The annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) may be taking place on screen, but to no surprise there is a convergence of products focused on making their way into your home in reality! Smart home devices have long been a mainstay of CES, and this year even more so on account of how much time we have all been spending there. This week, Homes of Silicon Valley is pleased to present a summary of what trends emerged, what products debuted and what we think homeowners will really want. (Note: The CES 2021 digital venue will remain open for registered attendees until February 15.)
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THE TRENDS
These are the underlying themes of the smart home products that made their debut last week.
- Tech that blends in rather than stands out (i.e. a device that makes any coffee table a wireless charging station, TV’s that disappear into beds, etc.).
- Fewer smart home brands in [virtual] attendance but just as many diverse products to integrate home & technology.
- Less all new and more that can be defined as ‘new versions of many usual suspects’.
- Designs that target every room (especially kitchens, bathrooms & home gyms) and every family member (even pets!).
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THE PRODUCT PICKS
These are just a few of the hot ticket items as selected by industry leaders such as CNET & Digital Trends.
- The Lockly Duo - According to Digital Trends: “The Lockly Duo is a 2-in-1 deadbolt and knob solution that can lock and unlock your door with one quick twist of the handle, while packing all the features we expect from a top-notch smart lock, including fingerprint unlock, PIN Genie tech, remote unlock via the app, and much more.”
- The Nobi Smart Lamp - According to CNET: “The Nobi is no ordinary lamp. Packed with sensors, this light fixture is designed to give some peace of mind to seniors and their care givers. It keeps an eye out for potential trouble like falls or irregular motions.”
- The Philips Hue Wall Switch Module - According to The Ambient: You can make “dumb switches smart. You can wire a Hue Wall Switch Module into your existing light switch, so your smart bulbs are always usable, no matter the state of the switch. Using the Hue app you can program the module to do what you want when the switch is turned off or on.”
- The Orgin Hex Home Security System - According to CNET: Origin wants to do away with large, multidevice home security systems. Its latest offering -- Hex Home -- relies on just two pieces of hardware: a Hex Command and a Hex Sense. The Hex Command is the hub of the system, while the plug-in Hex Sense device has a built-in siren and monitors motion.”
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THE FINDS WE EXPECT TO SEE
These are the products we can see being the top picks of Silicon valley homeowners in the years to come.
- The Ampere Bluetooth Shower Speaker: This new device not only plays wireless audio from compatible devices (such as your smart phone), but it actually uses the flow of water through to the shower head as its power source! Since most concerts now occur in your own home, we think this product would make a cool gift for teens, young adults and even hip grandparents!
- The Samsung JetBot 90 AI: We are all about making life simpler and we know that many of our clients are too. As a product that does double duty, the Samsung JetBot 90 AI is a robotic vacuum with an integrated camera. Your floors get cleaned and your home gets monitored. Win – Win..
- The MyQ Pet Portal: If we are all being honest, are we all not a little bit worried about how our pets will adjust when we go back to work? We think the MyQ Pet Portal can help solve this problem – and make your life easier today too – by automating daily routines. Plus, features such as live video streaming and two-way audio will give you eyes, ears and vocal cords at home when you go back into the office and the kids go back to school.
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Did you have a favorite smart home product that debuted at CES 2021? Are you planning on adding a smart home feature to your residence this year, or seeking a property that already has them? Email mark@homesofsv.com – I’d love to hear all about your plans (and keep a look out for you!).
All my best,
Mark