Last week I went to #Verizon Summer Smart Home Event to learn about smart home and city solutions. The wave of the future NOW is a #smartcity!
There are so many many amazing options for your smart home, but it goes WAY beyond just our homes. We are talking smart cities. What is a smart city? Cities are able to collect data from apps and devices to improve communities.
The city of tomorrow is a city of information. Smart cities are greener, safer, faster and friendlier. For more than a decade, Verizon has been helping to transform cities into smarter cities. They are helping cut costs and increase efficiency.
For example, smart street lights reduce energy costs, smarter buildings include advanced elevator systems, more security monitoring, emergency response applications and so much more.
Think smart city, smart car, smart campus, even smart bus stops with wifi and charging stations. Our world is changing and we need to stay on board. With Verizon’s all LTE 4G network, we know we are in good hands.
In fact, Verizon makes sure we are covered during big events so we have continued service. They roll out “cows” for special events like Kaboomtown? COWS=Cell on Wheels! They are also there for emergency preparedness.
Now let’s talk about how we keep our homes smart to keep up with smart cities.
Verizon carries a ton of smart products online and at your local Verizon store.
Here are some of my favorites:
Canary (Retail $249)
Canary is the answer to home safety. Canary is a complete home security system packed into a single device. It adapts to your home over time, and sends intelligent notifications with HD video directly to your smartphone. That way, you’re never surprised when you walk through the door. Canary shows you if everything’s safe before you, your family, or your roommates open the front door.
NetCam HD Wi-Fi Camera with Night Vision (Retail $129.99)
Not only does the Belkin NetCam HD allow you to keep tabs on kids or pets from your smartphone or tablet–it also allows you to see all the action in 720p HD video. Ideal for anyone who has kids, pets, or grandparents at home, the camera captures smooth video and crisp digital audio that makes you feel like you’re right there with them. You can watch and hear all the fun on your mobile device, wherever you go.
JBL Pulse (Retail $149.99)
This is so cool! Taking dance parties to a new level and perfect for pool party fun! The JBL Pulse is a compact wireless Bluetooth speaker that delivers good sound for its size and distinguishes itself with an integrated light show with preprogrammed and customizable themes. The built-in rechargeable battery offers 10 hours of battery for sound only and 5 hours with the light show in effect.
WeMo Switch (Retail $59.99)
Left your curling iron on? Want lights on at home while you’re out at night? Do it from your phone! Control any electronic device with an ON/OFF switch from your smartphone or tablet. Turn devices on or off or set a customized schedule from anywhere with Wi-Fi, 3G or 4G access. Your home Wi-Fi network provides wireless control of your devices Control your TVs, lamps, fans and more. Set schedules and receive notifications Get notified when your laundry is finished or find out when your child has exceeded their TV limit so you can turn it off.
Tagg Pet Tracker (Retail $99.88)
Fido can’t get lost any more with Tagg pet tracker. Tagg GPS Plus is a location tracking device that attaches to your dog’s collar so you can keep track of them wherever they go.
iGrill (Retail $79.98)
Knowing exactly when to take your meat off the grill has never been easier. Just insert the iGrill probe into the meat you’d like to track, let the free app know what you’re tracking and leave your iGrill by the side of the grill (or smoker). Now you can get back to your guests, go inside and watch the game or work on other dishes. Keep a close watch on the temperature progression of your meat right from your smart device and receive an alert once your food is ready to enjoy.
Bose SoundLink Mini Bluetooth Speaker II – Carbon (Retail $199.99)
Never leave home without it! Think baseball games, pool parties, boating! AMAZING SOUND! It delivers full, natural sound from an ultra-compact speaker that fits in the palm of your hand. New for 2015, the Bose® SoundLink® Mini Bluetooth® speaker II is speakerphone-enabled for easy hands-free communications and has a Micro USB charging port that charges with most USB power sources for added convenience. The Bose® SoundLink® Mini Bluetooth® speaker II also lets you simultaneously connect via Bluetooth wireless to up to two Bluetooth-enabled devices, such as your smartphone and tablet or other Bluetooth devices.
Finally if you aren’t a Verizon customer, right now you can get 10GB of data for just $80 a month. Great for on the go families during the summer! Or get a $100 bill credit for every smartphone line you bring to Verizon.
Thanks to Audrey and team at Verizon for showing all of us why being “smart” is the only way to go!
