Smartphones and wearables allow everyday consumers to track a myriad of things such as the number of calories they consume, sleep patterns, and location after an outdoor run. Now, the shift begins to focus on making your home smarter and more efficient. Google’s acquisition of Nest Thermostat shows the value of smart devices for homes. It makes things around the house more convenient, secure, and accessible. Similar to installing solar panels on your home, additional smart devices increase the resale value from an investment point of view. With new technologies at home looming on the horizon, the latest innovation for smart home devices is compatibility.

The latest announcement from Nest last week was its products are now compatible with other leading home devices such as Dropcam, Creston, Control4, and Universal Remote Control. This move is similar to how Apple products can virtually integrate with every other product from the iPhones to iPads, and MacBooks. Not only will this benefit consumers, it is a smart business move for the Google owned company. Dropcam, which was acquired by Nest earlier this year, has the capabilities to start recording automatically when the Nest alarm goes off. It turns into a motion sensor device when the home’s owners are away.

Ease of use is only one feature for smart devices. It is also beneficial for efficient energy usage. According to smart thermostat maker Ecobee, its system employs machine learning algorithms that will automatically squeeze the maximum of climate conditioning efficiency from your home’s A/C—cutting your monthly energy expenditures by as much as 23 percent. Depending on the size of your home, this savings can add up tremendously. Ease of use and efficiency are the cornerstone of better technology. For the latest news on home tech, smart devices, and wearables sign up for our monthly newsletter to stay informed.

In the news:

• Verizon Smart Home Service Inches Closer
• Nest devices now work with other home automation systems, including Dropcam
• The Smart Home Just Got Smarter Thanks To The Partnership Between Revolv Ans IFTTT
• The Latest Smart Thermostat Knows When You’re Away from Home
• The Advantages of a Smart House