Table of Contents
1 Making Your Life Easier with Smart Home Technology
How Smart Home Technology Works
What Can Your Smart Home Control?
Why You Need to Turn Your Home into a Smart Home
Saving Money and Conserving Energy
2 Understanding Smart Home Hubs and Controllers
Understanding Smart Home Technologies
Comparing Smart Home Controllers
3 Automating Your Home Lighting
Considering Smart Lighting Systems
Using the Philips Hue Personal Wireless Lighting System
Connect to the Hue Dimmer Switch
Control Your Lights with the Dimmer Switch
Add More Lights or Accessories
Turn Lights On or Off with the Hue Smartphone App
Adjust a Light’s Color Temperature
Create a New Home & Away Routine
4 Automating Heating and Cooling
Understanding Smart Thermostats
Should You Upgrade to a Smart Thermostat?
Emerson Sensi Wi-Fi Thermostat
Honeywell Lyric Round Wi-Fi Thermostat
Honeywell Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat
Using the Nest Learning Thermostat
Set Up and Configure Your Nest Thermostat
Connecting Your Nest to Other Smart Devices
SkyBell HD Wi-Fi Video Doorbell
Yale Assure Lock with Bluetooth
Working with Smart Smoke and CO Detectors
Assembling a Smart Home Security System
6 Automating Your Kitchen and Laundry
Understanding Today’s Smart Appliances
Smarter Food Storage with Smart Refrigerators
Samsung Family Hub Refrigerators
Smarter Cooking with Smart Ranges and Ovens
GE Wi-Fi Connected Ovens and Ranges
Smarter Dishwashing with Smart Dishwashers
Bosch Dishwasher with Home Connect
GE Wi-Fi Connected Dishwashers
Smarter Cleaning with Smart Washers and Dryers
GE Wi-Fi Connected Washers and Dryers
LG SmartThinQ Washers and Dryers
7 Automating Home Entertainment
Streaming Audio Throughout Your Home
Using the Amazon Echo as a Speaker
Using Google Home as a Speaker
Getting to Know the Harmony Hub
8 Examining Other Smart Devices and Applications
Smart Devices for the Living Room
9 Controlling Your Smart Home with Wink
Add a New Device via Barcode Scanning
View Information from a Sensor
Automating Activities with Robots and Events
10 Controlling Your Smart Home with Apple Home
What’s Compatible with HomeKit
Assign an Accessory Device to a Room
Controlling Your Smart Devices
Controlling Devices and Scenes with Siri
Create a Controlled Automation
11 Controlling Your Smart Home with Amazon Alexa
What Alexa Does and How Alexa Works
Using Alexa as a Smart Home Controller
Link Accounts from Other Services
Using Alexa to Control Your Smart Devices
Connect a Smart Device to Alexa
Controlling a Smart Device with Alexa
12 Controlling Your Smart Home with Google Home
Understanding Google Home and the Google Assistant
Setting Up and Using Google Home
Navigate and Configure the Google Home App
Working with the Google Assistant
Tell the Google Assistant What to Do
Using Google Home to Control Your Smart Devices
What Does Google Home Control?
Pair a Device with the Google Assistant
Use the Google Assistant to Control Your Smart Devices
13 Using Smart Technology for Independent Living
Use a Voice-Controlled Personal Assistant
Install Smart Lighting Systems
Keeping You and Your Loved Ones Safer
Employ Smart Door and Window Sensors
Employ a Personal Safety Device
14 Adding More Functionality with IFTTT
Why Would You Want to Use IFTTT?
Link a Device or Service to IFTTT
Understanding the Parts of an Applet
15 Evaluating Privacy and Security Concerns
What Do They Really Know About You?