MODERN TECHNOLOGY HAS CHANGED OUR LIVES IN WAYS THAT MIGHT HAVE SEEMED LIKE A FAR-FETCHED SCIENCE FICTION MOVIE NOT SO LONG AGO. BUT HAS YOUR HOME KEPT UP WITH THE REVOLUTION?
If your answer is no, there’s no need to panic. With a few high-tech purchases, you can transform your property from top to bottom: from a slicker entertainment system in the living room and cutting-edge tools in the kitchen to smarter security and a cooler ambience throughout the house. To make your home more fun, efficient, safer – and a place you’ll want to show off to all your family and friends – just follow our simple guide to creating your own tech haven!
SMART TV
So you love getting home after a long day at work, kicking off your shoes and settling down on the couch in front of the trusty old TV? Fine. We get it. But you don’t have to settle for the trusty old TV. A smart TV takes your screen-watching experience to the next level and transports your home into the modern era in one small step. It’s enabled by the internet, which means you can easily connect to all your favourite streaming platforms and watch whichever films, live sports, music videos or box sets take your fancy.
You can also set up a night of entertainment by connecting it to your games console or creating your own home theatre system. When it comes to choosing which smart TV to buy, the general rule is the bigger the better – but before you head out to the Hamilton stores, measure the space where it will go so that you don’t end up needing to knock down a wall to make it fit. You’ll also need to decide on the resolu-tion: you’ll get a crystal-clear picture from a 4K screen and better still from 8K, although you should check the price difference before making your selection. By connecting your smart TV to your smartphone, you can stream shows straight from your phone to the TV – and you can even use your smart-phone as a TV remote. Your smart TV connects to other smart devices, meaning you don’t have to get up from the couch to adjust the lights the lights, respond to the video doorbell or start the washing machine cycle.
FURNITURE
Remember when the reclining chair showcased by the guys in Friends seemed like the height of technology? That might have looked impressive 20-odd years ago but, in reality, manoeuvring that kind of sofa into the recliner position could often be a labouring task that defeated the whole aim of re-laxation.
Nowadays, automated recliners snap happily into the chill-out zone at the click of a button. With built-in features like speakers and charging ports, they’re the perfect lazy chair for tech-loving guys who love to put their feet up. But if you really want to sit comfortably, why not upgrade to a voice command massager? If you’ve ever tried one of these out in a shopping mall, you’ll know they can be a bit of fun. But they can also help relieve stress by soothing your muscles whether they’re aching from the repetitive strains of your job, poor posture or the simple wear and tear of everyday life.
And while you’re at it, you’ll need somewhere to place your cup of tea. For a serious improvement on the old-fash-ioned coffee table, try a high-tech side table. Not only does it look snazzy, it has wireless charging for all your electronic devices, Bluetooth speakers and LED lighting and can be adapted to work with Alexa or Google. Just be careful not to spill that drink!
LIGHTING
Smart bulbs open up a world of opportunities for ambience and atmosphere throughout your home. They come in all shapes and sizes: take your pick from table lamps, pendant lights, wall lamps, floor lamps or string lights. They’re activat-ed by remote control or your voice, allowing you to easily al-ter the brightness and colour of your surroundings depending on the occasion or your mood. A high-tech lighting system can help you create whichever atmosphere you need for a romantic evening, dance party or relaxing night in front of a movie. We’ve all heard how LED lighting saves you a fortune on your Belco bill. But how about this: with smart lighting, you can set a time when they will switch off, or have them automatically go out when someone leaves the room.
KITCHEN
Packing your kitchen with high-tech equipment and gad-gets makes cooking more fun and efficient as well as improv-ing your culinary skills. Kitchen worktops can come with wireless charging and built-in induction cooktops, so you can power your devices while you cook on the sleek surface. Smart appliances provide interactive recipe displays on the worktops and give precise temperature control so you don’t have to keep checking that pan of codfish and potatoes is simmering to perfection.
Automated cooking functions allow you to use your cell phone to preheat the oven or check how your food is cooking while you’re out. You can also manage your storage with integrated intelligent kitchen systems so you can make the most of your space, no matter how small your fridge or cabinets. Automated pantry management systems will tell you when your cheese is about to go off or you need to pick up milk on the way home from work. A smart fridge goes up another notch by synching up to your phone, allowing you to dance to your favourite music while you cook.
BATHROOM
Technology such as smart lighting and motorised shades can make your bathroom experience more relaxing and private, while waterproof TVs and smart mirrors can turn bath time into entertainment time. Smart toilets come with features like adjustable lighting, automatic flushing, deodoriser timers and self-cleaning buttons. In Bermuda, where water conversation is a vital part of everyday life, a smart water assistant monitors how much water you’re using and lets you know when you’ve got a leak. Great news if you’ve got a family member who likes to keep the tap on while cleaning their teeth!
BEDROOM
Bedtime is probably a good time to take a break from electronics like iPads and scrolling through news updates on your cell phone. But that doesn’t mean you can’t use smart tech-nology to improve your quality of sleep and rest. With a smart bed or smart pillow, you can adjust the temperature and track your sleep, heart rate and respiratory rate with the push of a button – and they gently wake you up without the need for a noisy alarm clock. Smart speakers, light bulbs, bedside lights and curtains also help create your ideal ambience for the bedroom. Imagine be-ing able to check the weather in the morning by opening the blinds via your cell phone without having to get out of bed!
SECURITY
Now that you’ve created your own tech haven, you should invest in some sharp equipment to make sure it stays safe. The latest outdoor security cameras have motion-activated spotlights and infrared night vision sensors that send a message to your phone when you have a potential intruder. You can activate an alarm remotely from your phone, causing the would-be burglar to flee before they’ve even entered your property. Smart doorbells allow you to see and capture images of people ap-proaching your front door, while you can beef up security with app-controlled locks or smart door handles that are ac-tivated by PIN, radio frequency identity cards or fingerprints. An all-in-one smart home security system incorporates tools such as a single camera, sensor, app, sirens and door locks and more, depending on how much you’re willing to pay.
GET A RELIABLE CONNECTION!
You can fill your home with all the most wonderful technology the world has to offer, but you’ll end up frustrated if you don’t have a good internet connection. To keep your smart stuff working smartly, you need a stable broadband internet con-nection that you can rely on. For a stable connection, switch to Digicel+, which aims to bring a faster and more reliable internet experience to homes across Bermuda through its fibre network. The Digicel+ Home fibre internet has a larger bandwidth that can carry more data at the speed of light, and internet speeds of up to 1 gig. This gives you a vastly improved entertainment experience through low latency and ping speeds and super-reliability.
To register, call 441-500- 5000 or complete the online form at https://www.digicelgroup. com/bm/en/digicel-plus/get-simply-more.html. An agent will contact you within 48 hours to confirm serviceability. Then you just complete and sign the service agreement, and the Digicel team will schedule your installation. It couldn’t be easier!
ENJOY YOUR TECH HAVEN!
There are so many wild and exciting tech options out there, picking the gadgets that work best for you is half the fun. Whether you’re aiming to use technology to relax, improve entertainment or simply make life a little more interesting, make sure you have fun trying it out!
