Winter may have just begun, but it’s never too early to start thinking about how you’re going to jazz up your outdoor space when warm weather returns to New York City. One of the most exciting new technologies we’ve seen is ShadeCraft’s Sunflower, an automated umbrella shade that also functions as a multipurpose technology hub.

The Sunflower gives you the opportunity to expand your smart home control to your outdoor environments with wireless, voice-controlled lighting and A/V components in addition to a shade that automatically moves with the sun. Keep reading to learn more about how the Sunflower can make your New York City home bloom when the temperature rises.

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Always Stay In The Shade

If you have a stationary umbrella shade, you’ve had to deal with inconsistent protection from sunlight. The sun is moving throughout the day, and if your shade doesn’t move with it, there are always going to be exposed areas. An adjustable umbrella shade can help, but manual models can be so hard to use that you end up not taking advantage of this extra feature.

The Sunflower solves this problem by moving automatically with the sun, opening up in the morning and tracking the sun until it sets. If there are high winds or other inclement weather, the shade will automatically close so you don't have to worry about the device being damaged. 

This tracking of the sun is also how the Sunflower gains energy thanks to its built-in solar panels. After the initial charge of the battery, the unit will charge itself throughout the day so it can power both the automatic shade movement as well as the smart technology built into the device. 

Take Advantage Of Built-In Smart Technology

What truly sets the Sunflower apart from other automated umbrella shades is the smart technology inside it. There’s integrated LED lighting that can change color, be dimmed, and scheduled to turn on and off at different times of the day. The Sunflower also features high-quality speakers from harman/kardon, one of the top names in high-performance audio, delivering rich sound to your outdoor space.

The Sunflower also has a built-in HD camera that can be used to capture photographs and videos of your outdoor events. These are stored on the secure ShadeCraft cloud, allowing friends and family to access the saved media easily. 

These features can be controlled from the SmartShade app for iOS and Android devices, which also allows you to open, close, tilt, and rotate the Sunflower. There’s also voice control, so you can tell the device to activate a specific lighting configuration or playlist for different occasions. You can view the photos and videos captures by the camera, as well as set up notifications and alerts to keep you informed about the status of your equipment.

Want to learn more about what the ShadeCraft Sunflower can bring to your New York City, NY home and how to integrate it into your smart home control system? Reach out to one of our experts at 1-800-382-2939 or by filling out our online form.