Posted on 14th Jun 2021 00:49:28 in General, Smart
Presence detection is commonly used in smart homes to identify who is currently at home. At first glance, this information might seem cool but have a limited number of practical use. In reality, this feature allows you to create some seriously awesome automations that help you save a ton of time. For example, you can configure your smart home to turn off the lights and make sure all the doors are locked once you leave the house.
Posted on 6th Jun 2021 18:45:37 in General, IoT, Smart
You may have heard about Zigbee before either from your own experience with it or from a product description that mentions its compatibility with supported smart devices. In many ways, Zigbee is quite similar to the other popular smart home mesh protocol, Z-Wave. They both use devices on the network to form a mesh for point to point communication, they are both wireless protocols that require special hardware, and they are both extremely convenient. Imagine wiring every smart device in your home to a central controller. It would be a total nightmare - which is why wireless communication shines. Despite the similarities to WiFi, these wireless protocols differ in several key areas, most notably the radio frequency they use.
Posted on 24th May 2021 00:10:53 in General, Smart
Every time the holidays roll around, everyone turns to the good old tradition of giving. Indeed, receiving a gift can be one of the best feelings in the world, especially if it's from someone special. However, a common problem is deciding what to give when you aren't necessarily that familiar with their interests. If that happens to be anything smart home related, you are in the right place! Luckily, smart homes are actually a simple gift due to the large number of available products. Anything from voice assistants to smart plugs can be great gifts!
Posted on 16th May 2021 22:13:50 in General, IoT, Smart
It's almost a universal fact that lighting is all around houses - both inside and out. We quite like being able to see, so that's totally understandable! The process is rather simple with indoor fixtures but can quickly become complicated when dealing with the great outdoors. Water, snow, the sun, animals, and insects are just a few of the things you have to consider before putting a smart bulb outside. Should you really be using them outside at all, though? It actually depends - it's probably fine, but you need to take several precautions regardless.
Posted on 9th May 2021 18:40:58 in DIY, General, Smart
You're probably here because you want to build a smart home but are concerned about how they can mess with our aesthetics. Maybe you've already got a smart home and are looking for ways to keep it tidy. In either case, the concern is real because many devices have a look that doesn't quite fit with your existing decorations. While the extent to which you will keep everything hidden depends greatly on your ecosystem, most of these tips will work with all platforms.