Image used with permission by copyright holderIf you have a connected home featuring tons of smart devices, you probably also have a platform like the Amazon Echo, Google Home, or Samsung SmartThings to help you control all the units from one location. Mozilla, the creator of Firefox, has come up with a platform called Project Things that claims to let you control all those smart home devices from the web, by utilizing a Raspberry Pi to set up the network. Mozilla believes this self-created platform will give users more control and customization, so people don’t have to be tied to any one preset platform, such as the Amazon Echo.
With Project Things, users can build a gateway connecting their smart home products directly to the internet, with each unit then receiving its own URL. Users can then control these products using the web interface or via voice controls, although the latter is still in the experimental stage. Project Things lets you set up If This Then That commands to determine how your devices should interact, and you can even upload floor plans that show where the devices are located in your home.
Recommended Videos
As of now, Project Things only supports a small selection of smart home devices. A recent release just added the ability to support light dimmers and smart plugs, and Mozilla anticipates more add-ons to come in future releases.
Project Things is still considered a work in progress. “Please note that this is experimental pre-release software and at this prototype stage is not ready for production use. It is intended as an early preview for hackers, makers, and web developers to get their hands on with the Web of Things,” writes the company on its website.
If you’re interested in getting started with Project Things, Mozilla has guidelines on how to set up a network with the help of Raspberry Pi 3, which has built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support capabilities. Not familiar with Raspberry Pi? Another developer board such as an Arduino can suffice, and according to Mozilla, users also have the option to use a laptop or desktop computer. However, the company notes that Raspberry Pi 3 will “currently provide the best experience.
Home Depot’s Hubspace is a great way to start building your smart home
Building a smart home can be intimidating. Not only do you have to figure out which products are best for your needs, but you also need to set them up using an accompanying mobile app and sync them with the rest of your gadgets. It's all a bit confusing for smart home newcomers -- but Home Depot has largely streamlined the process with its Hubspace platform.
Billed as a "smart home platform that makes smart home products easy to set up and control," it sounds like a great fit for smart home newbies. And after going hands-on with a few products in its growing lineup, I can say it definitely hits all the right notes.
Streamlined and simple
Echo Hub vs. Echo Show 15: Which is the best smart home gadget?
The Echo Hub might look like a smart display, but it actually falls into a category of smart home products known as smart control panels. Unlike smart displays, which are jack-of-all-trades entertainment hubs, control panels are designed to give you enhanced control over the rest of your smart home. That's an important distinction, and it's one of the main differences between the Echo Hub and Echo Show 15.
But is the Echo Hub or Echo Show 15 better for your smart home? Here's everything you need to know before making a purchase.
Pricing and design
Amazon's first smart control panel, the Echo Hub, is officially here. It's not without a few quirks, but it offers a great way to access all your smart home gadgets in one unified location. Thousands of products can be connected to the panel, and with full Matter support, it's a relatively future-proofed device. If you're looking to get the most out of your new control panel, here's a look at the six best Echo Hub tips and tricks to optimize its performance.
Customize your Echo Hub home screen before you do anything else
There are tons of ways to modify your Echo Hub home screen. After syncing all your smart home devices, you can create a variety of tiles for the home screen that give you quick access to all your features. Take some time to create widgets, shortcuts, and other tiles for your most-used devices and actions, as it'll streamline your smart home and save you the hassle of digging through menus.
Check out all the privacy settings
Like all things Alexa, there are plenty of privacy settings for you to tinker with on the Echo Hub. While the control panel benefits from a microphone button and the option to delete voice recordings, you can also dig into other Alexa settings to ensure your privacy is respected.
Launch Routines directly from the Echo Hub
