Category: Home Automation

Three months with the Sensibo Air + Room Sensor air conditioner controller

It's been almost three months since I've moved into my new place and one of the first things I knew I wanted to do was install smart controls and automation for the air conditioning system(s). As it was the height of summer in Australia the idea of being able to pre-cool the house before my … Continue reading Three months with the Sensibo Air + Room Sensor air conditioner controller

Spotify rolls out its own hands-free voice assistant on iOS and Android

It’s great to see another player beyond the Apple/Google/Samsung consumer electronic hegemony launch a niche hardware product. We hope they gain the momentum to roll this device out to other markets beyond the US. https://www.engadget.com/spotify-hands-free-voice-assistant-ios-and-android-164319818.html

Voice Tech in 2020

TechCrunch shared their predictions for what will happen in the Voice Tech space for the rest of 2020. As usual, they provide some very interesting insights that should at least give you pause Their main insights include: → Niche assistants such as Aider that provide back-office support.→ Branded in-house assistants such as those offered by BBC and … Continue reading Voice Tech in 2020

Personal Automation Hack #14: Buy some NFC tags

Often forgotten by smarthome users as part of their automation arsenal, NFC stickers should be considered as a smart (pardon the pun) way to integrate another channel into your personal automation setup. NFC tags, the small, usually round or square-shaped stickers or fobs that contain small embedded microchips. They are passive objects, meaning which they … Continue reading Personal Automation Hack #14: Buy some NFC tags