‘Home automation’ and ‘smart living’ are terms that aren’t reserved to science fiction anymore. Rather they’re phrases we are seeing used in our everyday culture. No they’re not really ‘mainstream’ yet but they are becoming more popular. From lights to temperature, people are increasingly controlling them homes, and in the grand scheme of things, their lives from their phone or other smart devices. The idea of connected living is continually expanding and as a result we’re seeing more companies pop up to support the idea.
One such company, Ideaing, is devoted to covering the smart tech. I had the opportunity to sit down with the ideaing founder, Thai Tan, to discuss what his site is about what we should know about this fascinating industry of smart technology.
Ideaing.com homepage
What was the inspiration for launching the site?
I started it in 2015 Summer, Fall as a concept. It was inspired by my love of Smart Products in my own home. The Nest Thermostat was the first. Then the Skybell Doorbell. Philips Hue lights.We focused only on Smart Home. After the business plan and design was created in November of 2015 and didn’t finish until beta launch in April 2016. After April 2016, our beta test was ran through the summer, while we experimented with content and products. And then it expanded. In September, we expanded to “Smart Living” which comprised of Smart Body, Smart Entertainment and Smart Travel. Covering everything in one’s life. Finally, we launched the new Ideaing 2.0 in November including our own ecommerce store.
At the end of the day, it’s really a way to show off the advantages I found from my own experience. I think people needed to realize the benefits too.
Why focus on Smart Tech alone? Why about that industry excites the company?
Ideaing’s name started with “ideas” where we could collect and share ideas on ways you can use smart products. Smart devices are continually coming out. It’s a field in which the status quo is constantly being challenged, as the ‘coolest’ device is continually changing as more unique, one could say ingenious products are coming out every day.
We can give a lot of credit to sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo that have opened up a new gateway for inventors and entrepreneurs launch their products. I don’t know if 10 years ago half of the crazy genius products could have come to market. But now, in this day and age, we have a society that is open to new ideas and inspired to purchase and try these products and that’s what makes it such an exciting industry to be in.
What have you discovered about how shoppers and enthusiasts are consuming smart home information in the last year?
A lot of consumers are eager to try smart products but they’re often confused about how to actually use them. We get questions about installation and setup all the time, so I think there’s a general gap between wanting to use a device and actually being able to do so. That’s one of the reasons we focus so heavily on editorial, so we can use it as a way to explain how consumers can actually use these products.
I also think there’s a misconception that smart devices are mainly wearable fitness trackers and lights. But from what we see people are interested in all types of smart devices from beds to kitchen devices. The more inventive it is and the easier it can make your life, the more consumers tend to show interest in it.
Why launch an ecommerce shop? What is the goal?
We’re essentially taking service journalism to a higher level. We cover a product and then don’t have to direct readers to another site to buy it, so it’s a win win in that sense. Also by providing a storefront we’re supporting all these smart tech startups that right now launch with these amazing products but then lack a way to continually market them and get orders. Most resort to Amazon, but then their products just fall into this huge online marketplace and get lost in the clutter. But having a store devoted solely to smart devices we’re giving companies a new channel to sell their inspired products.
Ideaing.com shop
What is your vision for the company over the next year?
We’re really working on expanding and filling the store right now and that should continue throughout the year. We’re looking for direct partnerships and those that a while to built and then additional time to nurture and grow. Beyond that you can expect different types of media from us such as video.
What do you predict for the future of the smart tech industry?
It’s changing so frequently right now it’s hard to predict, but I think overall we’ll see smart tech products becoming more mainstream. We’ve already seen wearables go through that transition, and I think smart tech products are bound to go down the same path.