5 Valentine's Day Gifts for the Wi-Fi Connected Love of Your Life Love connects hearts. Wi-Fi connects everything else.
By Shane Buckley Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Chocolates and flowers symbolize Valentine's Day. But isn't that an antiquated approach to the holiday? Where's the originality? Especially with the abundance of innovative, Wi-Fi connected devices coming out of CES, Valentine's Day presents an opportunity to give our loved ones gifts they can use beyond the holiday itself.
IoT grants us the chance to shower significant others with practical (well, most of the time), entertaining and, most importantly, thoughtful gifts. With the proliferation of IoT, and stronger more reliable Wi-Fi connections -- both in home and in public -- Wi-Fi-enabled gadgets make for great Valentine's Day presents.
Your significant other doesn't have to daydream about a connected home anymore -- the devices are flooding stores and homes now. BI Intelligence reports the number of internet-connected devices will top 24 billion globally by 2020. So, be a part of this stat and think about picking up one of the following devices for your partner in crime.
For the aspirational brewmaster.
It's safe to say home brewing is the new fad. But it's a process. The PicoBrew Wi-Fi-enabled home brewing kit looks to simplify and speed up production, so you can kick back and enjoy a beer while marveling in your own creation – with more "instant" gratification than other home kits. According to PicoBrew, you can go from PicoPak to pint glass in approximately one week.
For the unpredictable grocery shopper.
Utilizing a camera on the inside of your fridge, Smarter's FridgeCam notifies you when items are running low or are set to expire. Not only can it auto replenish your fridge, but it also suggests recipes based on what ingredients are available. With an expected launch in the first quarter of this year, you may have to rain check the gift. But it's handiness makes it worth considering.
Related: 5 Valentine's Day Gifts for the Wi-Fi Lover in Your Life
For the Jetsons reenactor.
The holiday season's over and your significant other has accumulated an abundance of connected devices that are now scattered across his or her (or your) home. One platform to rule them all is the next step. The Sevenhugs smart IoT remote recognizes the need for a consolidated approach to controlling and managing connected devices. With the remote, you can control TVs, speakers, lights and thermostats -- to name a few -- via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or infrared.
Related: From Candy, to Flowers to Cards, Valentine's Day Is Good Business (Infographic)
For the chef in training.
The way to a man or woman's heart is through his or her stomach. June is an intelligent oven that touts itself as making "everyone a better cook." As a countertop convection oven, June utilizes a built-in camera that identifies certain foods and is able to cook them automatically. And the best part: you'll get to benefit from the gift as well at the next dinner party.
Related: Shocking Valentine's Day Stats That Will Make You Rethink Your Marketing
For the attention seeker.
Need one more person, or in this case robot, to converse with? Kuri is an intelligent home robot that embodies three key functions: personality, awareness and mobility. The robot has a built-in HD camera to monitor the house or keep an eye on pets, and speakers to react to voice commands or play music, among much more. While it's likely not shipping until holiday season 2017, you can pre-order one for your significant other ahead of Valentine's Day. Warning: You might be competing for attention as a result.
The future has arrived. So, this time around, pass on the chocolates and flowers. You can be sure connected devices will find a place right next to you in your significant other's heart.
