Winter brings the season of gift-giving and this year we have a few ideas to help you finish that shopping list. Given that IoT objects are entering the home in new and surprising ways, we’ve put together a list of some popular IoT smart objects suitable for all the special people in your life.
For the Athlete
The Fitbit is the unofficial king of fitness tracking technology, as demonstrated by the dozens of people who use it here in the Mapcom office. Wearable on your wrist, as a necklace or as a clip-on, the Fitbit is a comprehensive tracking system that serves up information on everything from sleep habits to steps per day. This little device syncs up with a mobile app to track progress over time and shares results with your network of fellow Fitbit users.
For the New Parent
The Snug Baby Monitor is an easy-to-use visual baby monitor that connects to phones and tablets through the home’s WiFi network. This unobtrusive camera keeps an eye on Baby at all times, but alerts parents with motion and audio detection so Mom and Dad don’t need to constantly watch their screens. The camera has a two-way microphone and night vision, making this an ideal gift for parents learning how to monitor their baby for the first time.
For the Simplifier
The iHome Smarthome system is perfect for the control freak in your life. With a series of SmartPlugs, users can control any products connected to outlets throughout the house from their smartphone. Users can also set up timers and custom schedules to automate the SmartPlugs’ usage. This IoT solution helps achieve peace of mind when away from the home, as well as total control over the home environment.
For the Fashion-Conscious
Many wearable IoT gadgets are clunky and unflattering, but Ringly compromises between form and function by offering beautiful, high-quality gemstone rings with a few tricks. Lights and vibrations emitted from the ring notify the wearer of texts, phone calls, emails, appointments and social media updates. The purpose of Ringly is to be able to enjoy a nice meal without your phone on the table, with the guarantee that all “high-priority” notifications can still get your attention.
For the Forgetful
Do you have a friend who’s always making you call their cell phone because they can’t find it? Give them the gift of independence with Tile. This system connects valuables with small “tiles.” Place one on your keychain, in your purse, on your bike, etc. and you’ll be able to locate your misplaced objects with your smartphone app. It goes both ways too- find your misplaced phone with any of your other “tiles” or let the Tile community know a tile-marked valuable has been stolen. This feature automatically pings any Tile user who comes within range of the stolen object, and that user can then notify the original owner of the pinged location.
For the Homeowner
There’s a new alarm system in town, and it’s just as subtle and pretty as is it effective. Scout lets you design your ideal configuration of security measures with separate, connectable pieces. Motion sensors, door panels, and access sensors can be combined to give users a variety of ways to monitor their homes. The Scout app allows constant access to home security and lets users define the situations that trip alarms and mobile phone notification. Another great feature is that the Scout system does not require any sort of contract, so users can utilize, change or deactivate their home monitoring systems at their will.
For the Music Lover
Truthfully, the Amazon Echo is a connected speaker that does far more than play music. Equipped with voice control, the Amazon Echo plays music from a number of streaming services, reads audiobooks, reports traffic and weather, provides sports scores and beyond. Another neat aspect of Echo? You can use it to voice-control other smart objects in your house. Integrated with WeMo, Samsung SmartThings, and more, you can simply give Echo voice instructions to turn connected household switches on/off.
For the Entertainer
Friends and family can now entertain you with a simplified remote control for nearly every electronic they own. The Logitech Harmony Elite universal remote control connects each home entertainment and home control device in the household. This gadget can connects everything from the thermostat to OTT devices to speakers to game consoles, and it enables you to turn your phone into a universal remote with its mobile app. This device is perfect for that person in your life who can’t change the channel because “the remote control is too far away.”
Do you have any other special IoT objects on your wish list? Share your ideas with us on our Facebook or Twitter!