The connected home has long been a topic of discussion among consumer electronics circles, as homeowners look to manage the influx of WiFi-enabled and smart devices that have launched in the marketplace. These devices offer automated and remote-access control over household equipment ranging from locks, alarms, and thermostats to full-scale major appliances. Yet these consumers often find that the plethora of devices create more of a “disconnected home” than a connected one, as a they require a multiplicity of apps to be negotiated via cell phone. Home owners are demanding these devices be simple to install, plug-and-play solutions—otherwise, their complexity makes them prohibitive.
But the “smart home” universe and respective manufacturers are finally adapting. D&H Distributing, the leading North American computer products and consumer electronics distributor, is encouraging its retailers, dealers, and etailers to help consumers manage these devices by selling bundled solutions that work with emerging smart home hubs, including Amazon’s popular Echo and its Alexa voice-activated home assistant platform. Platforms such as Echo seek to integrate an ecosystem of devices through a single vendor-based paradigm. The market has been responding with better ways to manage these products, creating more streamlined ways for homeowners to command their WiFi-enabled equipment.
In addition to home hubs, “Mesh” computing technologies have been launched that help distribute Wi-Fi throughout a home, balancing bandwidth with pod-like antennas that can be mounted in different areas of the house. These systems reduce connectivity “dead spots” so a smart home platform can perform more seamlessly. Examples of mesh computing products from D&H include the Linksys VELOP Whole Home Mesh WiFi solution; the NETGEAR Orbi home WiFi system; and the Amped Wireless ALLY Whole Home Smart WiFi system.
Amazon’s Alexa continues to accumulate a list of CE manufacturers and products that can be controlled through simple voice commands. Alexa-enabled, WiFi-based lighting, alarms, home locks, surveillance, security devices, garage door openers, television remotes, and even full-scale appliances like clothes dryers and dishwashers have been developed by D&H manufacturing partners such as TP-Link, Belkin, Honeywell, Lenovo, GE, Samsung, Logitech, iHome, Philips and Neato. Other Alexa-compatible applications include smart-car devices, lawn sprinklers, televisions, “smart countertops,” routers and more.
Examples of Alexa- and WiFi-enabled devices for the home from D&H Distributing:
- TP-Link’s Smart Plugs, Power Plugs and light switches: These items plug into an existing outlet or replace a standard switch, automating control of the devices that are connected to them.
- Honeywell Smart thermostats: These Wi-Fi-enabled device can be controlled through Alexa, smartphone, tablet, or the Wink home hub system.
- Logitech Harmony Elite Universal Device Remote Control: This intuitive remote delivers integrated control of home entertainment and home automation devices including lighting, gaming systems, and individual smart TV functions like Netflix.
- Neato Botvac Connected: This high-performance, navigating, Wi-Fi-enabled robot vacuum also works via its own smartphone app.
- EZVIZ IP surveillance: These indoor and outdoor IP cameras work with Alexa, and competitively-priced wireless and Wi-Fi models and DIY kits are pending for home use.
“Distributor, retailer, and dealers serve as leaders in the industry. As such, we need to educate consumers in order to address and resolve the complexity of the connected home, making home owners aware of the newly-emerging solutions that unify the terrific array of Wi-Fi-enabled devices now on the market,” said Tim Billing, D&H’s vice president of vendor management and purchasing. “By marketing these solutions together, we’ll make it easier for homeowners to put these devices into practice in their own surroundings, finally making the concept of a true, convenient and seamless automated home technology environment a reality.”
The preceding press release was provided by a company unaffiliated with Dealerscope. The views expressed within do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of the staff of Dealerscope.
