10 Smart Home Myths Exposed – Part #1 of 2

Home automation has been around for years, and smart homes are quickly becoming ubiquitous.  With the level of comfort that they offer, along with the arrival of high-speed internet, their popularity is not surprising.  We’re living in the future now, and the advent of smart home technology is one of the many developments propelling us forward.

Unfortunately, since smart home technology is still new territory, many of you may be confused about what it is and why it exists.  You may be reluctant to have anything “smart” in your home.  And you may be wondering about the many myths that are circulating regarding smart homes.  If you are still wondering whether adopting a smart lifestyle is the way to go, we are here to convince you that it is.  In this article and the next, we will attempt to dispel some of the common myths that surround smart home products so that you can make your best decision:

  1. Smart home technology is just a gimmick.
  2. Smart home set up requires technical knowledge.
  3. There’s no privacy in a smart home.
  4. Smart homes are easily hacked.
  5. Smart homes are too complicated to operate.
  6. All smart devices are compatible.
  7. Home automation is too expensive.  
  8. Smart home devices are not reliable.
  9. Smart homes consume a lot of energy.
  10.  Creating a connected home isn’t a worthwhile investment.

This post will cover myths #1-5, and our next post will discuss myths #6-10.

Myth #1: Smart Home Technology Is Just a Gimmick – Any time there’s a buzz around new technology, it pays to be skeptical.  It’s good to be a little cautious because some many new trends never actually amount to anything.  But to put things in perspective, the Smart Home Market was valued at $64.60 billion in 2019 and is expected to reach $246.42 billion by 2025.  So, the continued massive growth and popularity of smart home technology is undeniable.  In addition, building a smart home will make your life significantly more convenient and efficient.

Myth #2: Smart Home Set Up Requires Technical Knowledge – A common myth is that you have to have technical knowledge to set up smart home devices.  Thinking that it’s too complicated prevents some of us from benefitting from the new technology.  However, most smart products are not that difficult to install.  The vast majority of smart devices are wireless and have plug-and-play simplicity.  All you’ll need to do is either download an app to your smartphone and follow the on-screen instructions, or add a smart speaker like the Echo Dot (3rd Gen, 2018 release) into the mix.  Please note: Certain smart home products may involve some technical proficiency.  For example, smart thermostats need to be hooked up to your climate control system.  In this case, you may want to hire a professional.

Myth #3: There’s No Privacy in a Smart Home – You may be concerned about giving up your privacy in a connected home, and you do have reason to be concerned.  Over the past few years, several major security breaches involving compromised data have made it clear that you need to take precautions.  However, you can still enjoy the luxury of a smart home without compromising on privacy.  Just because some smart home products can violate privacy, that doesn’t mean that all of them do.  If you are worried, avoid anything that has a camera or microphone.  And if you do choose to install a smart device with Alexa like the Echo Show 8 (1st Gen, 2019 release), you should know that there are Alexa Privacy Settings built in.  These settings allow you to view, hear and delete your voice recordings.  You can also delete your third-party smart home device status history at any time.  As with all aspects of home automation, if you plan carefully, there’s really no reason not to feel totally safe in your smart home.

Myth #4: Smart Homes Are Easily Hacked – It makes sense that every connected device is an additional avenue into your home for hackers.  But the weak point of your home is probably not your smart speaker, smart hub or smart outlet.  The weakest point is probably your wi-fi router.  So, to best secure your smart home, we recommend starting with a router that has commercial grade security and the latest Wi-Fi 6 technology, such as the Asus RT-AX88U.  Next, we recommend securing your wi-fi network, because the key to any secure smart home is a secure network.  First, you should change your wi-fi network name and secure it with a strong password.  You will need to make sure your individual device accounts have passwords that are also hard to guess.  You should enable two-factor authentication on the services that support it.  Finally, you need to make sure your product software is always up-to-date.

Myth #5: Smart Homes Are Too Complicated to Operate – Are they?  Just think about it for a minute.  Smart home technology is all about making your life easier, because having a smart home means automating many if not most tasks required in your home.  And you choose how to control everything, whether it’s through keypads, touchpads or even voice commands. For example, you won’t need to get up to make coffee in the morning.  You can just use your Atomi Smart WiFi Coffee Maker to brew coffee by phone from your bedroom or anywhere.  And at bedtime, you can turn off the lights and thermostat downstairs by just asking Alexa on the all-new Echo Dot (4th Gen, 2020 release).  Don’t let common misconceptions keep you from enjoying the benefits of smart home automation!

Be sure to look out for our next article coming soon, “10 Smart Home Myths Exposed – Part #2 of 2.”

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1 Comment

  1. CJ on June 23, 2021 at 1:30 pm

    I appreciate your very informative Blog posts…Can’t wait for part 2 of 10 myths
    Thank you…CJ

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