There are also smart window

Built-in scales can help prevent over-feeding by alerting you when you drop in too much food.If you havent browsed through a technology store display area recently or kept up with your online product reviews, heres some of what you might have missed:The latest waves in smart home entertainment arent strictly entertainment devices at all. So landscaping and irrigation is fertile ground (there we go with the puns again!) for smart home technology.Smart home transformation: Pet careYeah, yeah, your Fido and Fifi are the already the smartest dog and cat in the world.Appliances are also where some of the most innovative and truly "smart" automation ideas are emergingmdash;or being promised. And now the new Lenovo Smart Display can help you connect and manage many smart home features from your couch.For food prep, todays smart refrigerators have front-mounted touch screens for making lists, finding recipes, or seeing whats inside without opening the door (also viewable via smartphone). Some can even change colour for specific rooms or activities. Too complex, you say. And with the help of a smart speaker or display, there is even potential for integrating with presence sensors, so songs play only when someones there to hear them. Over time they make adjustments based on what they think youd likemdash;such as adding heat on unexpectedly cold mornings (based on local weather readings). The latest smart speaker systems can be set to play different songs in different rooms.They cant yet handle a farm or public park, but todays smart lawn mowers can easily trim the grass on a small suburban home lot.Smart home transformation: Heating and coolingYour home may already be smarter than you think, as nearly everyone today uses a programmable thermostat to regulate heating and cooling.If controlling groups of bulbs through a hub isnt the right solution for you, consider one of the many smart plugs and smart switches available today. There really was a time when coffee pots were turned on manually each morning, red and white capsul freezers didnt know when to make ice, and ovens werent yet equipped with wireless thermometers and auto shut-offs.Heres some of what we found to help you manage your landscaping from the comfort of a lawn chair or hammock:Smart irrigation controllers work with more traditional timers and flow controls to adjust the daily watering volume to match local conditions, based on either direct on-site readings or using free or paid feeds of local weather data. Here are a few that we found:Wireless light bulbs and lighting systems are increasingly popular. Wi-Fi enabled smart TVs, for example, have made streaming movies far easier, and some models feature voice search tools to help you find a film simply by saying its name or quoting a line of dialogue. Or set them to turn off automatically when you leave.Its a broad category, with solutions for dogs, cats, hamsters, and nearly every other companion animal we keep in our homes.

Though pricey, once you help them learn your lot dimensions (theyre not quite as automatic as robotic vacuums) you can pre-set mowing times andmdash;because theyre so quietmdash;run them at virtually any hour of the day. Some models include rain gauges, so they can suspend watering in unexpected weather.Smart home transformation: LightingImagine the convenience of voice-activating your interior lights as you enter the door. Some even have sensors that can detect a collar fob (or your pets subdermal microchip) to make certain only YOUR pet goes outmdash;or, more importantly, comes in. Take a look at what we found:For cleaning, there are robotic vacuums to clean the floors, smart dishwashers that monitor and maximize detergent use and smart trash cans that remind you when to empty them. Theyre the new smart speakers and smart displays (such as the Lenovo Smart Display) that can automate tasks around the homemdash;including when and where to play music, show video, and so on. Some systems also can adjust temperatures using sensors that determine which rooms are occupied. Or take on the full list to give your smart home a graduate degree. They use Wi-Fi connected bulbs that screw into existing sockets (or wireless sockets with regular bulbs) and are controlled through a central hub or bridge app.We hear you. These handy devices let you turn on/off an entire electrical outlet or wall switch and whatevers connected to itmdash;often individually, without needing a central control hub. And while they shouldnt be left completely unattended, smart ovens let you adjust temperatures or turn them off remotely.(Source).Smart home transformation: Landscaping and lawn careIn some areas, conserving local water resources is a public priority, and the cost of water can rival that of electricity. Smart clothes washers have similar notification features, with some that can link to online tech support libraries.So here you go. Heres a sampling of some of todays most interesting smart home devices for pets and their people:Smart pet doors let you give your pets outdoor access at regular times each day or as-needed via remote app control. Dont smart homes need custom wiring, use hard-to-read LCD keypads, and come with thick user manuals?Not anymore. You can install integrated systems or one-off devices.Smart security cameras let you view remote parts of your home or property and can alert you to unexpected events or intruders.Smart home transformation: SecuritySecurity is one of the most active smart home categories, along with heating and cooling and entertainment. Check out these helpful solutions:How much could you save with smart window blinds that automatically close as the day gets warmer and open again when things cool down?

There are also smart window shades that work similarly, and smart air vents that ensure your treated air flows to the rooms that need it most. Or, for finicky eaters, you can get a smartphone notification when the bowl is finally empty. Any one device listed here will make your home smarter. Smart door locks enable remote locking and unlocking, and some models can activate based on the proximity of your phone. Some models also track the volume of food dispensed over time to remind you when to buy more.Advanced lighting solutions are some of todays brightest smart home ideas. The smart home marketplace in 20 is dramatically different, with everything from wireless switches that cost just a few dollars and can make any outlet "smart" to webcam refrigerators that let you check your milk supply while still at the store. And thats OK because smart home pet products aim to make pets happier and healthier by making their owners smarter. Newer systemsmdash;such as the Lenovo Smart Cameramdash;offer cloud storage (free or paid) so you can save more hours of video to capture what you dont see live.Smart home transformation: AppliancesIn their own way, appliances were some of the first smart devices to gain wide acceptance. Its likely because nearly every technology that makes smart homes so smartmdash;Wi-Fi signals, remote sensors and actuators, video cameras, machine-learning, and so onmdash;can play a role in protecting your home and family. Todays ever-expanding list of smart home systems and devices gives contractors and do-it-yourselfers new options for connecting and automatingmdash;transforming, reallymdash;nearly every functional aspect of a typical home.Smart home heating and cooling technology dont stop at thermostat timers, however.Feeding time gets easier with smart pet bowls. (Yes, the puns are everywhere!) Theyre also some of the easiest gadgets for average homeowners to install. Or having the exterior lights come on when your smartphone senses youre nearing home each evening.Who knew our homes can be life-long learners? You can teach an old house new tricks.Smart home transformation: Entertainment and multimediaMusic, film and PC gaming fans are often also "gadget people," so many of you have already experimented with smart entertainment technology. You wont get an "F" if you havent installed them yet, but theyre worth considering:Wondering whos at the door? Smart doorbells (also called video doorbells) already knowmdash;and let you see and talk to your visitors, toomdash;even by smartphone. You save on energy costs while youre at work or asleep. Plus, some of these tools can help you achieve real labour savings, so you can spend more time enjoying your surroundings than maintaining them. Adopt a few of them and youll see noticeable time and energy savings.Learning thermostats go a step beyond programmable models.A whole-home music set-up still requires integrated speaker devices throughout the house. Its the no-brainer of smart home automationmdash;optimizing comfort during active hours but conserving when no ones home or late at night. Often these devices can replace the original TV and speaker controllers and apps.Given the categorys maturity, you may already know some of these smart security features. They can be indoor or outdoor, always-on or motion-activated.

There are also smart window