New Home Tech

▲ The Ring
Turns out there is actually one ring to rule them all and you won’t have the armies of Middle Earth on your tail if you get your hands on it. This nifty bit of wearable tech allows you to program in a number of tasks to the ring, which you can then action with the flick of your wrist or the wave of a hand. Turning on the fire, changing channel on the TV, tweaking the ambient light levels and a ton of other tasks, which used to be a bore, will now have you looking like a conductor for the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

▲ Pet Cube
Technology isn’t just for humans. With the Pet Cube the furriest members of the family can get involved too. This discrete little box allows you to watch, and even speak to your animals when you’re out of the house. It might sound a little ridiculous, and it definitely sort of is. But in some cases, it really does make sense, especially if your pet is new to the household. Worried puppies can be soothed when left alone, which, in turn, keeps the neighbors off your back. Plus, it also has a laser pointer on it!

▲ Netamo Welcome
This awkwardly named but beautifully designed home camera gives you total piece of mind when you’re away from home and leaving the children behind. Using facial recognition software, the Welcome will ping you with an alert when someone it recognizes passes within its field of vision. And similarly, it will do the same if someone it doesn’t recognize is spotted. You can also add tags to doors, windows, and driveway gates so that any unknown movement will trigger a message.

▲ Parrot
How many household plants have passed on to the great greenhouse in the sky under your care? If it’s none, then congratulations, you have very green fingers. If it’s some, then Parrot might be the solution. This discrete gadget is placed in plant pots and monitors the levels of moisture and nutrients in both the soil and the plant. Moisture levels dropping? You’ll get an alert on your phone reminding you to water your plant. Very useful for those who crave the plants world’s more beautiful but fragile examples.

▲ Ecobee3
Do you know what used to not be exciting? Thermostats. But all that has changed with the arrival of smart products such as Nest. But the Google approved gizmo has a strong rival in the Ecobee3. Featuring smart touch-screen technology, and sensors that allow you to monitor the temperature in different rooms in your house, the Ecobee3 gives you peace of mind and lovely warm, or cold, bedroom as and when you want it.