We’re getting closer to the future – to a time when the Internet of Things will become commonplace. But, at the moment, owning a smart home in South Africa is not easy to accomplish. Financial and technical restraints can make the transition to a fully automated smart home prohibitive. However, that doesn’t mean people aren’t investigating their options and exploring solutions that work for them.
As Cape Town managing editor Catherine Robb explains, Google Home has transformed her life. ‘Google Home is the only other female in the house and the only ‘person’ who listens to me,’ jokes the married mom of two boys. ‘In the morning she greets me, tells me the time and then tunes the radio. She answers any question my kids have, such as: “Will it rain today?” or “How do we get to the Castle Road?” She even helps me locate my phone when I can’t find it, which is often! And the best part is being able to ask her to play any song or album I feel like listening to. It’s great being exposed to a wide variety of music without having to buy or download it. We ask her things throughout the day, such as getting her to play YouTube on the TV or turn on the outside lights. Anything is possible!’
The Robb family also has a few smart plugs throughout their home. These are power adaptors that turn regular sockets into ‘smart sockets’ by adding wifi and an on-off switch, among other things. It’s important to note that smart home technology is not only about managing appliances from an app, switching on lights by voice activation and enjoying the convenience of a pre-heated oven by the time you get home after a long day; it can also exponentially increase your level of security.
The Robbs have security cameras they can view through an app on their phones. ‘We set the alarm on another app; turn plugs on and off via an app and smart plugs and often water the garden from our well points by turning on the pump plug remotely,’ Catherine says. ‘To be honest, the security features have transformed our lives more than Google Home has,’ she admits. ‘If the alarm goes off while we at work or away on holiday, we can check cameras and reset it remotely.’
If you want to experience the safety benefits of a smart home, get started with the V-Home Safety Starter Kit.
Header photo by Sebastian Scholz (Nuki) on Unsplash
