Do you long to listen to your favorite CD from anywhere in your house? To set up a wireless network so you can access the Internet in any room? To install an iron-clad security system? To fire up the coffee pot while you’re still asleep and wake up with automated lighting? Smart home technology can help you do just that! Smart Homes For Dummies, Third Edition, shows you how easy it can be to create and live in a cutting-edge, fully connected home—without breaking your bank account. With this user-friendly guide, you’ll discover all the latest trends and gadgets in home networking, automation, and control that will help you make life more enjoyable and comfortable for your entire family. We help you plan for things such as flat-screen TVs, intercom systems, whole-home audio systems, gaming consoles, and satellite systems. We talk about your wiring (and wireless) options and introduce you to the latest technologies, such as VoIP and Bluetooth. You’ll see how to: Build your home network on a budget Turn your home into an entertainment center Access the Internet from any room Get VoIP on your phone network Boost in-home wireless and cell phone signals Connect your computer to your TV Secure your home and property Increase your home’s resale value Avoid common networking pitfalls And much, much more Complete with a resource list for more information and neat toys of the future, Smart Homes For Dummies is your plain-English, twenty-first century guide to a fully wired home!

Ready to control you house with your smartphone or tablet? Spivey shows you how to control thermostats, home security systems, and much more! Best of all, with these plain-English instructions, you can do it yourself!

A Linux smart home is about controlling and monitoring devices and information around your home using a standard personal computer, Linux, and its vast array of open source tools. You don’t have to be a master programmer to create one. If you like to tinker with Linux, Linux Smart Homes For Dummies will guide you through cool home automation projects that are as much fun to work on as they are to use. Home automation used to be limited to turning on lights and appliances, and maybe controlling your thermostat and lawn sprinkler, from your computer. While you still might not be able to create all the Jetsons’ toys, today you can also Build a wireless network Create and set up a weather station Automate your TV and sound system Spy on your pets when you’re not home Set up an answering system that knows what to do with calls Increase your home’s security If you know how to use Linux and a few basic development tools — Perl, the BASH shell, development libraries, and the GNU C compiler—Linux Smart Homes For Dummies will help you do all these tricks and more. For example, you can Discover the best sources for Linux-based home automation devices Set up a wireless network, create a wireless access point, build a bridge between wired and wireless networks, and route your own network traffic Build a personal video recorder with MythTV that will record to DVD, or set up a wireless streaming music system Create a smart phone system that takes messages and forwards them to your fax, modem, or answering machine Build a weather station that notifies you of severe weather alerts Control and secure your home automation network, and even check on your house when you’re away The bonus CD-ROM includes all kinds of cool open source software for your home automation projects. Linux Smart Homes For Dummies even includes lists of cool gadgets to check out and great ways to automate those boring household chores. A smart home’s a happy home!

Do you want to make your home smart, but aren't sure where to begin? Are you worried about hackers taking control of your smart devices? Do you want to make a smart home that keeps your family entertained, comfortable, and safe?When you are done reading the Smart Home Manual you'll know:What a smart home is and what it can do for youHow much smart homes costHow to get started building your smart home from scratchHow to pick the right smart home devicesHow to plan for the future of the smart homeHow to secure your smart homeAfter reading this book, you'll be equipped with all the tools and information you need to plan, design, and implement the smart home you've always wanted.

Using clear and accessible language this book examines the growing field of ‘smart technology’ for the home. The author first introduces the field before exploring the various background issues, including how the home differs from other environments. He then shows how these background issues affect the design and usability of these technologies. A detailed case study looks at the use of handheld and wearable digital technology in sheltered housing. The last section examines what it is like to live in a smart home and why they have so far failed to reach the levels of success originally predicted. Invaluable reading for anybody interested in designing smart technologies for the home.

Over the past 100 years, the home has been a battleground for ideas of future living. Fueled by the electrification of cities, the move from the country to cities, post-war recovery and the development of the internet, the way we live at home (alone or with others) has changed beyond recognition. Science fiction writing, the entertainment industry, art, and modern interior design and architecture movements have also contributed to defining our aspirations around a future and now more present and possible ‘smart’ home. From the decade-old smart fridge that tells you if you have run out of milk to smart speakers that let you shop hands-free, some visions of the ‘smart’ home are yet to excite us while others are becoming a reality and will shape how we will live at home very soon. This book breaks down the historical, societal and political context for the changes in focus of that ‘smartness’ from affordability, efficiency, convenience to recently experimentation. These key points in time include: The development and marketing of electrical appliances in early 20th century War-time design the impact of military ergonomics Modernist interior design and building practices of the 1920s The space race and new materials of the post-war era Compact urban living in the 1960s & 70s Connected home entertainment in the 1980s-90s Phones and mobility in the 90s Smart energy & utilities in the early 2000s The internet-connected fridge in 2000 Remote care in a global world economy The sharing economy and new ways to shop at home Invisible ‘smart’ design in the home The second half of the book breaks down what current developments tell us about what our homes will look like in the next 10 years through the lens of spaces, services, appliances and behaviours in our homes. What You'll Learn Understand the historical context for current ‘smart home’ products Understand the social context of home product development Understand what in home technologies are being developed Understand what products are currently available Understand what behaviours are being constantly leveraged Understand how this may affect longer term market trends for consumer products Many new and innovative products are being developed in the consumer and industrial spaces with a copy-paste mindset based on following larger businesses such as Amazon, Google and Apple. Many opportunities in the homespace however will come from understanding the history and multiple players that have contributed to the development of the home in general. For everyone working in product design and development, in R&D or in trends research as well as for everyone interested in the IoT for the home, this book will be a valuable resource and an enjoyable read. This book will give product business owners ideas about what has been done before and and avenues for future development.

Technology is playing an increasingly more important part in our homes as well as our day to day lives. Get this simple to read guide to be introduced to structured wiring and smarthome concepts. It will not only take you through the requirements necessary to implement these upgrades but also provide a long list of inspirational and useful ideas to help make your smarthome upgrade not only a reality but fun! Through the chapters of this book we cover the various topics and components which will provide an insight into upgrading your home and making it smart. Considering a renovation or a new build? Then look no further, as this will detail the basics of home cinema, whole house audio and video systems, security with remote monitoring, energy efficiency and how best to set up your data network, all wrapped up in an easy to read format, with easily laid out diagrams and a glossary of terms and links at the end to further your quest. Consider how long people spend deciding what flooring to lay down or what tiles to place in the kitchen or bathroom. Now consider how long people spend on what type of cabling will allow them to have that cool minimalist look in their renovation! Those hidden wires, the intelligent lighting, the surround sound, the energy efficient heating. Read this book before speaking to your electrician or installer. Save yourself time and money by being prepared.

You deserve a home that meets your specific needs and desires! If you find yourself dreaming of the perfect patio, the ideal kitchen, and inviting rooms where you love to spend time, it might just be time to start building! With Building Your Custom Home For Dummies, you won’t have to feel intimidated as you plan, finance, and oversee construction on your new oasis. You’ll learn what it takes to build a custom home, including which pros to call and when. This updated edition also covers the latest in real estate and home construction trends, including smart homes, green building, and banking options. It's more important than ever to live in a home that’s truly how you want it, truly your own. Now is the perfect time to get started—if you’re still in the dreaming stage, this book will help you identify your style and articulate your vision. If you’re further along in the process, you’ll benefit from checklists and pointers on reviewing architects’ plans, evaluating contractor bids, flipping the home you build, and more. The latest guidance on building a beautiful home on any budget New ideas for high-tech homes with low carbon footprints Step-by-step instructions for securing financing, hiring architects, and finding reliable contractors Advice on how to invest your home-building budget wisely and plan for the future Building Your Custom Home For Dummies takes you from finding the perfect homesite through laying the foundation to framing and finishing—in the friendly Dummies style you can trust.

Starting immediately with "The Stuff They Don't Tell You," the Smart Smart Home Handbook is a book designed to save its readers time and money, while still opening the possibilities of smart tech (from lighting to robot lawnmowers). It does this by explaining a little about the underlying technologies in human terms, before moving on to look them one by one. The book also shares some experiences of families who have installed tech you might be considering, helping you ask - and answer - questions that won't be in the glossy promotional videos (from "How good is Alexa with accents?" to "How will your spouse feel if she needs her phone to turn the lights on?"). On the other hand, it will also introduce you to exciting possibilities you may not have thought of, from lighting that matches the TV screen to create a movie effect, to methods to let the delivery guy in from your desk at the office. Find out how to create programs and sequences. Finally the book will address the digital security concerns which retailers never do, and show you the best ways to ensure that you get all the advantages of smart home tech, with none of the risks of hackers.

Smart Homes in easy steps shows you how to start to take advantage of the current smart technology that is beginning to revolutionise the way in which we run our homes! The idea of a smart home – using digital devices throughout the home that can be controlled by digital voice assistants, apps, smartphones and tablets – is not a science fiction vision of the future: it is very much part of the here and now, and available to all. Also known as the Internet of Things (IoT), smart home devices can be used to automate tasks, save time and money, and to control devices in your home with a touch of a button – even when you are somewhere else. Smart Homes in easy steps takes the mystery out of all of the elements that are required to set up a smart home: it defines a smart home and shows what is needed to make a home smart: digital voice assistants, devices and apps. Initially, the book looks at the concept of a smart home and how it is now affordable and accessible enough for it to be a serious option for any household. Then, setting up items for a smart home is covered in detail – installing the devices, and also linking them to apps and digital voice assistants for controlling them. The book then examines the digital voice assistants that can be used in the home to control smart home devices, including detailed information about using the most popular options (and their related speakers): Alexa and the Amazon Echo; Google Assistant and the Google Home; and Siri and the Apple HomePod. The book then looks at specific areas of smart home devices, including installation and setup, and how to control them once they are up and running. Some of the areas that are covered in detail include: Smart lighting Smart heating Smart security systems Smart home cameras Smart locks Smart plugs Illustrated using Amazon Echo and Alexa; Google Assistant and Google Home; Apple HomePod and the Home app; and Nest. Smart Homes in easy steps is not a look into the future: it is a comprehensive yet concise, step-by-step guide on how to start transforming your home right now, using this exciting and now affordable technology – for smart learning! Contents: 1. About Smart Homes 2. About Digital Voice Assistants 3. Alexa and the Amazon Echo 4. Google Assistant and Google Home 5. HomePod and the Home app 6. Using Smart Devices 7. Smart Lighting 8. Smart Heating 9. Smart Security 10. More Smart Home Options 11. Looking Forward