The 2016 Summer Olympics are under way, and despite some controversy – including green pools – (and some horrific injuries), the games are carrying on and giving us plenty to cheer about (women’s gymnastics team takes gold in the all-around!) and plenty to laugh about (#PhelpsFace – Google it).
In the spirit of the games, I started to think about what the smart home technology Olympics would look like – arguably not as cool as Office Olympics, but it could still be fun.
Check out the smart home technology Olympics lineup:
Robot Vacuums
Automated vacuums are great for all kinds of people: pet owners, busy parents, those that are just lazy. I happen to be one of the lazy people, and I have no shame about it.
The Contenders:
iRobot
Roomba
Bissell SmartClean
The Events:
The 400 Square Foot Room Clean: Let’s see which device cleans a 400 square foot room the fastest!
The Navigation Challenge: Which device has the best navigation? The games would put them to the test.
The Climb: Can these devices really clamor over your rugs and your floor liners? Let’s find out which one does it best.
The Debris Course: Which device holds up best against all your debris – pets, shoes, kid’s toys?
If I were a betting man, I’d put my money on iRobot taking the gold, Roomba taking silver, and Bissell taking bronze.
Voice-Activated Home Assistants
Voice-activated home assistants are all the rage right now, with several on the market and more coming soon. In the games, they’d come head-to-head to see which was faster and more accurate.
The Contenders:
Amazon Echo
Insteon
Google Home (forthcoming)
The Events:
The Rapid Fire: Which device can answer the same set of 10 questions fastest?
The Bullseye: Which device can answer obscure questions with the most accuracy?
The First Responder: Which device serves up an answer to a questions the fastest?
Even though it isn’t out yet, I’m placing my money on Google Home for the gold. Amazon Echo is a strong contender, but I see it taking the platform for silver. Insteon will round up the podium with bronze.
Smart Plugs
I’m a huge fan of smart plugs. I already mentioned that I like to use smart home technology as a gateway for my laziness, and smart plugs play right into that. I love using my phone or tablet to control my home, without ever getting up.
The Contenders:
D-Link
Belkin WeMo
SmartThings
The Events:
Energy Management: Which device drains the least amount of energy over a long period of time?
The Switch: Which device turns on and off the fastest when triggered, when on the same network speed?
I’m going to predict that the Belkin takes the gold, SmartThings takes the silver, and D-Link takes the bronze. This might be my most controversial medal assignment, but I’m sticking to it.
