This April witnessed celebrations of milestones in the home tech arena, as well as moments of looking back and forward. The pandemic that has shaped our lives for the past year is beginning to wane, but a heightened attention to health continues to be present in our minds; home automation companies are updating products and altering practices to meet this continued need.
Google Nest Hub 2
Google released its second-generation Nest Hub. This version of their home command center introduces intriguing new features. The original Nest Hub focused on voice control, but now, with Quick Gestures, users can complete a wide variety of functions by simply moving their hand. As with voice control, touchless hand control has the benefit of cutting down the need to touch surfaces; in a kitchen, where hands may be messy, or an entryway, where the spread of germs might be higher, this feature proves incredibly convenient.
Quick Gestures isn’t the only aspect of the Nest Hub that could help improve health, though. The new service Sleep Sensing tracks nighttime motion and noise to provide a comprehensive sleep summary. Sleep Sensing is non-intrusive, requiring no monitoring devices to be worn and no camera. In addition to showing a complete sleep overview, the Nest Hub makes suggestions for improving sleep, which is key to overall good health. The second-generation Nest Hub addresses the demands of its users in innovative and practical ways.
Achieving a Tom Brady-Inspired Home Routine
Google aims at improving health through home tech, but can a connected home do more? Can it make you more like the GOAT, Tom Brady? He made headlines earlier this year by not only winning his seventh Super Bowl, but by being the oldest starting quarterback ever to have done so. More recently, he’s opened up about some of the secrets to his success. Key to keeping himself in top physical condition is a strict schedule when it comes to sleeping, eating, and exercising.
Mere mortals might think they can’t achieve Brady’s rigorous routine without his superhuman willpower, but with a connected home, it is (just) possible. Want to wake at 6 every morning? Set your lights to gradually turn on starting at 5:55 to ease you into the day. Trouble getting that workout in? Have your home start a workout playlist in your home gym. Need encouragement to get to bed by 9? Have the thermostat turn the bedroom to a cool 65 degrees, a perfect temp for a good night’s sleep, according to Brady. Advancements in AI and learning technology mean that once the system knows your preferences, you don’t have to do anything else. Of course, a connected home may not turn the average person into a football legend, but it can take some of the work out of keeping a healthy routine.
The Premier Theater of 2021: The One in Your Home!
This month Disney announced movie release dates for the remainder of 2021 and the news should please home theater owners. Available streaming on Disney+ the same day as theatrical release are Marvel Studios’ newest addition to the Avengers franchise “Black Widow,” and Disney’s live-action take on a classic animated villain, “Cruella.” Disney and Pixar’s film “Luca” will release directly to streaming this summer.
At a time when many entertainment companies are planning a return to something resembling pre-pandemic norms, Disney’s decision may seem out of pace. But this is in alignment with several other studios on this issue. As we’ve previously reported, both Universal and Warner Bros. have initiated either greatly sped up or same-day releases to streaming services. This new practice becoming standard, coupled with the ever-improving technology for home theater components, means that the best place to watch new movies can easily be your own home.
Lutron Black Diamond Dealer Certification
Acoustic Architects earned a 2020 Black Diamond Dealer certification from Lutron. Innovators in the world of tech-savvy lighting control, Lutron’s Black Diamond status is the highest the company offers and signifies the recipients are exceptionally qualified to install and service their products; this is the third consecutive year Acoustic Architects has achieved this. They are the only provider to achieve this certification in Miami and specialize in every aspect of Lutron’s residential line, from stand-alone and single-room controls to shading systems and fixture solutions.
Josh.ai’s 6th anniversary
AI voice-controlled home automation system company Josh.ai recently celebrated its six-year anniversary. To commemorate the occasion, they released a limited edition Cobalt Blue Micro. The Micro may be small (only 1.7 by 3.9 inches and weighing less than half a pound), but it provides impressively powerful state-of-the-art voice control. Its AI capabilities and seamless integration with such home automation companies as Crestron, Lutron, and Sonos make it the smartest small addition to any connected home.
Tech news this month saw the rollout of exciting new additions to home automation and developments that portend positive trends for the future.
Responsive Living, the term coined by Acoustic Architects founders, Aaron Flint and Spencer Hauldren, is the concept of seamlessly enhancing the client’s unique lifestyle using smart home technology. Responsive Living allows you to interact with your space via touch input, voice command, and predictive automation, placing you in full control of your home.
If you would like to learn more about integrating new systems into your smart home system, feel free to connect with us. We will be happy to schedule a demo with you.
For more information, visit acousticarchitects.net.
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