I just added a couple Yale Z-Wave locks to my house. They look great, and have the functionality I wanted. Unfortunately, they aren’t nearly as slick looking as these new deadbolts. Lose Your Keys. For Good.™ Introducing the slimmest electronic lock for your home; the Assure Lock SL. This sleek and modern touchscreen deadbolt allows homeowners to enjoy the convenience […]
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The ecobee4 fortold by Zatz Not Funny! has arrived. Well sort of – you can now pre-order the smart thermostat for $249 (or $313 to include two additonal sensors) with an expected ship date of May 15th. Not bad at all considering that it suports Amazon Alexa (saving you a Dot purchase) and includes a remote sensor. Be comfortable in […]
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I like Z-Wave. Compared to “smart” IOT IP devices, it usually just works – as long as you have a good home automation controller (HAC). In the past, when you did have a little trouble it was very difficult to figure out what was going on (usually range problem IME). Fortunately, there’s now a tool for installers or curious DIYers […]
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The Apple HomeKit ecosystem has been a bit sluggish (relative to other Apple kit), so it’s nice that their finally getting a camera via the D-Link Omna 180 Cam HD (DSH-C310). No word on price though… Full PR after the break. D-Link Unveils First Apple HomeKit Enabled Camera New D-Link® Omna™ 180 Cam HD Supports Apple’s Smart Home Ecosystem INTERNATIONAL […]
Read moreI’ve been leaning heavilty towards building a DIY NVR solution. If you’ve also thought about it, but weren’t quite sure where to start – this is a great guide, even if you opt not to go with the hardware they selected. Over the past few years, video surveillance has become increasingly popular in homes and businesses, and the reason for this […]
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Placing a tablet or similar “smart” device in, or on, a wall is a very popular way to get touchscreen control device around the house at a faction of the price of a proprietary, and less functional, alternative. Depending on your preference, iPad or iPod and budget you should be covered. PR attached
Read moreIf you have an Amazon Echo (or Echo Dot) you can now natively control your Logitech Harmony Smart Hub via a “Skill”. It is US only for the moment (suck), but I was able to have a brief play with it anyway (shhh). Overall, it’s nice that it’s there. But, lacks some of the flexibility avaiable with ha-bridge integration (e.g. […]
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As a fan of “smart” technology and cooking, I was immediately interested in the Loki thermometer when I heard about it. From what I understand the orb senses when your food is going to be ready and let’s you know that it’s time to take it off. Making it much easier to get the perfect, bloody (or not) meat. For […]
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People may poke fun at IoT and Smart Home, but these smart radiator valves are exactly the kind of thing that I think sell the home automation (HA) story. They increase efficiency, reduce the need to intervene, and provide useful feedback on what’s goin on in my home while potentially saving me money. Perfect. The valves are £59.99 and you […]
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Just finished reading the PR for DUNE HD’s upcoming Solo 4K player. WOW, there is a lot of information to be had. First off, the player itself looks fantastic. Small, lots of power, all the great stuff we’ve come to expect from DUNE HD’s “just plays” experience, and with DVB-T/T2 tuners and 2.5″ HDD for DVR support we have a […]
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