The Smart Home Show

Inspired by a listener's question, Adam and Richard go back to basics in this episode and explain some fundamental concepts about smart home technology. Including: What is a smart home? What's a platform? What's a standard? What's the difference between a "warm" light and a "soft" one? And how does a smart device know how to do anything?

Previously...

- Insteon Goes Dark & Cloud vs. Local https://www.smarthome.fm/episodes/208-insteon

- Hubs and Bridges https://www.smarthome.fm/episodes/180

Have questions or feedback for us? Send it to [email protected].

Adam and Richard brainstorm what their dream smart homes would look like, if money were no object but technology advanced in a realistic way. They discuss the ideal state of voice assistants, lighting, window treatments, security systems, A/V equipment, home robotics, and more. Also: Should you AirTag your baby? (No.)

Have questions or feedback for us? Send it to [email protected].

Adam and Richard continue their discussion of Richard's recent move to a new home. Richard explains the first devices he chose to set up, why he intentionally dragged his feet on some devices, and the mistakes he made with his existing Ring and Hue accounts. He also shares some advice for installing Zigby devices that may save you a huge amount of time, and a hack he discovered for making Sonos speakers - including first-gen ones - work in a HomePod-powered home. Plus: The smart home industry's "holding pattern" as everyone waits for Matter to drop.

Have questions or feedback for us? Send it to [email protected].

Smartlabs, the company behind smarthome.com and Insteon smart home products, has shuttered operations. On today's show, Adam and Richard discuss how that sudden shutdown has impacted both manufacturers and consumers, and the trade-offs of communicating locally vs. over a proprietary cloud.

Have questions or feedback for us? Send it to [email protected].

Adam and Richard are back to discuss Richard's move to a new state, which required him to also decide which of his more than 100 connected devices would make the move, and which would be left behind. He talks about how he decided what would make the cut, and explains the settings that needed to be adjusted or turned off in both sets of devices, because "it's not as simple as unplug and go." Plus: The annoyances Richard ran into that device makers should learn from.

Have questions or feedback for us? Send it to [email protected].

Adam and Richard catch up with Seth Johnson for the 2021 Technology.FM Fireside chat

Have questions or feedback for us? Send it to [email protected].

Adam, Richard, and The Verge's Smart Home reviewer Jennifer Pattison Tuohy talk about the next-gen smart home standard Matter, previously known as Project CHIP. They explain what it is, why there's some cause for optimism that this will be the one standard to rule them all - and also who's currently missing, and what important questions have not been answered yet. They also talk about Athom's reinvented Homey platform, and settle the most important debate of all: Is candy corn bad or good?

Have questions or feedback for us? Send it to [email protected].

Adam and Richard are joined by Tom Flippin from Wayne Water Systems to talk about the Basement Guardian Halo, which Wayne developed with Adam's company ConnectSense. The Halo is a smarter sump pump - a device many homeowners don't see or think about until it fails catastrophically. The trio discusses what a sump pump does, how Wayne and ConnectSense thought about the ways hooking one up to the smart home could save consumers money and stress, and who the Halo is for. Plus: Adam and Richard talk about the Apple products they bought after last week's event, and answer a question from Bob H. about outdoor motion sensors.

Buy the Basement Guardian Halo at https://www.waynepumps.com/product/basement-guardian-halo/

Have questions or feedback for us? Send it to [email protected].

Last month was Richard's annual recap, and now it's Adam's turn to talk about the smart home projects he has taken on over the past year, including the Sonos Roam, new lights and cameras from Ring, an amazing 3D printer, the Harmony Elite remote, and more of Apple's HomePod Minis. Adam also talks about his "list of shame," gadgets he has purchased and projects he has meant to start that have so far gone unattended. Plus: How do Richard and Adam feel about the new Star Wars hotel at Disney World, what are the best alternatives to the Chamberlain MyQ garage door opener?

Have questions or feedback for us? Send it to [email protected].

Adam and Richard talk about all the smart home projects Richard has taken on over the past year, including several attempts to install a decorative flickering light, outdoor lighting, motion sensor switches, and outfitting his new vacation rental home. Then, Richard talks about the products he's been testing recently, including smart roller shades, the Abode Iota security system, and the Philips Smart Button. Plus: How concerned should consumers be about the privacy policies of Google, Amazon, Apple, and Facebook, and what advice do Adam and Richard have for aspiring podcasters?

Have questions or feedback for us? Send it to [email protected].

Adam and Richard talk about the numerous Smart Home-adjacent announcements Apple made at WWDC21, including updates to Siri, the Home app, and HomeKit Secure Video. They also discuss the "homeOS" rumors, Apple's participation in the device standard Matter (previously known as Project CHIP), and the announcements Apple didn't make that they're disappointed are still missing. Plus: A listener question about HomeBridge.

Have questions or feedback for us? Send it to [email protected].

To celebrate The Smart Home Show's 200th episode, Adam and Richard welcome back the Show's creator and original host, Mike Wolf. The trio discusses Apple's announcements from its Spring Loaded event last week, including the rainbow-colored M1 iMacs and the new 4K Apple TV. Then, they reflect on how much the smart home space has changed since Wolf started this podcast in 2014, and they predict how it will continue to evolve in the near future.

Have questions or feedback for us? Send it to [email protected].

This week Adam & Richard welcome back Dan Seifert from The Verge to talk all about the Video Doorbells! They discuss some of the high-end models as well as what they would like to see in this category in the future.

Have questions or feedback for us? Send it to [email protected].

This week Adam & Richard are joined by Rob Martens from Allegion, they catch up on what Allegion is up to in the Smart Home space as well as talk about the future of the smart home and what's holding us back from realizing its full potential.

Have questions or feedback for us? Send it to [email protected].

Adam & Richard talk about Wink's recent issues as well as their troubled past and give some suggestions of what listeners might want to use to replace it. via Knit

Adam & Richard catch up to talk about virtual CES 2021 and what the trends were that surrounded this years show. via Knit

On this 2020 edition of the Holiday Fireside chat Adam & Richard are joined again by two special guests, Seth Johnson & Jason Griffing hosts of the HomeTech Podcast. Everyone shares their unique perspectives on the biggest stores in Smart Home this year as well as sharing their predictions for what 2021 holds. via Knit

Adam & Richard catch up with our old friend Mike Wolf to talk about all things Smart Kitchen and what has been going on in that space. via Knit

Adam & Richard talk about the newly announced HomePod Mini as well as discuss what they did to prep their homes for vacation. via Knit

Adam & Richard talk about two new ConnectSense products that were recently released as well as about all the new products announced by Amazon, Ring and Eero via Knit

Adam & Richard are joined by Executive Director of the Z-Wave alliance Mitch Klein to talk about the state of Z-Wave and where it is headed via Knit

Adam & Richard are joined by Youtuber Eric Welander to discuss Homebridge and HOOBS via Knit

Adam & Richard revisit what smart home technology Adam uses in his own home and what's changed since we talked about this last via Knit

Adam & Richard revisit what smart home technology Richard uses in his own home and what's changed since they talked about this last year. via Knit

Adam & Richard talk about Google's recent virtual Smart Home summit via Knit

Looking back at Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference, we have a clear draft winner! Apple introduced some nice HomeKit enhancements, including new features for lighting, cameras, and Apple TV devices. via Knit

Adam & Richard participate in their third annual competition predicting what will take place next week at WWDC. Each draft HomeKit and related technologies and discuss what they think will be announced at WWDC 2020. See SmartHome.FM for show notes and the full list of picks. via Knit

Adam & Richard dive deep into the three major smart home digital assistant platforms and talk about their capabilities, intricacies, technologies, and differences. via Knit

Adam & Richard revisit some of the subjects discussed over the last year of hosting The Smart Home Show. Additionally, they discuss how COVID-19 may affect the smart home industry. via Knit

Adam & Richard talk about Smart Switches vs Bulbs, the different types of each and scenarios where you want to use each. Additionally they discuss how they use these in their own homes and what they typically recommend to others. via Knit

Adam & Richard talk about ideas for improving your smart home while spending a little extra time at home. They also discuss some of the smart home projects they are planning on taking on in the coming weeks. via Knit

Adam & Richard discuss Hubs and bridges, the difference between the two and how they are used in the smart home space. Additionally they debate the pros and cons of using bridges and hubs. via Knit

Adam and Richard join Dan Vincent and Jake Pugh from Icon Garden plus Zac Hall from 9to5Mac for a roundtable discussion on the state of HomeKit. via Knit

Adam & Richard welcome special guest Josh Clark to discuss smart home product end of life and the saga going on lately with Sonos via Knit

Adam & Richard talk live from the show floor at CES 2020 about some of their favorite things that they saw at the show as well as some of the trends seen at CES this year. via Knit

Adam & Richard join the hosts of Hometech.FM for the fifth annual Technology.FM Fireside Chat. What were the most important stories of 2019, and what are they all most looking forward to in 2020? via Knit

Adam & Richard discuss ConnectSense's new Smart In-Wall Outlet, digging into the origins of the product and its features as well as discussing the process of launching a smart home product via Knit

Adam & Richard discuss common Smart Home issues and how to troubleshoot them as well as tips and tricks for keeping your smart home working optimally. via Knit

Adam & Richard discuss smart home device pricing including a discussion on new low cost hardware providers as well as a deep discussion on what makes up the cost of a smart home device. via Knit

Adam & Richard welcome special guest Dan Seifert from the Verge to talk all about Amazons fall event and all the new hardware and services announced. via Knit

Adam & Richard discuss CEDIA 2019 and an exciting new technology with interesting uses in the smart home. via Knit

Adam & Richard discuss the professional and DIY markets for smart home products. via Knit

Adam & Richard are joined by special guest Steve Sanders to talk about Adam & Steves recent visit to Mountain View for the Google Smart Home Summit. via Knit

Adam & Richard discuss what devices Adam has currently in his smart home that he uses in his every day life. via Knit

Adam & Richard discuss what devices Richard has currently in his smart home that he uses in his every day life. via Knit

Adam & Richard discuss what's going on in the outdoors with smart home products for irrigation and lighting.

Links:

https://homekittalk.co/join/ via Knit

Adam & Richard Discuss Point players vs Ecosystem plays as well as who is winning in the Smart Home.

Show Links::

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pocket_Rockers via Knit

Adam Justice and Richard Gunther are joined by special guest Rene Ritchie from iMore to discuss all the HomeKit related announcements at WWDC 2019.

Topics include:

-HomeKit Secure Video

-Privacy & Security

-HomeKit Enabled Routers

-HomeKit & Catalyst/Marzipan

-Automation Improvements, HomeKit + Shortcuts

-Automating HomePod/AirPlay 2

Show Links:

CNet HomeKit WWDC 2019 Coverage

https://www.cnet.com/news/apple-homekit-security-features-come-routers-cameras-wwdc-2019

HomeKit Router UI via KhaosT on Twitter

https://twitter.com/KhaosT/status/1135828579931967488/

Adam's MegaThread of new Home App UI

https://twitter.com/adamjustice/status/1135665099065061376?s=21

HomeKit Automations in Shortcuts via Aaron Pearce on twitter

https://twitter.com/aaron_pearce/status/1135683314184929280?s=21 via Knit

<P>

Adam Justice and Richard Gunther prepare for Apple's annual World Wide Developer Conference (WWDC) with a review of the history and current state of HomeKit. How has it evolved over the five years (five years!) since it was first introduced, where can it stand to improve, and how do Adam and Richard think Apple will enhance it this year? Will we see state-of-the-art improvements to Siri? Will HomePod become more useful? Will Marzipan ruin Mac apps?

</P>

<P>

These topics and other rumors make for some great discussion this week. But they'll also get the real scoop after the conference, when Adam and Richard follow up with the next episode, recorded on site at WWDC.

</P>

<P>Show Links</P>

<UL>

<li><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-05-06/apple-wwdc-2019-ios-13-macos-10-15-watchos-6-tvos-features">Apple to Reveal New Home-Grown Apps, Software Features at WWDC</a></li>

<li><a href="https://9to5mac.com/2019/05/13/ring-video-doorbell-homekit/">Amazon's Ring may soon release doorbell and camera HomeKit support after years of promises</a></li>

<li><a href="http://connectedhome.fm/wwdc-2018-hk-draft">The Connected Home Show #4: WWDC 2018 HomeKit Draft</a></li>

<li><a href="https://join.slack.com/t/homekittalk/shared_invite/enQtMzA2NzkzMDQ5Mzk5LWZhOWRiOWVhYmM2ZDc4N2JkOWJkZDlkNTI1OWIzZGYwNDY5MzQyNGI2NDY4NWVkNmI3MjgyNmFlNmRhYWViYjI">HomeKit Talk Slack</a></li>

<li><a href="https://aaronpearce.com/">Aaron Pierce's apps</a></li>

</UL> via Knit

-Google Home Hub

https://store.google.com/us/product/google_nest_hub?hl=en-US

-Nest Hub Max

https://store.google.com/us/product/google_nest_hub_max?hl=en-US

-New Branding Google Nest

-New Device Google Nest Hub Max

-Added Built in Nest Cam

-Gesture Recognition

-Bigger display

-Person recognition

-Better Speakers - Sub built in

-$229

-State of where things are at with Google Assistant in the Smart Home Space today

-Playing catchup to Amazon but investing heavily and moving fast

-Heavy investment in CES

-More integrations with more vendors

-How many devices in Adam's home are integrated

-What's missing?

-No ring - feels glaring

https://www.techhive.com/article/3332143/rings-founder-says-hes-open-to-working-with-google-assistant.html

-No Moen (Announced) / No Delta Faucet support, either

-No TiVo

-No Rachio

-Schlage - has integration but can't run simultaneously with HomeKit

-Very quick response time

-Voice understanding is good

-Wake word

-Robotic John Legend

-State reporting requirement

-Feels like moving towards something bigger

-Model for creating new types of devices

-Have worked with all 3 major ecosystems now in adding new device types

-Apple has device types they need to create and release

-Amazon has new model for this called Alexa Primitives

https://developer.amazon.com/blogs/alexa/post/acf7689b-f118-469e-b452-0c4da8d3e61a/new-alexa-smart-home-developer-tools-enable-seamless-voice-control-of-any-device-and-any-feature

-Great talk about this at ReInvent last year

https://youtu.be/KQuMrfePbDQ

-Google has an almost Lego like approach to this, where they have created all the pieces and you can put them together in a way to represent your device

-Much more extensible

-Requires less time and work from them via Knit

* Where are we seeing cross-over?

* Samsung SmartThings

* Echo devices

* Dash replenishment services

* What are the use cases/value propositions?

* Is this ready for prime time?

* Seems like early days

* Can the tech survive (aka "don't brick my fridge")

* What would this look like ideally?

Wake of defunct services and devices

* Recent shutdowns/pivots

* Lowe's / Lowe's Smart Home powered by b8ta

* Cortana

* Stringify

* Past shutdowns

* Connected by TCP

* Staples Connect

* Revolv

* Dead men walking

* Zuli plugs

* Keen Home

* Wink

* Is this just the natural course of things?

* Won't this scare off interested consumers?

* What can be done to minimize exposure? via Knit

If you've paid any attention to home robotics over the past decade, you've probably noticed one thing: all home robots are basically single function devices that vacuum our rugs or roll around on the floor.

But Misty Robotics' Tim Enwall hopes to change that. You may remember Tim from his days as CEO of Revolv, the company behind the super hub that included seven radios. After spending a couple years at Nest after they acquired Revolv, he made his way over to another Boulder, Colorado company in Sphero to head up the company's home robot spinout.

You can find out more about Misty Robotics at www.mistyrobotics.com

As always, check out more podcasts and our coverage of the future of the connected kitchen at The Spoon: www.thespoon.tech via Knit

Back in 2014, Shaun Moore and his cofounder started selling a consumer video doorbell called Chui with facial recognition and detection technology. Eventually they realized the future of the company was not in doorbells, but in developing robust facial recognition/detection technology that could be applied to a variety of scenarios.

Shaun talks about those early days, the competitive video doorbell market, the pivot to becoming an enterprise facial recognition/detection technology provider and the future where your face is your key.

You can find out more at www.trueface.ai

As always, find more podcasts at www.thespoon.tech via Knit

I caught up by phone with Adam Justice from WWDC to talk about what we learned this week about Apple's smart home efforts. We talk about:

-Updates to HomeKit, including software authentication, NFC pairing, new event triggers

-The overall showing of HomeKit and how this is the most important WWDC for HomeKit since it was launched in 2014

-What happened with Siri

-The HomePod: We talk about Apple's new smart speaker and how it compares to Amazon Echo

-Plus lots more!

Listen in to get caught up on all that was discussed at WWDC this week! via Knit

Apple's big developer conference is just three days away, and so it's time to make some predictions. Mike gets together with his old friend Adam Justice from Connectsense to discuss what we can expect this coming Monday from Apple on the smart home front.

Topics discussed include:

-Whether Apple will release a Siri speaker

-Possible features of a Siri speaker, such as camera, touchscreen, HomeKit capabilities and more

-What to expect for HomeKit

-How Apple could improve the Home app

-What to expect for Siri at the show

And more. Have a listen!

Check out www.thespoon.tech for written updates on Monday/Tuesday. Also, don't forget to check out Adam's company at www.connectsense.com. via Knit

In this episode, Mike looks at Andy Rubin's new smart home platform, Essential Home. Rubin believes he can eliminate all the friction and fragmentation consumers face today with all the various platforms by focusing on integration. He's created a smart home platform that plans to play nice with other platforms and hopefully get us out of a seemingly endless world of smart home apps and interfaces.

Our guest in this episode is Pawel Orzechowski, the Director of Systems Software at Neato Robotics. We talk about how Neato's robots work with the smart home, how they are working towards new features and we look at why they decided to integrate their robots with a Facebook Messenger chatbot. via Knit

In this solo-pod, Mike gives his first impressions of the Echo Show.

That's right, a Show about the Show. An Echo Show Show.

You get the picture. Enjoy.

See his thoughts on the Show at The Spoon: www.thespoon.tech via Knit

This week's guest is Home:On's Richard Gunther.

Richard and I discuss the Bloomberg story about Juicero that showed you can bypass the company's $400 juicer and squeeze the Juicero packs with your hands. We also talk about the ongoing Zonoff-Ring story, the acquisition of iDevices by Hubbell, IKEA's smart lights and the August Z-Wave lock. via Knit

When we think about the smart home, most of us think about what is doable today. But what will new homes and neighborhoods look like twenty five, fifty, hundred years from now as we face a world of dwindling resources? That's what my guest James Ehrlich thinks about every single day. James is a former video game entrepreneur turned successful TV documentary producer turned CEO of Regen Villages, a company that is building the 'Tesla of Ecovillages'. James and I talk about how our homes and neighborhoods will evolve to become interconnected and self-sustaining - what James calls 'regenerative' - in the future.

You can learn more about what James is doing at www.regenvillages.com via Knit

Mike sits in with Jamie Smith, the CIO of Servicemaster, one of the biggest providers of critical home services such as disaster recovery, pest control and home warranty services. Mike and Jamie talk about how the smart home will change these businesses and what Servicemaster is doing today to modernize their services with IoT.

Check out this and more episodes of the Smart Home Show at www.thespoon.tech via Knit