In spite of the (rightfully) harsh critics it received, Home Alone 4 definitely impressed some kids – and adults alike – with its high-tech home. After the movie’s release, there wasn’t a kid around who didn’t wish he could draw the curtains or turn on the light by speaking into a tiny remote.
Apparently, Samsung – and a little bit of cash – is here to make that dream come true. After announcing the US rollout of its new SmartThings hub, your home can now easily become a smart connected house. Customers should expect the product to reach the UK shelves in a few days as well.
Samsung’s Internet of Things system has at its core the platform called SmartThings, allowing users to connect it to the smart devices that are compatible with the platform, creating just one central hub that’s easy to control.
According to the presentation, the company has improved the new hub with a higher-power processor that comes with a battery back-up. The system allows customers to video-monitor their house, connect to smoke and fire sensors, warn them of floods and leaks (remember Home Alone 4?) and, obviously, video security.
In other words, the SmartThings hub has just made it a whole lot easier for you to sit back and have eyes on anything that moves – inside and outside your house – even if you’re not at home. Watching video streams from your house is possible, but Samsung says the system will only record in case of an unexpected event, such as a door opening.
Even though the company has plenty of gaining from customers being interested in the Internet of Things, Samsung insists that the driving force behind the platform is simply the needs and desires of their users. According to the Korean company, the SmartThings platform might serve as the start of a new connected world.
And that’s exactly what Alex Hawkinson, the SmartThings founder, has in mind for his pet project. As he explained at the IFA press conference, Samsung is trying to change the mentality we have on smart devices.
Even though people are starting to embrace technology in their homes – think of Internet-connected thermostats and security cameras – Samsung believes people’s expectations will surpass any technology that could be invented. IoT’s purpose it not to become high-tech, they say; it’s blend into our lives by creating “smarter cities, smarter nations and eventually a smarter world.”
Image Source: CNET
Joe Hennessey
