Tag: Homekit

TESTED: Smart Home Automation – Comparing Apple HomeKit vs Samsung SmartThings Hub vs Wink Connected Home Hub vs INSTEON Hub Pro vs Amazon Echo vs Belkin WeMo

Shopping for smart home automation products can feel a bit like having lunch at a buffet.  You can be easily overwhelmed by too many options to pick from, feeling unsure about what will taste good together.  But unlike a fixed-price all-you-can-eat buffet, these smart home devices can get really expensive, really fast, so choosing the right ones is quite important.  In this article we’ve taken on the task of taste-testing all these delicious pieces of technology for you, to provide you a curated review of what works, and what doesn’t.  Check out the BEST HOME AUTOMATION PLATFORMS as we compare Apple HomeKit vs Samsung SmartThings, vs Wink Connected Home Hub vs Insteon Hub Pro vs Amazon Echo vs Belkin WeMo, and much, much more!

Continue reading TESTED: Smart Home Automation – Comparing Apple HomeKit vs Samsung SmartThings Hub vs Wink Connected Home Hub vs INSTEON Hub Pro vs Amazon Echo vs Belkin WeMo

Advertisements

COMPARISON: First Alert One Link Wi-Fi Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detector versus Nest Protect 2nd Gen Smoke + Carbon Monoxide Alarm

When the Nest Protect 2nd generation device was revealed in the summer of 2015 it was improving upon an already great device.  With no real competition to speak of I didn’t bother taking photos of my purchase, because there wasn’t really anything to compare it to for blog comparison purposes.  But now that the HomeKit-enabled First Alert DC10-500 One Link Wi-Fi Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detector has arrived, let’s see how it stacks up against the Nest Protect 2nd Gen Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm.

Continue reading COMPARISON: First Alert One Link Wi-Fi Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detector versus Nest Protect 2nd Gen Smoke + Carbon Monoxide Alarm

QUICK LOOK: Schlage Sense Smart Deadbolt with Apple HomeKit

Schlage as a brand has been around almost a century, offering interior and exterior door knobs, handles, and deadbolts.  And when it comes to home automation, they have been offering compatible products to consumers for some time.  As such, it should come as no surprise they are one of the first in their industry to bring to market an Apple HomeKit compatible deadbolt.  Let’s check out their new Schlage Sense device in this quick-look blog post!

Continue reading QUICK LOOK: Schlage Sense Smart Deadbolt with Apple HomeKit

How to harness IFTTT-like event Triggers with Apple HomeKit in iOS 9

To make the most out of your smart home experience you need the perfect blend of hardware and software.  Up until recently, the software you would use with HomeKit devices was limited by Apple’s iOS 8 short-comings.  Thankfully Cupertino fixed most of that with the recent release of iOS 9, but no developer has taken the time to harness all this potential power.  Now, thanks to a new app called Home by Mattias Hochgatterer, we can finally build the smart home of our dreams!

Continue reading How to harness IFTTT-like event Triggers with Apple HomeKit in iOS 9

REVIEW: Nest Learning Thermostat -VERSUS- HomeKit-enabled Ecobee3 Smart Thermostat

Over fifteen years ago I purchased a cheap programmable 5+2 day thermostat at my local hardware store.  And for nearly a decade that unit provided me ample performance, until one day it stopped working and needed replaced.  At that time, a few years ago, there was only one option for tech geeks like myself who wanted a WiFi smart home thermostat.  But nowadays we have many options, which is why today I’m provided my review of the two of the top sellers in this segment:  the Nest Learning Thermostat and the ecobee3 Wi-Fi Thermostat with Remote Sensor (Apple HomeKit Enabled).

Continue reading REVIEW: Nest Learning Thermostat -VERSUS- HomeKit-enabled Ecobee3 Smart Thermostat