4 Unusual Smart Home Automations I Can’t Live Without
You can have a house full of the best smart home devices, but if you’re not taking advantage of automation, you’re missing out on a lot of what they can do.
Google and Amazon have built in the ability to create automations, or “Alexa Routines,” as Amazon calls them, within the Alexa or Google Home app. The apps also offer pre-made automations to help you get started.
Sometimes the best approach to creating a Google Automation or Alexa Routine is to keep it simple. For example, you might want to turn on the lights at specific times of the day, but other times you need something a little more complex or specific.
I’ve rounded up four of the most unique, yet not-too-complicated, smart home automations that can make your life easier or maybe even give you an idea that will lead to the automation of your dreams.
Automate your home the way you want
Amazon and Google have done a good job of expanding the automation within each ecosystem’s app, but for certain tasks you’ll need outside help. Of the automations I’ll list below, some can be done entirely within Alexa or Google Home, while others require help from an external service. I use IFTTT.
IFTTT, or If This Then That, is a platform that connects brands and platforms like Facebook, Google Assistant, Philips Hue, Govee, and a thousand more. This powerful functionality allows you to create custom automations that wouldn’t be possible otherwise.
A handy IFTTT feature uses AI to help you create custom automations. Instead of building each step in the automation process, you can simply tell it what you want to happen and the IFTTT AI feature will build the applet—that’s what IFTTT calls automations—for you. You can then customize steps as needed.
Prepare for bad weather
One of my favorite automations is getting a notification on my phone an hour before bad weather is forecast. To take it even further, I have my Govee floor lights turn blue when the notification goes out. It’s a simple automation that’s proven useful in ensuring I don’t leave anything outside that could get damaged by rain during an unexpected shower.
How I built it
I was able to ask the IFTTT AI function to create this automation for me. I simply said, “text me and turn my floor lamp blue if it’s going to rain in an hour.” It only took a few seconds, but once it was done, I was able to review each step and verify that it was correct. Below is a screenshot of what it looks like.
IFTTT is a powerful tool that lets you create many different types of automations that work with virtually any service you want.
Limit musical repetition
This automation is especially useful for anyone with kids who become obsessed with a song, have to listen to it repeatedly, and have figured out how to make a smart speaker obey them. With this mind-saving automation, you can make that smart speaker the bad guy instead of you and program it to skip the song before it even starts.
The genius of this automation is its simplicity. You tell the voice assistant that when a request is made for a song like, say, “Baby Shark,” the assistant will take action and the automation will overwrite the request.
How I built it
Building this automation is done in either the Google Home or Alexa app, depending on your smart home setup. The process is pretty much the same for both. I’ll post screenshots below so you can see what it looks like in each app.
1Add a custom automation/routine.
2Choose your voice as a starter or trigger.
3. Type or say the phrase you want the voice assistant to listen to.
4. Save and then select the action you want the automation to perform after the trigger.
5. To elect Announcement and type or say a custom phrase for the speaker to say.
6. Save the automation.
Sometimes it can be ruined when you hear a song 100 times in a row. But with smart home automation, you can prevent yourself from getting stressed out.
Raise the alert level
It’s common to set an alarm on your smart speaker, whether you set it to wake you up in the morning or to keep you entertained throughout the day. For some, a standard alarm just isn’t enough to get them out of bed. By harnessing the power of automation, you can activate all the bells and whistles you want to wake you up and get you going.
I set an alarm for 6am, along with an automation that turns the lights in the bedroom to 100% and plays “It’s A Beautiful Morning” by The Rascals at 75% volume through the speaker in my room.
How I built it
I created this automation entirely within the Google or Amazon platform app. The steps and actions will vary depending on you and your smart home setup, as well as your music preferences.
A simple alarm is not always enough. Therefore, the problem is solved by enabling an automation that can trigger multiple actions at once.
Playtime mood
With Alexa Sports, you can build automations around your favorite team’s kickoff, end, and/or halftime. You can have Alexa send you a notification and turn on your TV. You can take it even further by setting the TV volume to a specific level and launching the app you’re using to watch sports.
I have mine set up so that Alexa reads a custom phrase and turns my Govee floor lamp red. It’s not an overly complex automation, but it’s fun and adds to the gameday atmosphere.
How I built it
With smart home automation, you can make the gaming experience even more exciting and immersive.
These examples just scratch the surface of what’s possible within Amazon Alexa and Google Home smart home devices when you leverage automations. Add in third-party curation services like IFTTT and you open the door to an even more rewarding smart home experience.
It’s not always about the complexity of automation, it’s about achieving the desired results you want from your products and services. Making your smart home do exactly what you want is a very rewarding experience, and automation is the key.
