Blog Memories: My Home is Now More Useful, Interactive and Connected
I hope you're all enjoying the start of this holiday season. If you're busy shopping and still have friends and family to check off your list, consider getting gifts for the home that make it safer and more interactive. Here's a blog I originally posted last summer on installing Google Nest products in my home - any one of them would make a great holiday present. Enjoy.
As many of you know, I am very interested in technology - I always enjoy testing new gadgets and learning about new applications and features.
I am also very interested in "smart" homes - homes equipped with the proper electronic devices that can be controlled remotely by phone or computer. Recently, with the help of Google Nest and ARS/Rescue Rooter, I was able to “smarten up” all three of my residences - my Bedford, New York farm, Lily Pond in East Hampton, and Skylands, my beloved home in Seal Harbor, Maine. Now, with the use of a single app, I can change the temperature in a greenhouse, check on my dogs, cats, chickens, peafowl, and horses, and see who is delivering what package to my front door. I can also be alerted to anything that may be amiss on the property - it’s an easy and efficient way to stay connected to my homes at all times from anywhere in the world.
Enjoy these photos and please visit the Google Nest blog for tips on how I like to use my new Google Nest products - just click anywhere on this highlighted link. And click on this link to visit the ARS/Rescue Rooter web site for a fun video of the set-up at my farm.
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- Cantitoe Corners, my Bedford farm, is large with many outbuildings, paddocks, and gardens. It is very important that my home is well connected, so it remains safe for me, my family, and all my animals.
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- Not long ago, the teams from Google Nest and ARS/Rescue Rooter came to my farm to outfit it with all the necessary products that would allow me to run it efficiently from anywhere. Here I am with Peter Simpson, Director of Digital Marketing at ARS/Rescue Rooter, looking at the Google Nest Cam Outdoor.
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- These small, weatherproof cameras help look after the home 24-hours a day, seven days a week. It has an all-glass lens that provides true 1080p HD image quality day and night.
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- This is my chicken yard. I was glad to be able to set up a camera in this area, so I could know my chickens and geese are all safe and in their enclosures.
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- Look at the clarity of the camera’s lens. Google Nest Cam Outdoor provides a 130-degree wide-angle view to show as much as possible. And, with high-definition and an 8x zoom, many details can be seen.
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- Peter showed me how to access the video feed from a tablet – it’s so easy. Read more about how I use the cameras to watch my dear pets on the Google blog, “The Keyword,” using the link above.
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- The camera can also be used to watch over the plants in my greenhouse. This is useful for checking windows, lights, and fans at any given time.
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- The Nest Cam Indoor security camera is designed to help look after the home, especially when the owner is away. It is equipped with 24/7 live streaming, a versatile magnetic stand, and alerts using Nest Aware and an app. It also has a built-in speaker and mic.
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- Here we are on another day looking at some of the video feeds. All the devices are connected and accessed through the app on a computer or tablet. The cameras provide video history — not just clips — to see what may have been missed.
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- This is the Google Nest Protect smoke detector. It has a Split-Spectrum Sensor that tests itself automatically and lasts up to a decade. It is also the first home alarm that can be hushed from a phone. And it says what’s wrong and where.
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- ARS/Rescue Rooter is a network of professional technicians and home advisors. Here are three of the technicians – Bobby Rodgers, Thomas Regan, and William Kaminski. I had Google Nest Protect smoke detectors installed in every home and outbuilding.
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- Just like many homes, my kitchen is the main hub. This is where I cook, eat, hold meetings, and work on my computer. This Google Nest Hub Max allows me to leave messages, check video feeds and ask all sorts of questions, such as the weather in New York or anywhere in the world.
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- Here, Peter and I use the Google Nest Hub to pull up photos from my trip to Africa. We also pulled up some of my videos with my friend, Snoop Dogg.
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- For anyone who is limited on space, this is the Google Home Mini – a smart speaker with the Google Assistant built-in. This unit comes in a variety of colors.
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- This is the latest Google Nest Learning Thermostat. It has new rings and a big, sharp display that automatically lights up when someone is near. It adapts as the seasons change and programs itself after a few days of regular use. I can adjust the temperature remotely from anywhere and because it saves information, it shows how energy is used every day in Energy History and every month in the Home Report.
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- These thermostats are available in white, brass, stainless steel, black, and copper. I am able to choose a different color theme for each home.
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- The ARS/Rescue Rooter team also installed all the thermostats around the farm.
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- These thermostats are so easy to install. Just replace the old units on the wall – all the necessary mounting hardware is included.
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- And once it is in place, it can be set-up in minutes. For this thermostat, we used a backplate to keep it stable – this is great for textured or grooved surfaces.
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- Here I am with Peter in front of one of my new Google Nest Learning Thermostats. Thanks, Peter, ARS/Rescue Rooter, and Google for all the help in getting my home connected. And please click on the links above to learn more about these useful devices.
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