, I had to search for good empty wall space. Govee\u2019s Immersion lights are fantastic, but at most, you\u2019ll want them for one or two TVs.\u00a0 And as beautiful as Philips Hue lighting is, let\u2019s be honest, too expensive to buy in bulk. Sooner or later, as you build out a smart home, you\u2019ll get that light situation sorted, and you won\u2019t need anymore. But that\u2019s OK; you move on to the other fantastic smart home options.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Plugs_Locks_and_Cameras\"><\/span>Plugs, Locks, and Cameras<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-70541\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/02\/586e508f-2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><\/p>\n<p>When it comes to the rest of the viable smart home products, you can lump it all under plugs, locks, and cameras. <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/35008\/the-best-smart-plugs-to-amp-up-your-dumb-devices\/\">Smart plugs are a great addition, both indoors and outdoors. They let you automate your Christmas lights, your lamps, and\u2014wait, this is more lighting. Well, at least you can automate your power strips and some minor appliances too.<\/p>\n<p>Smart locks are probably the second-best addition to any smart home. Everyone hates that dreaded feeling of wondering if they remembered to lock the door, right? You might be in bed or, worse yet, on the road when the feeling hits. Then you have to drag your half-asleep self to your door or backtrack on your road <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/trip-and-travel\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"10\" title=\"Trip &amp; Travel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">trip<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>With a smart lock, you can check from the comfort of anywhere, lock the door if you forgot, or even let friends, family, or a plumber in your home remotely. Smart locks are great. But most people only need one or two at most. How many doors do you have anyway? Throw in a smart garage door opener, and you basically have the smart lock situation nailed down.<\/p>\n<p>The same goes for video doorbells, which are the best smart home product you can buy. Video doorbells let you see who is visiting even when you\u2019re not home. And most doorbells offer helpful notifications these days, too, like person recognition or package detection. But just like smart locks, you\u2019ll need one or two at most. If necessary, you can deck your home in other security cameras, but just like smart lights, you\u2019ll soon run out of room for more cameras.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"So_What_Does_That_Leave\"><\/span>So What Does That Leave?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-40001\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2020\/04\/de650304.jpg\" alt=\"A grey smart blind lowering dow.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" data-credittext=\"Ikea\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Ikea<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>After you outfit your smart home with all the lights, plugs, locks, and cameras it needs, what else is there to add? Smart displays and speakers are an obvious way to go. After all, voice controls are handy. But if you\u2019re looking for an abundance of choices, don\u2019t hold your breath.<\/p>\n<p>At this point, you have two: the Alexa flavor or the Google flavor. Pick the one that fits your ecosystem, then outfit your home as needed. If all you care about is voice commands, go with Google. If you want the best automation routines, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/101223\/google-assistant-should-be-ashamed-of-its-smart-home-routines\/\">you need Alexa.<\/p>\n<p>What about after that? Well, you have a few options. But they\u2019re of limited value and high in price. Of those, smart blinds might be the most valuable and affordable, thanks to IKEA. But at $130 or more per window, that price still adds up. And that\u2019s the \u201caffordable\u201d end. And considering the point of a blind is to let in more light (or block it away), you could almost group this in \u201canother smart light.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Smart faucets, showers, and toilets are another area you can get into, but I wouldn\u2019t. For just the smart faucet alone, you\u2019re looking at spending $300 or more (often $700!), and right now, they don\u2019t work very well. None of them have easy-to-use voice commands and instead call for awkward phrases like, \u201cassistant, tell (faucet brand) to pour one cup of water.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>At a range between $2,000 and $4,000, smart showers are even more expensive, and chances are you\u2019ll need an electrician too. And smart toilets? Well, surprisingly, they make a lot of sense. No really! But they\u2019re also expensive. When\u2019s the last time you dropped $1,000 or more on a toilet? And again, you may need an electrician if your bathroom isn\u2019t wired up well enough to handle the new load.<\/p>\n<p>And if you look on the horizon for smart homes, nothing new or interesting is coming in terms of new types of hardware.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Boring_Future\"><\/span>The Boring Future<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-84204 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/05\/e82771e0.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" data-credittext=\"Google\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Google<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Look to the future, and few companies are proposing new types of smart home hardware that don\u2019t fit into the current niche of products. The closest might be the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/101802\/flics-new-smart-home-button-comes-with-a-twist\/\">Flic Twist, a smart home controller that will sell for around $130. But it\u2019s realistically a smart home controller that serves as an alternative to voice assistants.<\/p>\n<p>Instead, the big thing on the horizon is the Matter smart home protocol. It\u2019s the biggest thing to happen to smart homes since possibly the first Echo speaker introduced smart home controls. But on the front end, that won\u2019t \u201cmatter\u201d to you. Matter promises to tie all your smart home stuff together, so you will always know that anything you buy will work with the stuff you have.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s a big deal for smart homes. For years you had to carefully pick what you purchased, lest it be incompatible with your smart home. Matter should launch next year, and manufacturers from all quadrants of the smart home sphere are lining up to announce compatibility.<\/p>\n<p>And Matter is exactly why the boring smart home future is good.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Boring_Really_Is_Good\"><\/span>Boring Really Is Good<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>As a tech loving smart home enthusiast, I should be sad at the lack of exciting gadgets coming our way. But I\u2019m not. Boring is good; it shows maturity in the smart home world. Think about smartphones for a moment. Until foldables came along, it became a common refrain that all smartphones were basically the same and \u201cboring now.\u201d Much like I\u2019m saying about smart home today.<\/p>\n<p>But if you\u2019ve invested in smart homes for very long, you know they used to be exciting in all the wrong way. Maybe the company that made your hub would become a <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/69784\/its-time-to-trash-your-wink-hub-and-move-on\/\">dumpster fire or be <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/fyi\/lowes-is-dumping-its-iris-smarthome-platform\/\">discontinued<\/a>. Maybe your new lights wouldn\u2019t work with your old lights. Maybe your thermostat would suddenly <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/413820\/what-the-end-of-works-with-nest-means-for-you\/\">stop talking<\/a> to your other smart home gadgets.<\/p>\n<p>For a decade, the smart home has existed as a sort of wild wild west where anything goes, and nothing is guaranteed to work long. Companies tried <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">news<\/a> things, like smart egg counters, then abandoned them. Maybe they offered compatibility with your favorite voice assistant, and maybe they didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n<p>Slow yet surely, manufacturers have figured out which devices we actually need and want. And that\u2019s the focus now. And best of all, with the Matter protocol, you won\u2019t have to worry about what works with what anymore. It will just work\u2014at least that\u2019s the goal.<\/p>\n<p>Hopefully, like smartphones, eventually, manufacturers will try to innovate new concepts again. We\u2019ll surely get some terrible ideas, like a home assistant robot that can\u2019t be all that helpful. But as long as the new latest and greatest smart widget works with your existing smart home, you\u2019ll be better off than it used to be. And that\u2019s a good thing.\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script>\nsetTimeout(function(){\n  !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n  {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n  n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n  if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n  n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n  t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n  s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, document,'script',\n  'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n  fbq('init', '1137093656460433');\n  fbq('track', 'PageView');\n  },3000);\n<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/101904\/smart-homes-are-boring-now-and-thats-a-good-thing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;#Smart Homes Are Boring Now (And That\u2019s A Good Thing) \u2013 Review Geek&#8221; Signify I\u2019ve been writing about smart homes for years and purchasing smart home devices even longer. And you know what conclusion I\u2019ve come to all these years later? Smart homes are pretty boring now. Seriously incredibly boring. But that\u2019s a good thing&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":360212,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/08\/df732a28.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-360211","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/360211","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=360211"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/360211\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/360212"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=360211"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=360211"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=360211"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}