Another Benefit of Your Smart Phone - Avoid Parking Tickets!
Posted by Eileen Komanecky on Tue, Dec 06, 2011 @ 03:26 PM
Nobody likes getting a parking ticket. Fortunately, a cool new program is being planned in San Francisco that allows drivers to be notified via a text when their parking meter is about to expire. They will have the option of running out to their car to feed money into the meter, or they can make the payment via their smart phone for a small transaction fee.
It's a great example of how technology can make our lives a little easier and more fun (when you consider how not fun it is to see a bright orange ticket flapping under your windshield wiper).
Are you wondering: What does this have to do with smart home technology? In a way, nothing. But when you look at this as an illustration of how people manage their lives nowadays, it's very telling. It's pretty clear that most Americans have become fond of the benefits that smartphones provide. So why not take advantage of the smart home technology that is available to gain control of your home? If you can control your parking meter with your phone, you might as well control your home systems, too.
For example, while you are adding money to your meter you could:
- Unlock the front door so the plumber can get in.
- Turn up the heat since you are leaving work early.
- Check to see how your puppy is doing at home via your doggie cam.
- Make sure you remembered to turn off the lights when you left.
- Lots more cool things.
Moral of the Story: A smart phone is for more than just avoiding parking tickets.