The Best Smart Home Systems: Unify and Automate Your Devices
Dec 2, 2024 · (Image credit: Amazon) Amazon Alexa. Amazon’s Alexa digital assistant appeared on the original Amazon Echo smart speaker in 2014, and has since spread its wings to a plethora of speakers and other devices. You’ll get the best Alexa experience if you use a native Amazon Echo speaker, but Alexa now also appears on a host of gadgets without the Amazon label as well.
The Ultimate Zigbee Guide: Everything You Need to Know - The …
Nov 27, 2024 · It's a big deal in the smart home space so get yourself clued up. Syncing up all the top smart home devices isn’t easy, and it requires a common language to bind together a wealth of tech from different manufacturers.
The Best Streaming Sticks and Devices for Your Smart TV - The …
Nov 6, 2024 · (Image credit: The Ambient) Amongst the barrage of new devices that Amazon unveiled at its big Devices & Services event at the end of last year was the company’s latest assault on the streaming stick market: the 2nd-gen Fire TV Stick 4K Max.
Homebridge guide: How to make everything HomeKit-compatible …
Oct 14, 2024 · Alternatively, you can install Homebridge on a desktop machine if you’re testing or don’t have a Pi. For a Raspberry Pi, refer to the official Homebridge Raspberry Pi installation guide for the initial setup, then head to the Homebridge GitHub page for installation instructions.. For other systems (Windows/macOS/Linux), you’ll need the latest version of Node.js, which you can download here.
The best smart home buttons for automations, controls, routines …
Feb 20, 2024 · Sure, you could ask Alexa or the Google Assistant to kick start these routines and control your smart devices, but sometimes it’s so much easier to just push a button – especially as you can strategically place them (and move them) around the house to where they will be most useful.. Plus, a lot of smart buttons – including the likes of Hue and Flic – …
Apple HomeKit: Everything you need to know about living in an …
Oct 2, 2024 · Your comprehensive guide to the Home app, best HomeKit tech, and more. HomeKit is Apple’s smart home system, offering a platform for users of its iOS devices to take control of their connected home.. Actually, getting technical for a moment, HomeKit is actually a software framework and communication protocol developed by Apple, you won’t see a HomeKit app on your iPhone or iPad.
Z-Wave explained: What is Z-Wave and why is it important for …
Aug 22, 2024 · (Image credit: Silicon Labs) Z-Wave was born from an idea by Danish company Zensys in 1999, it came to the US in 2002. Z-Wave, like Zigbee, is a wireless protocol that essentially focuses on connectivity within the smart home.
Amazon Music Unlimited guide: Everything to know about the …
Nov 25, 2024 · No surprise, Amazon's music service gels nicely with Alexa and HD is now standard. Amazon Music Unlimited can sometimes be portrayed as an also-ran in the music streaming wars – it’s not quite got the brand clout of Spotify or the style of Apple Music but, with 100 million songs on offer, and more than 55 million …
Roborocks compared: S8, S7, S6, MaxV, Ultra, Pro, Plus ... - The …
Nov 28, 2024 · The Roborock S Series. Roborock’s S Series is where its flagships and top-dogs live. The original Roborock S model, which actually wore Xiaomi branding, went live in 2016 and the Roborock S4 was one of the first robo cleaners we reviewed here on The Ambient, back in 2019.. The S Series is known for their advanced features and powerful performance, with Roborock often introducing cutting edge ...
Is Alexa always listening? Is your smart speaker spying on you?
Feb 14, 2024 · Alexa and targeted adverts. However, just because – officially, at least – Amazon isn’t listening in so it can bombard you with targeted ads from your regular conversations in earshot of an Alexa speaker, that doesn’t mean that tailored ads aren’t part of the Alexa setup.