How Smart Is Your House?

Asking The Teller, “how smart is your house?” is a loaded question.

First of all, everyone knows mail is addressed to the ‘rents house, specifically the basement. Second, stop making us remind you!

Apparently though, it’s not enough to have a smart kid, or a smart car, or a smart phone. Society is now instilling the importance of having a smart house.

Home improvement retailer Lowe’s is introducing a cloud-based, home-management system called Iris in mid-2012. The system will allow users to monitor and control many aspects of their home from their smartphone, tablet or computer, including thermostats, refrigerators, smart plugs, lighting, door locks, motion sensors and more.

Apparently the concept isn’t a totally novel idea – and not just because “Iris” is just “Siri” spelled backwards, and don’t we all love to hate Apple’s annoying digital know-it-all?

There have been simple remote applications for heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems in the past. But a solution for leaving the bathroom light on, or forgetting to lock the back door? This is fresh.

Miles away from home, homeowners can ensure dinner is cooking in the oven, a grocery list has been generated after surveying the empty pantry, the front door’s been opened for the deliveryman and the authorities have been alerted of a possible intruder on a neighbor’s property.

It’s an interesting concept, although The Teller is more likely to think about remotely DVRing “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” rather than preparing supper or buying groceries.

A British company found value in the product, though. Thanks to a partnership with the home technology company AlertMe, the Iris system will allow users to interact with and control many aspects of their home in real time from any mobile device.

Supposedly, the new technology will even be priced at an affordable rate. Lowe’s failed to present a ballpark figure, though.

And can it please turn on the basement lights, for crying out loud…!?