Samsung SmartThings ads show how you can have super powers

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

The past few weeks have been rather hard on the Internet of Things market. Despite the slew of new trinkets and ideas that were paraded at CES 2016 earlier this month, bugs and security holes in currently marketed devices cast a rather negative light on connected home appliances. Perhaps Samsung thought it was time to lighten up the mood, especially considering it too has some IoT products to sell. In a set of ads revolving around its SmartThings platform, Samsung reveals how IoT can give you superpowers. Or at least the semblance of it.

Fancy trying to read your teenage son's mind? Not gonna happen. But you can settle for the next best thing. When you knowingly leave Junior at home with a "study mate" and suddenly see the temperature at home rising, then you know it's way past time for "The Talk". And you probably know it's time to cool things down a bit. Remotely.

You also won't be able to suddenly talk to animals, but when the household pet gets stuck in the cat flap, then you'll probably be able to send a message that it's high time for a diet. Or a bigger pet door.

Although there has been some progress in being able to control computers or peripherals with just our minds, telekinesis is still a distant dream. That ability would be pretty handy if you suddenly remember that you left the iron on at home long after you have left. Samsung says that with SmartThings, you don't need to yearn for the future. A simple tap and the deed is done.

Forget about becoming a crime fighting superhero. SmartThings ain't that advanced yet. It will, however, be able to alert you to possible break ins and allow you to respond appropriately, whether fight, flight, or calling 911. Presuming, of course, said burglar isn't just a member of your family.

The one "magic" thing that SmartThings does is to connect different pieces of your smart home together with the SmartThings Hub. Samsung advertises support for over 200 compatible devices, ranging from thermostats, to motion detectors, to switches.

SOURCE: Samsung