TP-Link’s Deco M9 Plus

The Deco M9 Plus (great naming guys) is the Wi-Fi system I’ve dreamed of. While their description is meant to sell me on it, it sounds like the perfect solution for the smart home. I’ve mentioned how we need a standard for smart home bridges. Just buy one bridge and get the actual appliances for cheaper. For example, to get a Phillips Hue system to work, you need a special Hue bridge that will run you at least $100 and a light bulb that could be as cheap as $12. Imagine skipping the bridge for each individual brand so you aren’t stuck with that brand until you buy a new bridge. This device is a mesh Wi-Fi system with a smart home hub. This is specifically designed to help keep more devices connected at once, which has been an issue with many smart home setups. The Deco M9 Plus costs $299.99 in a 2-pack and $179.99 in a 1-pack.

HomeKit Bridges

HomeKit bridges are the devices that keep HomeKit appliances connected to the WiFi network. If you have multiple brands of devices, you may have multiple bridges. Some devices don’t use bridges. I think Apple should move towards making a new standard for HomeKit by giving developers the option to let devices connect to Apple TV as a bridge using a custom, universal protocol. This way, we would likely get more stability updates. Apple TV already works with HomeKit in that it lets you control your devices away from home. I’ve seen too many bridges that aren’t reliable enough, so seeing a standard for bridges would help smart homes move forward. 

Ring Smart Doorbell Price Drop

Ring was recently acquired by Amazon and, as a result, Amazon has discounted the entry-level Ring Video Doorbell. Down from $149, the video doorbell is now just $99. Ring Video Doorbells allow the user to get notifications when your doorbell has been rung and lets you see and talk to whoever is at the door. These doorbells are often used as a crime deterrent. In addition, Ring is still promising HomeKit support for Apple users. The entry-level Ring Video Doorbell is available from Amazon for $99 [Affiliate Link].

Belkin Finally Releasing Wemo Bridge

Over a half of a year ago, we saw Wemo's first official steps toward HomeKit. The Wemo Bridge was the solution. It was slated for a fall 2017 release. We haven't had word on it, until today. Belkin is finally releasing this, allowing Wemo users new and old take advantage of HomeKit and their line of smart devices. It costs $39.99 and will be available from a variety of retailers on January 8.

Update: It is now available from Amazon for $39.99 with Prime [Direct Link].

Note: This page includes affiliate links that may benefit Tech Talk 4 Geeks by clicking on them.

Embedded Smart Outlets

One of the most annoying parts of smart outlets it how bulky they are. Typically, they take up way too much space. However, ConnectSense is debuting a new HomeKit enabled smart outlet. It’s called the Smart In-Wall Outlet. You can replace a normal outlet with this, so there’s less space taken up. Each outlet is controlled independently. They both have power usage statistics and know when something is plugged in. I’ve been waiting for something like this for a while. The only real downside is that it’s pretty much permanent. I use a smart outlet for a Christmas tree and I move the outlet to another appliance for the rest of the year. Despite that, this may be an important device for the new smart home market, where home builders build a house with these devices in mind. The Smart In-Wall Outlet will be available later in 2018.

Apple Fixes Major HomeKit Vulnerability

According to 9to5Mac, Apple has fixed a major vulnerability in HomeKit, which would allow unauthorized access to devices. This vulnerability was introduced in iOS 11.2. This is temporarily disabling shared access to HomeKit accessories, but access will be restored early next week. As we move into a world where our lightbulbs need security updates, it's a scary thought how unauthorized access can become a real issue for consumers.

Wemo and HomeKit

Belkin has finally announced their solution to connecting Wemo devices to HomeKit. It's called the Wemo Bridge. It's a standard bridge that will enable HomeKit functionality, similar to Homebridge, the Raspberry Pi plugin for HomeKit (which I've used for several months for my Wemo devices). No pricing has been announced yet, but it is expected to ship this fall.

The Future of the Home App

With a Siri speaker coming at WWDC, it's time to take a look of what the future could hold for the Home app. The Home app does a lot of things right, for those who use it. But there's a lot that could still be improved.

First off, I believe that more devices should be added to this app. As the main hub for home control, I think adding devices like an Apple TV would be very beneficial. I can turn on my lights as I use a digital remote. The two can interact and can set my "Theater Mode" scene when I use my Apple TV. This could be expanded with an API too. For example, a digital picture frame could have its picture changed from the app. Turn on a gaming console or a TV.

Homes are generally shared by families. So when I tell Siri to set my "Good Night" scene, I don't expect it to turn off my parent's lights too. If I leave my house, I don't want my "Leave Home" scene to enable unless no one is in the house. Each person the house is shared with should have their own scenes. In addition, there needs to be a way to make sure the scenes aren't affecting other people in the house.

When I get home, I want my fan to turn on, but only if the temperature is high enough. Conditional scenes would be amazing. Using factors like weather to determine what should be turned on or off would be amazing. Scenes and automation should incorporate different parameters and triggers.

Speaking of scenes, we need more icons. There are only 12 and five of them are just variations of the same house. More icons means more inspiration. Maybe a work, reading, or gaming icon? Seems easy enough.

Finally, indoor mapping. A couple years ago, Apple quietly released an Indoor Survey app, which has since been removed. It was made to map out the inside of a building. Personally, I think it would be amazing to see if scenes and lights could be activated with this technology, without camera-based sensors or iBeacon.

Anyways, that's my "Wish List" for Home and HomeKit at WWDC this year. We will most likely be seeing some improvements to the app, and I will welcome them with open arms. I use HomeKit everyday and can only hope it gets better.

C by GE Will Add HomeKit

This Summer, General Electric's C-Life and C-Sleep lightbulbs will receive HomeKit this summer. "Wow, Alex. You're really desperate for a post today aren't you?" 1. Yes. 2. There is some substance to this though. GE is expected to drop out of the light bulb business. Keep in mind that GE was founded by Thomas Edison and had the first consumer light bulb on the market. This begs the question: Will GE truly get rid of their bulb line or is their "C by GE" collection an evolution of the light bulb? If the latter, then that's truly a testament to how far light bulb technology has come.

First HomeKit-Enabled Homes in San Jose On Sale

As if it wasn't expensive enough to live in the Bay Area, HomeKit-enabled homes have gone on sale in San Jose, California [Source: KRON4]. Everything has HomeKit integration. Locks, thermostats, fans, dimming lights, and blinds. It's the real deal. In addition, some power outlets have USB ports built-in. As cool as this is, it is notable that houses can't just be disposed of as easily as a smartphone. If any of these devices become obsolete, the homeowner will likely need to replace all of the appliances themselves.

WeberHaus Becomes First HomeKit Homebuilder in Europe

The smart home is quickly becoming a reality for many people. Homebuilder WeberHaus has announced that they will be the first HomeKit homebuilders in Europe. It's only a matter of time until more homebuilders catch onto the trend. Who knows what IKEA will do? Their first HomeKit houses will be available by the end of the year.

Apple's Home Film

Apple's Home app is quickly becoming integral to Apple's vision of a smart home. To promote this, Apple has released a film on their Home site. This video shows a woman using the Home app throughout her day. It's cool to see Apple's vision for a smart home enabled lifestyle.

Chamberlain Announces HomeKit-Enabled Garage Door Opener

Chamberlain has announced at CES 2017 that they will add HomeKit support for their existing and new garage door openers. This lets you give your garage door smartphone capabilities, by just adding a bridge or hub. It works with most garage door openers. Those who already have a MyQ garage door opener can add HomeKit support through a bridge for a special introductory price of $49.99, normally $69.99. This will be available in April 2017. New users who want to add support to their existing garage door can get their hub in July 2017, with a price yet to be announced.

Withings Announces First HomeKit Enabled Cameras

Having played with the HomeKit Accessory Simulator and having messed around with Raspberry Pis to act as HomeKit bridges, I've gotten to know how HomeKit works. I've seen what a security camera can look like in the Home app, but we've never really seen a supported camera. That is, until today. At CES 2017, Withings announced the Home Plus, their security camera with HomeKit capabilities. Their previous model, Home, will have HomeKit capabilities through a bridge that will be announced at a later date.

Theater Mode for iOS 10.3

According to Sonny Dickson, iOS 10.3 will release next month and there will be a new "Theatre Mode" coming to Control Center. This mode will be depicted with a popcorn icon. What this mode will do, no one can say. Could it be a new dark mode? It is worth noting that there is a scene icon in HomeKit that is a popcorn icon. I actually use this scene an already know it as "Theater Mode." I just spell it like that because 'Merica. Maybe this is a preset for HomeKit?

Siri on macOS Doesn't Support HomeKit

macOS Sierra was officially released to the public today. By far, the biggest update to macOS is Siri functionality. And with iOS getting a big push for HomeKit functionality, you might think that macOS would get the same treatment. Unfortunately, HomeKit does not work on macOS Sierra. Asking Siri to activate a HomeKit appliance will leave her to say, "Sorry, I can't help you with HomeKit here." Hopefully, this will be included in a future update. It doesn't seem to hard to implement. Most likely, we will see it eventually, just not now.

iOS 10: Control Center

iOS 10's new Control Center has had mixed reviews on it. However, there is a large advantage for those who use HomeKit enabled accessories. Using HomeKit will reveal a third page for Control Center. This page allows you to control your smart home devices from anywhere. There's no need to open a specific app or use Siri. It's kinda like having your own remote control where ever you are. This brings new meaning to the term "Control Center."

Image Credit: AppleInsider

iOS 10 Will Include HomeKit App

Currently, HomeKit is an API that has no app. Think if HealthKit didn't have a Health app and you had to ask Siri to tell you all of your health information. Apple plans to change this with the creation of a HomeKit app, or a Home app. This comes from an employee from the marketing department from Apple that wrote a review on Amazon. This reviewer says the next version of iOS will have this app. Hopefully, this rumor holds true.

"As I work in marketing for Apple, we test many Smart Home devices, especially for iOS HomeKit integration."

[...]

"The next version of iOS due this fall will have a standalone "HomeKit" app as well."

Dyson Releases Smartphone Enabled Fan

Continuing the trend of smart home appliances, Dyson released their first smartphone enabled fan, the Pure Cool Link. This is a big step for the 23 year old home appliance company. This fan can measure air quality, be controlled via the app, be scheduled, and adjust its settings based on temperature automatically. The Dyson Link app can be used to control the fan [Direct Link]. The only available Pure Cool Link model in the United States is a tower shaped fan. This version costs a hefty $499.99, but there is a smaller one available in other regions that's expected to cost $399.99 in the United States.

WeMo and HomeKit - Update

Over a year ago, I wrote about how I hoped that Belkin would integrate HomeKit into their WeMo line. I already had several WeMo devices in my house. In January 2015, Belkin said that HomeKit would be coming "in the very near future." Over a year later, Belkin has said that HomeKit compatibility is on hold. I would be mad about this is they didn't have a legitimate reason. They want to be able to have HomeKit compatibility with existing WeMo devices. Even with a software update, WeMo devices wouldn't be compatible. I'm glad to hear this because as a long time owner of these devices, I don't want to have to buy new WeMos and have to install them all. This will also give Apple time to fix HomeKit some more, as some have said that it can be buggy. Even though this is disappointing, it's good to hear that Belkin is at least on our side (unlike Fitbit).

"We've been trying to integrate with HomeKit for sometime, as you know, but as of yet have not found a way to make existing WeMo products work with HomeKit that fall within the Apple guidelines. HomeKit integration requires a specific hardware component - it cannot happen with just a software or firmware update - which means that we would have to make a separate line of HomeKit enabled WeMo products in addition to the ones already out on the market. This also means that all of the WeMo products you already own still wouldn't work with HomeKit and you would have to buy new ones in order to get compatibility. We have put HomeKit compatibility on hold until we can find a way to make it work for both new and existing users. We are sorry for the disappointing news."