Allison interviews Brandon Thweatt from j5create about their Matter-enabled Smart Plugs and new Thunderbolt 5 dock. Brandon starts by explaining that Matter allows smart devices made by different companies to interact with various home automation systems using a common standard. So Matter-enabled devices can be controlled through and work seamlessly across Apple, Android, and Alexa […]
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CES 2024: Aqara Smart Home Devices
Allison interviews Jennifer-Biana Gilman from Aqara about their extensive line of smart home devices which includes cameras, locks, controllers, lighting, sensors, hubs, and curtain controllers. Aqara is known for providing affordable products that support automations through their mobile app and are compatible with HomeKit, Alexa, Google Home, and IFTTT. For example, Aqara’s Camera Hub G3 […]
Continue readingCCATP #687 – Mikah Sargent on What Thread Means for the Internet of Things
In this week’s episode of Chit Chat Across the Pond, Mikah Sargent joins us to explain why he’s so excited about what the new technology called Thread is going to bring to the Internet of Things, or IoT. You may know Mikah from the awesome show Clockwise with Dan Moren, or perhaps iOS Today with […]
Continue readingInteraction with Home Assistants for People with Dysarthria
I find the whole topic of assistive tech fascinating, as you may have gathered by now. I know a lot more about assistive tech for the visually impaired than the other fields, and I’m trying to push myself to expand my horizons. At the CSUN Assistive Tech conference, I saw a talk that was way […]
Continue readingMeross MSG100 Smart Garage Door Opener Remote – by Jill from the North Woods
Meross Smart Garage Door Opener Remote Hi! This is Jill from the Northwoods. About two years ago I went to work with my garage door wide open. I came home and was panicked. Crime isn’t too bad near my house but there are a ton of crimes of opportunities here. I have a decent bike […]
Continue readingAmazon Echo Buds – by Marty Jencius
The Problem to be Solved I enjoy being one of those early adopters. It has provided me with boxes full of tech that I have tried and then never use again. It’s a bad habit, but one of a few that I still indulge in so cut me some slack. I did a lot of […]
Continue readingWyze Band – a $25 Watch, Exercise Tracker, Heart Rate Monitor, Sleep Tracker, Smart Home Controller & More – by Marty Jencius
It’s been twelve weeks since I have ventured away from my desktop computer, and through that whole time, my Apple Watch has sat neatly in its charger. Time, notifications, and text messages appear on my desktop, so why do I need to wear a watch? So when Wyze sent me notification of their Wyze Band, […]
Continue readingSecurity Bits – 10 August 2019
Security Medium 1 — Human Review of Voice Assistant Recordings The Guardian newspaper started what turned out to be a far-ranging controversy be reporting that when Apple said they kept anonymised Siri recordings for analysis, that analysis included grading by human beings. Specifically, by outside contractors.
Continue readingQuality Smart Lights That Won’t Break the Bank by Joe Dugandzic
Joe Dugandzic of Smarter Home Life If you’ve been avoiding jumping into the smart lighting world because the products always seem to cost an entire paycheck, I may have the solution for you. In fact, one of the top questions I get from viewers, is “why is smart lighting so expensive?” Well, like other smart […]
Continue readingCCATP #532 – Joe Dugandzic Answers NosillaCastaways’ Home Automation Questions
Joe Dugandzic of smarterhomelife.com joins us again, this time in a crossover episode. We start by him asking me to describe my progression in Home Automation from my first smart lightbulb to the more advanced capabilities Steve and I enjoy today. But then we turn the table around and I ask Joe a series of […]
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