The pandemic has forced most of us to shelter in place for the better part of a year. For the majority of people, this has been the longest time we’ve spent stuck inside. The time indoors has undoubtedly made us more aware of the things available to us inside our homes. From our entertainment options to home security, some things that we overlooked before now stand out. In this age of modern technology, various products are available to help our homes better suit our needs. There’s also a variety of products that can help us with our day-to-day needs.
Gaming consoles, automated vacuums, and smart home equipment are just some examples of how we can improve our homes with the help of technology. Being pushed to work and entertain ourselves from home has made some of these examples essential for some of us. We are making the time spent inside less stressful and lessening the amount of upkeep we have to do.
Whether it’s by necessity or for entertainment purposes, here are just some examples of new technology you can look into for your homes:
Gaming Consoles
The gaming industry saw a significant spike in revenue in 2020. Both gaming consoles and video games became hot commodities while we were stuck inside. This became one of the most popular options for entertainment. The gaming industry also paid more attention during this time and started releasing some newer content for consumers. A popular game at the time was Animal Crossing, which sold 13.5 million copies, mainly played on the Nintendo Switch. Nintendo reported that their sales for the switch increased by 24% over a year’s time frame.
People were at home with limited means of self-entertainment. You couldn’t just go out and see a movie or have a pick-up game anymore. Even those who weren’t previously into the world of gaming bought consoles for entertainment purposes.
Smart TVs
If you’ve never heard of Netflix, then you’re in the minority of people all across the globe. Network cable productions were at a standstill while social distancing protocols were in place. Streaming giants like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu gained huge subscription numbers from viewers looking to access new shows on demand. Daytime weekday viewership also increased during this time, exhibiting a drastic change in viewer behavior. Family viewing also saw a revival, which caused a 30-50% increase in TV sales, with large screen models seeing 2-3 times the growth.
Internet-capable TVs were already widespread before the pandemic. Streaming your favorite shows online was also available before the lockdowns. All the extra free time users had pushed them to invest in better avenues of entertainment. Coupled with the fact that cable shows were on hold, this resulted in a boom of smart TVs which could directly connect to the internet. People weren’t just going for internet cable models, though, following the trend of increased family viewership, these we TVs with sizes suitable for common areas in our homes.
Home Improvement
Technological home improvements were also prevalent during the pandemic. Smart homes quickly gained popularity. The ability for your lights, entertainment, and sound system to be interconnected and controlled online via one device was a feature that users quickly jumped to try. These improvements were available for all parts of your home from the kitchen, bathroom, office, and home security.
Refrigerators and ovens, which could be interfaced online or through services like Amazon’s Alexa, helped better our cooking experiences at home. Smart showers, mirrors, improved bathtubs, and indoor Jacuzzis were also popular among homeowners. Modern tubs and Jacuzzis today are made with durable materials and bath pumps. Investing in a good tub or Jacuzzi served as a way to unwind and relax from the comfort of your own home. Something that was highly sought after during the pandemic.
Home security has also had innovations with door locks that allow you to enter a code along with your physical key. The code can be set remotely via an app on your phone, allowing you to set a code for each person in your household.
These home improvement solutions have greatly helped in managing our households. If you’re living alone, they can help you monitor your security indoors and notify authorities and essential people in emergencies. Families whose kids stay home due to class suspensions can also monitor their children’s activities from one room as they work from home.
Technology has greatly helped us in adapting to the new normal. We are pushing the boundaries on creative innovation and allowing us to take a step towards an intelligent future.
