Posted on 19th Jan 2021 17:33:18 in General, Smart
Many smart devices take advantage of your existing WiFi network to reduce cost and allow them to operate standalone from any sort of hub. Unfortunately, they don't just use WiFi as most products will then connect to a cloud service using the internet to allow you to control them. There are many problems with cloud smart devices ranging from privacy to reliability and even the fear of it being discontinued in the future, which often put people off. Not all products are like this though, and here is my list of the 4 best smart bulbs that don't use the cloud.
Posted on 17th Jan 2021 18:28:17 in General, Smart
Manufacturers are shipping more and more products with smart features due to the ubiquity of systems such as Alexa or Google Home. While they are certainly becoming more common, many still haven't heard about why you would even want to build a smart home in the first place. I can assure you there is no shortage of awesome technologies to be used in your home. Here is a list of the 11 most awesome smart home features.
Posted on 13th Jan 2021 15:25:10 in General, Smart
Security cameras are a common sight in the modern home. This is partly because of the rise in doorbell cameras primarily fueled by Ring which has since brought many competitors to the industry. The reasons for having a camera at home are usually security-related or just for peace-of-mind. That could mean checking a parcel has arrived safely or verifying that you closed the garage door before leaving the house. Regardless of the reason, there are many options to choose from and making the right decision can feel daunting at first. Let's find out what the best camera for a smart home is.
Posted on 9th Jan 2021 17:34:55 in General, Home Assistant, Smart
Zigbee is a wireless communication protocol commonly used in smart homes. One of its many benefits includes that each non-battery-powered node on the network will act as a repeater making your range larger. Apple's HomeKit, on the other hand, is a network communication protocol, meaning it only specifies the commands each device will send and receive. HomeKit can run over WiFi or Bluetooth with most of the ecosystem opting to use WiFi for its longer range. HomeKit devices are cheap and easy to use, while Zigbee devices have higher range potential. Combining both of these technologies in one smart home would provide the best of both worlds, and luckily for us, it's totally possible!
Posted on 7th Jan 2021 17:33:57 in General, Smart
Smart speakers are quite common now, and as more people start using one, they will have many questions. They may wonder what the features are or how loud the volume can get. Most questions have obvious answers, but here we will see how you can use a smart speaker without an internet connection. You'd think any speaker would work just fine, but things are unfortunately not that simple. We will find out which smart speaker is the best for offline use along with the pros and cons of each!