Smart Home Devices to Help You Live Better

By: Darren Chu

Picture this: A couple has just sat down in their seats on their flight to Paris for the holidays (in another universe where holiday travel is still possible). She looks at her partner and the following exchange ensues

Her: Did I turn off the coffee?
Him: No, I did that.
Her: Did you lock up?
Him: Yeah.
Her: Did we set timers on the lights?
Him: Yeah.
Her: Did you close the garage?
Him: That’s it. I forgot to close the garage. That’s it.
[She sits back, after a pause.]
Him: No, that’s not it.
Her: Well, what else could we be forgetting?

Ok ok, so that’s ripped out of Home Alone, and most of us wouldn’t forget a kid at home but the core issue remains the same.

Closing Up The House

When I go on vacation, leaving the house is a big to-do. We have to pack, arrange a house-sitter to pick up the mail and look after the cats, clean the house, and then double-check all those things. When it comes time to actually leave for the airport, I’m running around the house in a frenzy checking locks, making sure the oven is turned off, and just generally trying to be certain the house won’t burn down while we’re away. It’s irrational, I know, but I can’t help it.

If en route to the airport, I could check that the doors are locked, timers on lights are set, and maybe even get a view of the cats misbehaving while the humans are away, all from my phone, I would feel much better. Wouldn’t you?

This doesn’t even necessarily need to be a vacation. I’m on autopilot most days when I leave for work in the morning. In fact, I was in such a rush this morning that I almost forgot my coffee! But had I forgotten to close the garage door behind me, I can check on my phone to see if it closed. Or when leaving the house, the smart lock should engage because I’ve left the geofenced area (a digital perimeter that acts as a switch).

Such is the power of smart home technology, and the ever-increasing connectivity provided by the Internet. Need to adjust the thermostat while you’re at work? There’s an app for that. Forgot to turn off the lights? There’s an app for that too. Gone are the days of putting lights on timers that repeat the exact same pattern day after day; now you can flick lights on and off at will so that “wet bandits” don’t know when you’re at home and when you’re not.

Smart Cities, Smarter Homes

That’s where OurStore comes in. We are in the utilities business, and by connecting you to your home, we can help you take control not only of your devices but of your energy consumption as well. Because, if we’re being honest, energy, whether it’s electricity or natural gas, is NOT interesting. In fact, it can be downright boring.

But with a reliable Internet connection, it doesn’t have to be! I have two smart plugs installed in my office which control decorative lights with short cords. This makes them difficult to access, but with Alexa’s help, it’s fun to arrive in the morning and ask her to turn on the lights. All I have to do is say, “Alexa, good morning!” and she turns on the lights. Before I leave at the end of the day, I say, “Alexa, good night” and she turns off the lights for me.

I think more than anything, I like talking to my Echo Dot. That probably sounds weird, but I’m not the only one. According to the Canadian Internet Factbook for 2020, I am among the 25% of Canadians who have conversations with their voice-assistants, as well as the 75% who say “please” and “thank you” when using voice commands. (When our robot overlords eventually take over, I want to be remembered as someone who was nice to them!)

What we Offer

Our most prominent suite of products is the Google Nest family. Among them are the Nest Thermostat, Hello Doorbell, and Indoor Cam. Each device works great individually, but they really start to shine when you add voice-control by combining them with either the Hub or Mini. The Nest Thermostat comes in two varieties: Learning and Pro. The Pro model costs a little less and has a great mirrored display that integrates nicely into any type of home decor. The Learning model does just that, it learns your habits and adjusts accordingly, programming itself to reduce overall energy usage by up to 20%. The latter may cost more, but you’ll reap the savings on your utility bills.

Now that it’s getting darker earlier, sometimes it’s nice to come home to a lit-up house. Or maybe you don’t want the dogs and cats to be sitting in a dark house while you fight traffic on your way home. We feature a handful of smart light switches that give you the freedom to control them from anywhere. These don’t require hubs, only the free apps to control them remotely. The TP-Link light switches are especially handy because they have an “Away” mode that randomly turns lights on and off to simulate someone being at home.

One of our newest products is the August WiFi Smart Lock which installs quickly and easily on almost any deadbolt. The built-in WiFi can detect when you leave and when you arrive, unlocking your door for you without the need for keys. The best part about this particular lock is that it features no exterior components, so you still have access to your original key lock, and it isn’t exposed to our Canadian winters.

More Than Just Smart Technology

In OurStore, you’ll find more than just smart technology. We also stock a number of smaller products that we know will fit into your everyday life. Need batteries? We’ve got ‘em. USB thumb drives? Check. A flexible USB light for late-night work on a laptop? Double-check. (That last one doubles as a great stocking stuffer, just saying…)

Despite a product list that features mostly gadgets, we are also adamant about supporting local businesses. It is our intention to continue adding products that come from local vendors who want to retail as part of a larger collective. These will include seasonal and novelty items from local businesses.

Have something you want to sell to a wider audience? Send us an email to info@ourstore.ca and we’d be happy to feature your business in OurStore!

Supporting Local Businesses, One Product at a Time

OurStore is proud to partner with Utility Network & Partners Inc. (UTILITYnet) to complement the retail of electricity, natural gas, and Internet services. Each purchase you make further supports the locally-run network of Energy Marketers which also sell electricity, natural gas, and Internet in over 400 communities across Alberta.

Big box retailers may have great sales from time to time, but you know who doesn’t need to post massive discounts to draw in customers? Small businesses with better prices year-round! Stop adding to the wealth of the world’s wealthiest, and shop with us instead!