Cover image for My Smart Home for Seniors

My Smart Home for Seniors

Author Michael R. Miller
Release Date: 2017/06/01
ISBN: 9780134752792
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Book Description

This full-color introduction to the smart home has been written from the ground up with one audience in mind: seniors. No ordinary "beginner's book," My Smart Home for Seniors approaches every topic from a 50+ person's point of view, using meaningful, realistic examples.

Full-color, step-by-step tasks-in legible print-walk you through making your home safer and easier to live in using smart technology. Learn how to:

  • Control your home's lighting with smart bulbs and switches

  • Make your home more secure with smart doorbells, door locks, and security cameras

  • Automatically control your home's temperature with a smart thermostat

  • Make cooking and cleaning easier with smart appliances

  • Use voice commands or your smart phone to control your smart devices

  • Use If This Then That (IFTTT) to make your smart devices interact with each other automatically

  • Get smart about the security and privacy concerns of smart devices

  • Set up your smart devices and get them to work with one another

  • Compare and select the best smart hub for your smart home needs

  • Learn to use Amazon Alexa, Google Home and other voice-activated devices, as well as Apple's HomeKit on the iPhone, to make your smart devices work together

Table of Contents

  1. About This E-Book
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Contents at a Glance
  5. Table of Contents
  6. About the Author
  7. Dedication
  8. Acknowledgments
  9. Photo Credits
  10. About AARP
  11. We Want to Hear from You!
  12. Reader Services
  13. Technology Note
  14. AARP Benefits
  15. 1. Making Your Life Easier with Smart Home Technology
    1. What Is a Smart Home?
    2. How Smart Home Technology Works
      1. Smart Communications
      2. Smart Operations
      3. Smart Interactivity
    3. What Can Your Smart Home Control?
      1. Smart Lighting
      2. Smart Heating and Cooling
      3. Smart Home Security
      4. Smart Appliances
      5. Smart Home Entertainment
      6. Smart Home Control
      7. And More…
    4. Why You Need to Turn Your Home into a Smart Home
      1. Saving Time and Effort
      2. Saving Money and Conserving Energy
      3. Doing More
  16. 2. Understanding Smart Home Hubs and Controllers
    1. Understanding Smart Home Technologies
      1. X10
      2. Insteon
      3. Wi-Fi
      4. Bluetooth
      5. Z-Wave
      6. ZigBee
    2. Comparing Smart Home Systems
      1. Insteon
      2. SmartThings by Samsung
      3. Wink
      4. And More…
    3. What Works with What?
    4. Comparing Smart Home Controllers
      1. Apple HomeKit
      2. Amazon Echo and Alexa
      3. Google Home
  17. 3. Automating Your Home Lighting
    1. Considering Smart Lighting Systems
      1. Insteon
      2. LIFX
      3. Philips Hue
      4. Wink
      5. Other Systems
    2. Using the Philips Hue Personal Wireless Lighting System
      1. Connect the Hue Bridge
      2. Connect to the Hue Dimmer Switch
      3. Control Your Lights with the Dimmer Switch
      4. Connect to the Hue App
      5. Create a Room
      6. Add More Lights or Accessories
      7. Turn Lights On or Off with the Hue Smartphone App
      8. Dim Your Lights
      9. Adjust a Light’s Color Temperature
      10. Select a Scene
      11. Create a New Scene
      12. Create a New Home & Away Routine
      13. Create a Wake Up Routine
      14. Create a Go to Sleep Routine
  18. 4. Automating Heating and Cooling
    1. Understanding Smart Thermostats
      1. How Smart Thermostats Work
      2. Should You Upgrade to a Smart Thermostat?
    2. Evaluating Smart Thermostats
      1. Carrier Cor Wi-Fi Thermostat
      2. Ecobee
      3. Emerson Sensi Wi-Fi Thermostat
      4. Honeywell Lyric Round Wi-Fi Thermostat
      5. Honeywell Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat
      6. Nest Learning Thermostat
    3. Using the Nest Learning Thermostat
      1. Set Up and Configure Your Nest Thermostat
      2. Control Your Thermostat
      3. Set the Temperature
      4. Program Your Nest
      5. Learning Your Routine
      6. Connecting Your Nest to Other Smart Devices
  19. 5. Automating Home Security
    1. Adding a Smart Doorbell
      1. How Smart Doorbells Work
      2. August Doorbell Cam
      3. Ring Video Doorbell
      4. SkyBell HD Wi-Fi Video Doorbell
    2. Installing a Smart Door Lock
      1. How Smart Door Locks Work
      2. August Smart Lock
      3. Kwikset Kevo
      4. Kwikset Premis
      5. Schlage Connect
      6. Schlage Sense
      7. Yale Assure Lock with Bluetooth
    3. Using Smart Security Cameras
      1. How Smart Cameras Work
      2. Arlo Q
      3. Arlo Pro
      4. Canary Flex
      5. Nest Cam Indoor and Outdoor
    4. Working with Smart Smoke and CO Detectors
      1. Birdi
      2. Halo+
      3. Nest Protect
    5. Assembling a Smart Home Security System
      1. Samsung SmartThings
      2. Wink
      3. Canary
      4. Piper
      5. iSmartAlarm
      6. SimpliSafe
  20. 6. Automating Your Kitchen and Laundry
    1. Understanding Today’s Smart Appliances
      1. Smart Operation
      2. Smart Monitoring
      3. Smart Energy Savings
      4. Smart Maintenance
    2. Smarter Food Storage with Smart Refrigerators
      1. GE Connected Refrigerators
      2. LG SmartThinQ Refrigerators
      3. Samsung Family Hub Refrigerators
    3. Smarter Cooking with Smart Ranges and Ovens
      1. GE Wi-Fi Connected Ovens and Ranges
      2. LG SmartThinQ Ranges
      3. Samsung Wi-Fi Ranges
    4. Smarter Dishwashing with Smart Dishwashers
      1. Bosch Dishwasher with Home Connect
      2. GE Wi-Fi Connected Dishwashers
    5. Smarter Cleaning with Smart Washers and Dryers
      1. GE Wi-Fi Connected Washers and Dryers
      2. LG SmartThinQ Washers and Dryers
      3. Whirlpool
  21. 7. Automating Home Entertainment
    1. Watching Smart TV
      1. What’s Inside a Smart TV
      2. What a Smart TV Does
      3. Using a Typical Smart TV
      4. Using a Smart Set-Top Box
    2. Streaming Audio Throughout Your Home
      1. Using the Amazon Echo as a Speaker
      2. Using Google Home as a Speaker
    3. Using the Harmony Hub
      1. Getting to Know the Harmony Hub
      2. What’s It Work With?
      3. Setting Up the Harmony Hub
      4. Using the Harmony Hub
  22. 8. Examining Other Smart Devices and Applications
    1. Smart Devices for the Living Room
      1. Smart Plugs
      2. Smart Outlets
      3. Smart Wall Switches
      4. Smart Motion Detectors
      5. Smart Window Coverings
      6. Smart Vacuums
    2. Smart Devices for the Bedroom
      1. Smart Bedding and Accessories
    3. Smart Devices for the Kitchen
      1. Smart Coffee Makers
      2. Smart Cooking Appliances
    4. Smart Devices for the Garage
      1. Smart Garage Door Openers
      2. Smart Car Adapter
    5. Smart Devices for Outdoors
      1. Smart Irrigation Systems
      2. Smart Lawn Mowers
  23. 9. Controlling Your Smart Home with Wink
    1. Getting to Know Wink
    2. Setting Things Up
      1. Connect the Wink Hub 2
      2. Add a New Device via Barcode Scanning
      3. Manually Add a New Device
    3. Using the Wink App
      1. Turn a Device On or Off
      2. View Information from a Sensor
      3. Create a Shortcut
      4. Activate a Shortcut
    4. Automating Activities with Robots and Events
      1. Create a Robot
      2. Remove a Robot
      3. Create an Event
  24. 10. Controlling Your Smart Home with Apple Home
    1. Understanding Apple HomeKit
      1. How HomeKit Works
      2. What’s Compatible with HomeKit
    2. Adding Devices and Rooms
      1. Add a New Device
      2. Add a New Room
      3. Assign an Accessory Device to a Room
      4. Create a Scene
    3. Controlling Your Smart Devices
      1. Control a Device or Scene
      2. Controlling Devices and Scenes with Siri
    4. Automating Multiple Devices
      1. Create a Location Automation
      2. Create a Time Automation
      3. Create a Controlled Automation
  25. 11. Controlling Your Smart Home with Amazon Alexa
    1. Understanding Alexa—and Echo
      1. What Alexa Does and How Alexa Works
      2. Using Alexa as a Smart Home Controller
    2. Meet Amazon’s Echo Devices
      1. Amazon Echo
      2. Amazon Echo Dot
      3. Amazon Echo Show
      4. Which Echo Is Right for You?
    3. Setting Up Your Echo Device
      1. Set Up Your Device
      2. Changing the Wake Word
    4. Working with Alexa
      1. Employ General Commands
      2. Tell Alexa What to Do
    5. Using the Alexa App
      1. Tour the Alexa App
      2. Link Accounts from Other Services
    6. Working with Alexa’s Skills
      1. Find a Skill
      2. Add a Skill to Alexa
    7. Using Alexa to Control Your Smart Devices
      1. What’s Compatible?
      2. Connect a Smart Device to Alexa
      3. Working with Device Groups
      4. Controlling a Smart Device with Alexa
  26. 12. Controlling Your Smart Home with Google Home
    1. Understanding Google Home and the Google Assistant
    2. Setting Up and Using Google Home
      1. Set Up Your Device
      2. Navigate and Configure the Google Home App
    3. Working with the Google Assistant
      1. Wake Words
      2. Employ General Commands
      3. Tell the Google Assistant What to Do
    4. Using Google Home to Control Your Smart Devices
      1. What Does Google Home Control?
      2. Pair a Device with the Google Assistant
      3. Use the Google Assistant to Control Your Smart Devices
  27. 13. Using Smart Technology for Independent Living
    1. Making Daily Living Easier
      1. Use a Voice-Controlled Personal Assistant
      2. Install Smart Lighting Systems
      3. Employ a Smart Doorbell
      4. Install a Smart Door Lock
      5. Consider a Smart Thermostat
    2. Keeping You and Your Loved Ones Safer
      1. Install a Smart Door Lock
      2. Employ Smart Door and Window Sensors
      3. Add Smart Cameras
      4. Use a Personal GPS Tracker
      5. Employ a Personal Safety Device
    3. Embracing In-Home Care
  28. 14. Adding More Functionality with IFTTT
    1. Understanding IFTTT
      1. How Does IFTTT Work?
      2. Why Would You Want to Use IFTTT?
      3. What Does IFTTT Work With?
    2. Using IFTTT Applets
      1. Link a Device or Service to IFTTT
      2. Find and Activate an Applet
      3. Manage Your Applets
    3. Creating Your Own Applets
      1. Understanding the Parts of an Applet
      2. Create a New Applet
  29. 15. Evaluating Privacy and Security Concerns
    1. Privacy Concerns
      1. What Do They Really Know About You?
      2. How Much Privacy Do You Need?
    2. Security Issues
      1. Spyware and Botnets
      2. Seizing Control
    3. What Can You Do?
      1. Making Your Smart Home Safer
      2. Is It Safe Enough?
  30. 16. What’s Next?
    1. Embracing Voice Control
      1. Consolidating Control
      2. Using Voice Control in the Home
      3. Making Voice Control Universal
    2. Seeking Easier Connections
      1. Making the Connection
      2. Seeking Universal Connectivity
      3. Making Connections More Reliable
    3. Making Everything Smart
      1. Seeking a Smarter Living Room
      2. Embracing the Smart Automobile
    4. Connecting to the Smart City
      1. Understanding the Smart City
      2. Collecting Data
      3. Enhancing Responsiveness
      4. Improving Roads and Traffic
      5. Embracing Smart Utilities
      6. Connecting to the Smart Grid
  31. Glossary
  32. Index
  33. Answers to Your Technology Questions
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