Tech Tips: Handy Little Smart Plugs
Headline of the actual article which appeared in the Sheridan County Journal Star on November 20, 2024.
Like many people, we have several Amazon Echo Dots sitting around our house waiting patiently to wake us up, ask her for that day’s forecast, or tell her to play Cody Johnson or Taylor Swift - depending on who is doing the asking.
So Many Options
Even if your preferred smart home platform is not Alexa, but rather Google Home, Samsung SmartThings, or Apple Home, there is a compatible smart plug and you’re missing out if you’re not using it.
What Have You Done for Me Lately?
Why do you need one more “smart” thing? You need it for the convenience. You know that lamp you decided would look great in that hard to reach corner of your living room? Your smart plug can turn it on for you with just a voice command or the touch of your phone screen.
Or maybe you’d like to turn on some lights when you’re not home? Or start your crockpot before you get there? Perhaps warm up your heated blanket before you jump into that freezing cold bed? Or turn on your nighttime fan you’ll need to sleep with but forgot to start before climbing in?
This is the beauty of a smart plug.
You don’t have to have an Amazon Echo Dot to make smart plugs work either. According to a Popular Mechanics article titled “The 7 Best Smart Plugs,” there’s a plug called TP-Link Tapo Smart Plug that is compatible with all the smart home platforms OR you can just use their free app to run it. Current prices have it listed right around $11.
And, if you have several things you want turned on at the same time, there’s even a smart plug power strip available. Think of the possibilities!
Don’t Miss the Deals
As Christmas trees begin to show up in homes across the area, imagine using your smart plug to turn the lights on and later off. There’s no better time of year to get started with these handy little things. And if you’ve already spent the majority of your hard earned cash on Christmas presents for other people, I happen to know that many of the plugs will drop in price on Black Friday. Happy shopping!