After a network hiccup caused his HomeKit-enabled smart thermostat to lose its network connection, Glenn Fleishman had to do tweaky network reconfiguration to get it to rejoin his Home setup.
Matter may be the biggest thing to happen to the world of home automation, but does it actually make a difference at the moment?
Over the years, Apple has quietly enhanced Home automations to take advantage of more sensors and let you automatically turn off automations. “Take Control of Apple Home Automation” author Josh Centers examines the new features.
It will take time to digest some of the more far-reaching features that Apple announced in its WWDC 2022 keynote, but many will likely make you—like us—immediately say, “It’s about time!”
Apple has released highly focused iOS 15.2.1 and iPadOS 15.2.1 updates to tackle two bugs and a nasty HomeKit vulnerability.
Adam Engst shares how he has significantly added to his HomeKit-based home automation system over the past year and muses about the true benefits of home automation. Hint: it’s not about making things physically easier.
The home automation partnership featuring Amazon, Apple, Google, and others is taking off, with an official name for its standard, an enormous list of partners, and a release timeframe.
If you garden, it’s time to think about starting seedlings indoors in many parts of the world. “Take Control of Apple Home Automation” author Josh Centers shows how you can use HomeKit to help.
You can use a home security camera without sending its video stream off to cloud storage that’s accessible by the camera’s maker—or anyone who can log into the account. Apple’s HomeKit Secure Video works with existing iCloud subscriptions and numerous third-party cameras. Glenn Fleishman, author of “Take Control of Home Security Cameras,” looks at HomeKit Secure Video’s strengths and weaknesses.
Apple may not be doing all that much with the Apple TV and tvOS, but it’s looking to extend its influence in the streaming media device world. Later this year, AirPlay 2 and HomeKit support are coming to the Roku platform to complement the Apple TV app.
Home security cameras are all the rage, but you have to start with the reason you want one in the first place. Do you want to record criminal behavior? Spot wildlife? Know your kids came in before midnight? It’s all about intent, and many people discover they have multiple overlapping desires.
Apple is teaming up with Amazon, Google, and the Zigbee Alliance to create an open-source, security-focused communication standard for smart home devices.
iOS 13.1 is here to fix numerous bugs in the short-lived iOS 13.0 and to provide some features that were missing from iOS 13’s initial release. Alas, there are still more features that Apple has pushed off to a future iOS update.
A number of video doorbells are on the market, but at the moment, none work with Apple’s HomeKit. A couple of companies announced future support for HomeKit and more products were announced at CES. But is HomeKit really critical for a doorbell?
Apple is opening up its TV ecosystem to rivals, bringing iTunes content and AirPlay to Samsung TVs, and AirPlay and HomeKit to others. “Take Control of Apple TV” author Josh Centers explores what this move could mean for the Apple TV.