Paul: Hi, Nathan. It’s been ages! 

Nathan: Hi, Paul! Good to see you. How are you?

Paul: Good, good. Thank you. 

Nathan: You look tired though. Is everything OK?

Paul: Yes, I’m fine. I’ve been busy redoing my house, so you can imagine what a mess is happening around. Actually, I’m thinking about having a smart home because I’ve heard a lot of positive feedback about it. 

Nathan: Tell me about it! I know very little of it.

Paul: A smart home is totally personalised and relates to your needs. It connects and automates your home appliances, which means you can have almost full control over them. Everything is usually connected via WiFi. 

Nathan: How exactly do you control things?

Paul: Your smartphone can control everything: the room temperature and the colour and intensity of the lighting, switching on and off devices connected to electrical sockets, and watching live video from surveillance. 

Nathan: Sounds good! Wait a minute… If your smartphone controls the devices, does it mean you can do some things remotely? 

Paul: Sure! I can do many things, even when I’m away from my home. I can adjust the thermostat to increase the temperature in the house on my way home. When I get there, it’ll be warm and nice. What’s more, smart thermostats reduce your energy consumption. 

Nathan: Great! That means lower energy bills.

Paul: Indeed! You’ll save money on your energy bills. There are so many factors that I use to automate the home. Now, listen to this. You can even set up a vacuum cleaner or a coffee machine to make you coffee at a certain time in the morning.

Nathan: Wow. I love that! I can’t wake up without one. The smell of fresh coffee would motivate me to get up. 

Paul: Sounds great, doesn’t it? You can also use voice assistants who will play your favourite music or answer questions. Thanks to it, you’ll have some time to yourself. Actually, smart home solutions save time and money. 

Nathan: Which I love about it!

Paul: That’s not all! A smart house also makes it more secure. Lights and security cameras are connected and they light up every time they spot a movement. 

Nathan: It seems like a perfect protection against burglars.

Paul: Naturally, surveillance systems are very popular. Everybody wants to feel safe at home and that’s why the intelligent security cameras are widely used against break‑ins. It’s not only about that. You can make sure that your children are safe when they stay at home. But there is one more thing that we haven’t discussed yet: smart home technology has the potential to boost the value of your property in the future. 

Nathan: I’m sure the smart house will be more expensive than the one without the systems. Wow! I’m getting into it! Tell me, how did you get started with all this?

Paul: First, I took a look around my house about what I needed and what I wished to be automated in my future house. 

Nathan: Seems reasonable.

Paul: I know I need something to check the lights when I’m out, so now I’m checking out smart light bulbs. I’ve heard a lot about devices called hubs.

Nathan: I don’t know what they do.

Paul: They are simple plug‑and‑play devices that connect to your network. They can act as the brains of your smart home. 

Nathan: And?

Paul: They communicate with your home's devices, connecting them to one another and the internet. The main benefit of hubs is that they allow you to automate multiple smart home devices at once. And the best thing about them is that you can control them through one app. There are many hubs available on the market!

Nathan: But what if your internet goes down? Does it mean you won’t be able to do anything?

Paul: Oh, no. Some devices offer offline functionality and some come with battery backup in case there’s no power, so they are still connected to the internet. 

Nathan: Paul, everything sounds wonderful but it must cost a fortune! What is the cost of the app? Do you have to pay the monthly fee for it?

Paul: It depends. Some smart home systems are free to use, while others cost a few pounds each month.This is why it's critical to do your homework before purchasing a gadget. 

Nathan: Is everything really safe?

Paul: It is if you secure your smart home and create strong, unique passwords. Just like you would for a network or your bank account. 

Nathan: But some devices come with default usernames and passwords with “admin” as the username and “password123” as the password.

Paul:  Then, it’s not advised to use those gadgets since they demonstrate that the device is not safe to use. Create your own password as soon as possible. Good products use the highest level of encryption, so they’re super safe.

Nathan: Oh, well, I’m impressed! When you’re done with your smart home, I would love to give you a visit to see how it works.

Paul: Please, feel invited! I will set up my coffee machines for two cups!

Nathan: Good luck with your house makeover, Paul!

Paul: Thanks a lot! See you soon!