Four IoT Devices for a Cyber Safe Summer

Across the country, summer breaks have begun and families are embarking on their vacations, enjoying the hot sun in one way or another, and hopefully getting some much needed rest and relaxation in when possible. While we may associate technology more with areas of our lives such as work and school, there are some devices that can be helpful, particularly in the summertime when we are in more of a “fun” mode mentally. In this article, we will take a look at four areas of IoT (Internet of Things) technology that can help you have a cool, fun, and safe summer this year.

• Smart thermostats – Lovers of summer often find their affinity for this season being tied to the warm weather. If you are in the South or West of the United States, you may find that things can shift from warm to hot, hot, hot rather quickly though! While it is nice to get out and about and enjoy the outdoor activities that aren’t available to us in the colder months, it can be even nicer to come back into your home, after doing all of those things, to a refreshing, air conditioned home. Smart thermostats allow you to control the temperature of your home through use of a more advanced piece of technology than traditional heating and cooling units. Many smart thermostats out there actually connect to your phone via an app from the manufacturer of the device - this is particularly helpful for when you are out and about enjoying the summer time, as you can increase the temperature while no one is home and then set it to cool off as you are on your way home from your activities. It also allows you to monitor your home’s temperatures while you are on vacation so that you can ensure the home isn’t too hot but also that you’re not wasting a bunch of money making it very cool inside for no one to enjoy. 
• Activity trackers – Smartwatches and fitness trackers help us reach our wellness goals by providing us a means to keep up with what exercises and play we have done in a given day. Even step counters count as an activity tracker that can be very useful in the summer especially! Ranging from very affordable to rather expensive, these activity tracking devices are accessible to folks regardless of their preferred price range. Be sure, however, when utilizing IoT devices that connect to your phone or other technology, that you do not allow them access to any features that are unnecessary for their functions such as microphones or cameras.
• Smart irrigation systems – One of the things that can bring a homeowner the most joy (or sometimes the most stress) is maintaining their yard. In the springtime, you planted all the flowers, bushes, fruits, and veggies, you did the beautiful landscaping, and have since been sure to mow the yard and clean up the edges weekly in order to keep your title among your neighbors as the best-kept yard on the block. However, in comes summer, with incredibly hot temperatures and brutal direct sunlight threatening to fry up your outdoor greenery. To help protect and preserve your lawn, you can install a smart irrigation system to help you provide continued care for your yard, no matter how busy your summer may become. Smart irrigation systems can adjust for weather and help to take one more thing off of your well-loaded plate. Just as the smart thermostat is controllable from anywhere, you can check on your smart irrigation system from the comfort of your beach chair to make sure you come home to a yard just as beautiful as the one you left. 
• Smart home security – Though not necessarily directly related to summertime cybersecurity and IoT, having a smart home security system can help provide a little extra peace of mind when you’re traveling for summer vacation. Check your cameras and even see if the doors are closed or unlocked from the road on your way across America. Let your neighbor into your home to feed the fish with the click of a button that unlocks the door from wherever you are - no key required! Smart home security systems provide you with the ability to protect your home year-round. 

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