The device also has a temperature sensor and will alert you if it detects anything unusual. Place the device under a pipe, next to your washing machine, or wherever you feel would be a likely place for a leak to occur, and you will be alerted the moment the device detects water on the floor. This might not be a particular fun smart home device, but the Fibaro Flood Sensor could one day be invaluable. Safe to say, this is one comprehensive product.Īll that said, Brilliant's HomeKit integration is still being developed and is available as a public beta for now. Available with between one and four light switches, the control panel features a touch screen display for controlling smart home devices, and for viewing live video feeds from your security cameras and video door bell.Īvailable in six colors, the device works with Alexa and Google Home, as well as Apple HomeKit, and devices from August, Ecobee, Honeywell, Lifx, Hue, Ring, Sonos, SmartThings, WP-Link and Wemo. The smart home controller by Brilliant is one of the most feature-packed HomeKit you can buy. Its feed can be viewed through your Apple TV, and with the new iOS 14 software update coming in the fall of 2020, all HomeKit cameras get new features like activity zones and facial recognition powered by tagged images in your Apple Photos library. Logitech Circle 2, now modular and weatherproof LogitechĪ smart security camera designed to be used inside or out, the weatherproof Logitech Circle 2 is a wired camera (so no batteries to worry about) and works with Apple HomeKit. These plugs can also be controlled when you are away from home, and can be set to operate on a timer. Try plugging a lamp into one for Siri-controlled lighting, or fit a fan to circulate the air whenever you ask. We have picked the iDevices Switch for this feature, but in reality any smart plug with the 'Works with Apple HomeKit' logo on the box will work in a near-identical way. Now, you can turn that device on or off with a tap of your iPhone, or by asking Siri. Fit one to a wall outlet, connect to to your Wi-Fi network, then plug anything you like into it. The smart plug is the perfect starting point for any smart home. Of course, the device also works as an Ultra HD TV and movie streamer with support for both Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision. Similarly, the Apple TV can be asked to show your video doorbell feed when it is rung.Īs we said above, the Apple TV can work as a HomeKit hub when you are away from home. However, its remote contains a microphone so you can speak to Siri and ask the Apple assistant to adjust the lights, or show a live feed from your security cameras on the TV. Strangely, the Apple TV doesn't yet have its own Home app for controlling your smart home. The HomePod also smartly switches audio playback from itself to your iPhone when you leave the home, and back again when you return, simply by holding one near the other for a moment. For instance, when someone rings your HomeKit-connected video doorbell, Siri on the HomePod will announce the fact, then tell you who is there, if their face is among those in your Photos image library.Īs well as being a convenient way to have Siri control your home, the HomePod is a top-notch speaker with greater performance than those offered by Amazon and Google/Nest. The HomePod isn't strictly needed to build a HomeKit system, but with software updates due out later in 2020 the speaker and its onboard Siri assistant will become more tightly integrated with your home. This article was first written in 2018 and has been freshly updated in August 2020 to include a wider range of HomeKit products.įirst, let's start with Apple's own devices. However, if you want to control your HomeKit system while away from home, you'll need to have either an Apple TV, HomePod or an iPad connected to your home Wi-Fi, which then performs as a hub. Unlike those two, you don't need to buy Apple's smart speaker - the HomePod - to use HomeKit, as speaking to Siri on your iPhone has exactly the same outcome. So, following on from our starter kit features on Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, it is Apple's time. Why your Apple HomeKit smart home doesn't need a HomePod.What is Apple HomeKit and how does it work?.It hasn't enjoyed the glitz and glamor of the iPhone, iPad or even the Apple Watch, but HomeKit has been around for longer than Alexa and Google Assistant, and can give you smart control of a huge range of devices and appliances, either by tapping on your iPhone and Watch, or by asking Siri on any Apple device. Although Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant are the most popular ways of making your home smarter, Apple, Siri and the company's HomeKit platform should not be discounted.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |