What is IFTTT and How Can Applets Improve the Smart Home?

July 09, 2019

What is IFTTT and How Can Applets Improve the Smart Home

“IFTTT” refers to a free web-platform on which you can create conditional statements that can help produce new experiences. While IFTTT is especially useful for apps on android apps and devices, there are many benefits in terms of using IFTTT to build a smart home that responds to every cue.

But what does this mean exactly and what does IFTTT look like?

It means that IFTTT can greatly enhance and improve the smart home. In other words, when it comes to efficiency and convenience, applets can streamline almost any app, process or service.

But that’s just part of the story…

In this article, we take a close look at applets and how IFTTT is bringing services together to create new experiences in the smart home.

 

Understanding IFTTT: Applets, Web Services and Widgets

In case you might be asking yourself, “IFTTT” is an acronym for the words; if, this, then and that.

After signing up for a free account on IFTTT, members can browse through a resource of applets which can bring certain services together to create new experiences. As a rule, these new experiences would not be possible without IFTTT and the capabilities of applets is phenomenal.

Applets are smaller applications that perform very simple functions. What’s more, these applets are activated by certain changes that take place within other web services or even devices. You can turn applets on and off or edit relevant settings but IFTTT takes care of the rest. What’s more, there are millions of ready-made applets which means that you rarely need to create a custom applet.

One last thing you should know about IFTTT is known as the widget. In short, this widget is a shortcut on an android device to your chosen applets. For this reason, you can start up any applet without having to open the actual app which makes the process even more convenient.

Just so you know, services refer to the apps and devices that you can use and these services contain applets. More specifically, these services might refer to a social media platform or email provider, while devices are now common place in the average smart home. In fact, IFTTT is especially useful for building a smart home but to better understand how, we must first understand why.

Here are just a few examples of how you might use IFTTT to improve certain services:

 

How You Might Use IFTTT to Do More with Apps and Devices

For travelers, applets can send an automated message from an android device to a friend upon arrival at the airport. Similarly, you can set an alarm to sound when approaching a station on the train or send notifications for travel deals in a region or time of year.

Make sense?

In the case of photographers, IFTTT can be used to streamline or simplify many tasks. Some applets can help sort photographs into specific folders, while others instantly share images across various social media platforms when you add a specific hashtag to the file.

Needless to say, this platform is valuable in every niche or industry. Whether you use applets to track work progress, automate social media posts or retrieve top stories from your favorite publication, IFTTT is incredibly useful for creating new experiences with existing apps and devices. 

 

And what about the use of IFTTT and applets in the Smart Home?

 

How Applets and IFTTT Can Transform the Smart Home

Believe it or not, IFTTT is most effective at home and a way to create new experiences to cater for endless every-day tasks. It’s true, applets can lock doors, set alarms and turn devices on or off.

But what does this look like?

If you order an Uber from your home, you can use an applet to turn off the lights as soon as you depart in the Uber. Similarly, you might use IFTTT to blink the living room lights when the Uber arrives or even set the house alarm when your driver pulls away from the curb.

 

Think about it:

With IFTTT, you can build an efficient smart home that can respond to each and every cue. You can activate the NEST thermostat prior to your estimated arrival time, while another applet can activate the fan should there be too much smoke in the kitchen. You can receive notifications when motion is detected, or a particular family member has opened the front door.

For the sake of clarity, we can take lighting as one last example. IFTTT can automate lighting in your home and you might use an applet to turn on the living room light at 7pm when it gets dark. However, you can also use this applet to turn the lights off at midnight which will ensure that you never leave the lights on overnight.

 

Basic Steps for Installing and Running IFTTT

1. Download IFTTT app and sign up for a free account.

2. Browse through the most popular applets or search for a specific applet.

3. Turn on/off or edit your chosen applet.

Either way, you should see that applets can bring functionality to the home and use hands-free technology to remove any need for physical effort. Now, that’s not to say any home can initiate these experiences but rather to explain the convenience of bringing smart devices and services together to create incredible experiences.

 

The Main Benefits of IFTTT for the Smart Home

• Time – IFTTT enables users to save time on menial tasks.
• Efficiency – IFTTT does not forget to carry out tasks – something which humans most certainly do.
• Routine – IFTTT can help create a productive routine at home.
• Quality – IFTTT is designed to improve the quality of life with the use of applets.
• Cost – IFTTT is entirely free.

Final Thoughts

Aside from the fact that IFTTT is free, this platform allows you to do more with your smart devices in the home. Whether you deploy applets to set the house alarm, turn on the air conditioning or welcome the pizza delivery guy, IFTTT can create new experiences to significantly improve your smart home.

 

For more information on what is IFTTT and how can Applets improve the smart home, check out: https://smarthomeproducts.us/ 

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