Rumors are percolating about Apple creating a home command center for launch next year. According to Mark Gurman, it’s roughly a six-inch square iPad that you hang on the wall, allowing you to control your HomeKit devices and other helpful home command center-y type work.…
Continue reading →Posts Tagged → home automation
Setting Up an Aqara TVOC Sensor (MacSparky Labs)
I bought stuff! Watch me unpack, setup, and install an Aqara TVOC sensor. Want to get data on your phone about the temperature, humidity, and air quality? Then this is for you…
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Home Assistant with Rosemary Orchard (MacSparky Labs
I recently purchased a Home Assistant Yellow, a Raspberry Pi-based piece of gear to let you control just about any home automation product on the market. So I did an extended video with Rosemary Orchard, who’s been running Home Assistant for some time, where she showed me how to set it up and the ropes of running it…
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Using the Aqara Leak Detector (MacSparky Labs)
I’ve been using these $20 leak detectors now for about six months and I’m really happy with them (except that it also required me to purchase an additional hub). This video explains how to set them up and how they work.…
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Unifying Home Automation with CHIP
I wrote a few days ago about Logitech canceling the Harmony remote. The problem continues to be all the differing protocols for home automation. One solution may be the Connected Home over IP (CHIP) protocol, engineered jointly by Apple, Amazon, and Google. We’re now…
Continue reading →Apple Home Kit
The Verge did a nice post-CES write up on the state of Home Kit. In principle, it sounds pretty appealing to me as an Apple device user. It also sounds like it isn’t completely ready yet either. I’ve been a little surprised at how…
Continue reading →Nest Protect
Today Nest announced its new product, the Nest Protect. It is a combination smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm that received the same love and attention the Nest thermostat did. It has an app and connects to your WiFi. It gives you a warning…
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