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Thursday, September 1, 2016
Honeywell Wi-Fi Thermostats Obey Your Voice Commands
Making sure your home is comfortable should be easy, which is why every Honeywell-connected thermostat can now be controlled simply with the power of voice, using Amazon Alexa-enabled devices like Echo, thanks to a new Alexa Skill.
By simply saying “Alexa,” customers with Honeywell Lyric Round (first and second generation) or Total Connect Comfort (Wi-Fi and RedLink) thermostats can adjust their home’s temperature with a short verbal command. Even homes that have multiple heating and cooling zones using applicable Honeywell thermostats can be adjusted, simply by confirming for Alexa which thermostat should be controlled.
The Skill is the latest collaboration between Honeywell and Amazon. Customers can also still change the temperature, set up schedules, and make other changes directly with the thermostat by using their thermostat’s corresponding Honeywell app.
“Even as our homes–and the tech inside them–change, customers simply want to feel comfortable, safe, and in control, and find ways to save time and money,” says Jeremy Eaton, general manager, of Honeywell Connected Home. “We’ve always designed our thermostats with that in mind, and bringing Amazon’s Alexa into our family is a perfect next step to help make people’s lives easier and homes smarter.”
In addition to Alexa, Honeywell’s connected thermostats can be connected to other home products and ecosystems, such as Samsung SmartThings and If This Then That (IFTTT), to provide homeowners with the flexibility to pick solutions that best fit their needs.
What Steps Can You Take To Reduce Your Electricity Bills?
Energy management isn’t just about turning the heat or AC up and down. It’s a total package–a total smart home package. There are a number of smart home devices and settings that can contribute to your total energy savings. And those savings compound when you integrate the functions of these devices together.
Download this checklist to see if your home is a strong candidate for a FREE professional energy management evaluation.
Get the checklist!The post Honeywell Wi-Fi Thermostats Obey Your Voice Commands appeared first on Electronic House.
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How to Avoid Gizmo Blemishes on Your Walls
By Bud Dietrich, Houzz
From electrical outlets to air vents, speakers to thermostats, all of the little items that we rely on for modern living are here to stay. And as we continue to develop new gizmos, like iPads, and building codes call for new safety requirements, like smoke detectors, the sheer quantity of these little items will only increase.
So it really bugs me when I tour a recently completed home renovation or a new house, and the interior walls and ceilings seem to have developed a case of acne. Rather than all of the accoutrements of modern life being considered in the design, the outlets, switches, air vents, thermostats etc. are all haphazardly placed. A little thought and coordination can prevent this type of scenario.
Let’s see how the walls of your next project can keep a clear complexion.
Gizmo 1: Legendary Luxury Homes, original photo on Houzz
Think about placement early. It’s always nice when items such as air vents are placed in sympathy with and to complement the architecture. Placement of these items should be looked at before construction starts. Either you’ll have to move the framing or be stuck with an unwanted location for the register if you wait until after the walls are up.
Build in a power strip. We need to have electrical outlets to plug in all of those small appliances and as mandated by building codes. Just because we do, though, they don’t have to mar the beautiful backsplash we’ve just paid a lot for.
Gizmo 2: Seura, original photo on Houzz
Make it intentional. Keeping the backsplash free of any electrical device really helps to show off the tile and overall aesthetic. But if you’d like a television or docking station for an iPad or other tablet device, you can certainly recess it into the design, making it part of the overall look. The trick is to make it an intentional decision rather than an afterthought.
Camouflage it. Chances are that hiding the electrical switches won’t be all that easily done. In those cases, especially where the switch is in a tiled backsplash, some camouflage will hide it in plain sight. Just take care that the person doing the camouflaging gets the colors and patterns just right.
Related: Hide Cords in Style With DIY Graphic Panels
Group switches. Where there isn’t the possibility of hiding a switch or bank of switches, make sure to group the switches in an orderly fashion. It’s disconcerting to see switches randomly placed about a wall, often within close proximity to one another. And while you’re at it, position the group in a spot that’s carefully chosen and use a switch plate that coordinates with the overall design.
Make them stylish. Of course, not all of these objects have to be hidden. Many manufacturers are now producing quite stylish and fun devices, like the Nest thermostat, that can be displayed as a bit of decor. The trick is to place these devices in a spot where they can stand out and be noticed.
Recess them. Let’s not forget the speakers that are part of our audio visual systems. Recessing these items will keep them less obtrusive and less pimple like.
Integrate them into the design. While it’s not always possible to do a media wall, integrating the speakers into the overall room design really helps.
Work with the invisible structure. Lighting, especially recessed can lights, really must be coordinated with not only what’s visible but with what’s not. Getting each light centered into each coffer requires that no framing, air duct or other item above the ceiling get in the way. So coordinating these elements during the design and drawing phase will pay dividends during construction.
Complement the architecture. Some rooms, especially those with tall and sloping ceilings, aren’t easily lit. So it’s always a pleasure when the lighting is coordinated with and complements the architecture. Achieving the exact placement of fixtures is the result of a coordinated plan, in which structure and electrical elements are all thought about.
Be ready for anything. There’s little chance that we’ll see fewer gadgets and gizmos in our homes. While just a few years ago, the iPad wasn’t an item a designer would have considered when planning an interior, now it’s almost omnipresent. So things like wall-mounted charging stations in every room have to be considered. Let’s face it, a beautifully designed interior considers everything that’s part of the room.
Can you benefit from a home automation system?
Answer the following questions to determine if your home is a good candidate for a smart home system.
Download checklistThe post How to Avoid Gizmo Blemishes on Your Walls appeared first on Electronic House.
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Lofty Automation Goals for Tribeca Household
Article courtesy of Remote Technologies Inc.
The owner of a new 3,000-square-foot loft in the Tribeca neighborhood of Manhattan was looking to manage the environment, automate audio and video components, and activate lighting scenes using a control solution that would be as simple as pressing a single button. He and his wife were expecting their first child, so having a convenient means of turning everything on and off as they arrived home carrying their baby was also important.
Simple and Stylish Controls
An App that Commands the House Systems
Synched with Sonos … and other Music Players
Can you benefit from a home automation system?
Answer the following questions to determine if your home is a good candidate for a smart home system.
Download checklistThe post Lofty Automation Goals for Tribeca Household appeared first on Electronic House.
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