Smart home technology allows you to monitor and control devices and appliances in your home remotely using your smartphone or other networked devices. Connected products like smart lights, thermostats, security cameras, locks, and more can be programmed to turn on/off automatically or be controlled manually from anywhere.
Smart home devices communicate with each other and with the homeowner through wireless protocols like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, etc. or through hardwired home automation systems. Cloud services and digital assistants like Alexa also enable voice control.
With home automation, you can save energy, time, and money while adding convenience and security. We cover and review the latest smart home gadgets and whole-home platforms to help you create your connected dream home. See our smart home product guides, news, buying advice, and more.
MediaTek today announced the latest chipset in the Genio platform for IoT devices, the octa-core Genio 700 designed for smart home, smart retail, and industrial IoT products. The new chipset will be featured as part of a demo at MediaTek’s booth at CES 2023. With a focus on power efficiency, the MediaTek Genio 700 is…
Following on from my comparison between Wiz, Tapo and Philips Hue. Wiz was recently kind enough to send me some samples to test out. This included: WiZ Luminaire Mobile Portable Light Wiz 18.5W LED (150W equivalent) E27 Wiz 8W B22 It would seem that I don’t have any lights with the bayonet-style fitting, so I…
Switchbot is branching out from their smart home curtain robot to include a new smart blinds controller. Unlike the Aqara Roller Shade Driver E1, the new SwitchBot Blind Tilt is designed for horizontal blinds. There are not many competing options on the market. SOMA has been a popular option for both roller blinds and horizontal…
I have recently expanded my range of Philips Hue smart lighting in my TV room with the Gradient Lightstrip and Gradient Signe Floor Lamp. The one missing piece to the system has been the HDMI sync box which allows me to synchronise anything on the TV with my lighting. Specifications 4 x HDMI In HDMI:…
WiZ is a smart lighting brand I haven’t paid much attention to in the past. They are owned by Signify, who also owns the Philips Hue brand, and WiZ appears to be positioned as a more affordable alternative to Philips Hue. A good example of this is a pair of warm white GU10 spotlights from…
Edifier has predominantly focussed on active speakers and TWS earbuds. They are now expanding into the increasingly competitive market of smart speakers. The Edifier MS50A is a good first attempt as well. It is a compelling choice thanks to its reasonably low price tag and smart speaker functionality without the privacy concerns of an always-listening…
Following on from my previous Insteon posts about setting up Home Assistant Windows Portable (HassWP) and cheap PCs to run as a server for Docker/Insteon. This post is a guide for anyone wanting to get Home Assistant Windows Portable working on a PC running Windows Home. In my HassWP original post, I installed Home Assistant…
The term “smart” is the right term to use when describing the latest advancement in the development of smart speakers. Smart speakers play your favorite music, automatically control the electronic components of your home, and give answers to questions asked verbally by anyone inside of a house. According to the audio experts at Selby, smart…
Yesterday, I reported that Insteon has gone out of business and shut down all their cloud services with no notice. The Insteon app uses the Insteon servers to process the requests from the app, effectively making it useless. Things like schedules are stored on the hub, so these will continue to be processed. However, not…
Update: I have written a basic guide on how to get Insteon working with Home Assistant on Windows. Update 2: Confirming what we already knew, Insteon has formally ceased trading and has posted a notification on the website. Users are also being contacted with a Important Notice to Creditors. It is currently being reported that…
I recently wrote a post on ways to try and reduce your electricity bills. One of the main tools I have used in identifying power-hungry devices is the now-discontinued TP-Link Kasa HS110. It is a superb smart plug, and have used several of them in combination with the KP105 to monitor and control some of…
I have loved most of the Eufy Security products I have reviewed in the past few years. I was first incredibly impressed with the EufyCam 2C, which had a spotlight and colour video and superb battery life, outclassing competing brands. More recently, I was equally impressed with the Eufy Security Floodlight Cam 2 Pro, being…
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