From Yaya to Google, how to ‘smarten up’ your home

LIKE many 1980s kids, I grew up enjoying the benefits of having a “voice-activated assistant”—even though smart homes, at that time, were just the stuff of science fiction movies.

We might not have had so-called smart devices at the time, but we still could do all sorts of things without even having to stand up and leave our seats. All we had to do was lovingly call out “Yaya.”

Yaya was the “OG” of all these virtual assistants, and she was Siri, Google and Alexa combined. She might not have the resources of Wikipedia to help us do our homework or create a playlist we could agree on, but she was the family member whose attention we competed for—because she could do it all.

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Maybe that’s why the allure of having a smart home is so compelling, because it’s like having a Yaya all over again.

You can unlock the door with your phone, walk into your house, and have the lights turn on automatically and have music already playing as you make your entrance. Even when you are not home, you can still program a robot vacuum to clean the place and monitor everything with security cameras.

The actual reality, however, isn’t quite as magical as those advertisements make us believe since there is no simple, singular solution that can flawlessly automate your entire house as reliably as Yaya.

But at least its getting a lot easier. Smart home technology is becoming more popular and advanced, even condo unit owners who want to automate and integrate smart devices into their condo units can easily do it. For example, Vista Residences, the condominium arm of the country’s largest homebuilder, Vista Land & Lifescapes Inc., recently collaborated with Cherry Mobile’s IoT product line Cherry Home to make it easier for its residents to automate their condo units through the use of different smart devices. If you want to take a virtual tour of Vista Residences ready for occupancy and pre-selling units in Manila and Quezon City, simply head over to www.vistaresidences.com.ph.

The Cherry Home Smart Security Sensor is a smart device that enables you to get security notification and logs every time the sensor detects that your condo unit door or window is opened. This compact smart device is Wi-Fi controlled and can also be used for dresser, cabinets and more.

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Delivery people might not be able to get past lobby security in condos, but for those who often shop online and have their food delivered, the Cherry Home Smart Video Doorbell is another good device to consider. Instead of the typical analog fish-eye peep-hole, the Smart Video Doorbell will give you a decent view of your entryway as it is equipped with a tiny 1080p HD camera that can capture real-time videos with night vision.

This smart video doorbell has motion sensor and can be operated with the use of battery, microUSB or electricity. Moreover, it has a two-way audio system that allows you to communicate with the person at your door without the need for you to go out and meet them. Enable motion sensor to detect outside movements—from a passerby to moving objects—to lower the risk of constant visits from strangers.

Another way to monitor your home or condo unit is through the use of smart cameras. Cherry Home GX3 Smart Swivel Camera is a plug-and-play device that can be installed with the use of the Cherry Home App. It allows remote viewing with a controllable camera view and full HD result video. Moreover, it also enables you to enjoy talking with its two-way audio feature using your smartphone camera.

For those who keep misplacing or forgetting their keys, the Cherry Home Smart Entrance Lock is the convenient solution. It lets you conveniently get inside your house using the classic machine key, a key card/RFID, fingerprint, passcode, or via the app. What’s best about the Cherry Home Smart Entrance Lock is that all four unlock features, except for in-app, can still work perfectly even without WiFi.

Those who love my Yaya idea of having a companion in their condo unit, there’s the Cherry Home IR Transceiver. It is a WiFi-based IR blaster that can remotely control any IR-based home appliance like a TV, air conditioner, and other appliances. It’s easy to install and you can control it anywhere with a single tap with just the use of WiFi or data. You can also use this smart device to command your devices by using Amazon Echo, Google Home, among others.

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Perhaps the most popular and simplest piece of smart home tech is the smart bulb. It does not only automate your light but also smartly changes the type of lighting you want depending on your mood. If you need an affordable yet cool mood-lighting for your condo in Manila, Cherry Home offers Smart Multi-Color Bulb that consists of RGB and different colors as well as a timer that allows you to set the brightness color, and even schedule for when you want these settings to be applied on this 9-watt LED bulb.

Another smart device you can start with is the Cherry Home Smart Extension Cord. Just place it in your preferred area in the condo, set it up and control it with just one tap with the use of  WiFi or data. It has the ability to turn on and off separate sockets depending on the schedule you have set. It also has a timer and is compatible with Google Home and Alexa.

At the end of the day, smart devices should make your life easier, not difficult. So  rather than obsessing about creating an integrated system, its better to identify those daily pain points and focus on solving those with the right device.

#realestateblogph | #realestateblogphpropertynews | #REBPH | #realestate | #smarthome | #Vistaland | #homes

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Article and Photo originally posted by Business Mirror last January 16, 2021 and written by Ed Uy. Minor edits have been made by REBPH to cater to its own readers.

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