On our most recent IoT Podcast episode, Dean called in to our podcast hotline with a question about having his Nest thermostat automatically turn on when he gets near his home. He used to use IFTTT for this, but it no longer works. He’s wondering how … [Read more...]
Apple HomePod mini review: A good option for iOS and HomeKit smart homes
Until recently, if you wanted Siri in a smart speaker, you had to pay several hundreds of dollars to choose from one and only one option: Apple’s HomePod. Last month, the $99 Apple HomePod mini became available, providing a second, less-expensive … [Read more...]
Without a phone of its own, Amazon’s Alexa on the go isn’t going anywhere
We often talk about the three main voice assistant platforms, Amazon’s Alexa, Apple’s Siri and the Google Assistant. They’re generally all the same to most people, right? I’d counter that there’s a massive difference between Alexa and its digital … [Read more...]
Amazon Echo Frames reviewed: Are they worth the price?
Last year, Amazon introduced its smart glasses product, the Echo Frames. They’re still a bit of a work in progress and you can only get them by requesting an invite, which Amazon has to approve. My invite was recently accepted so after we spent the … [Read more...]
IoT sensors, machine learning and chips were the real stars of Apple’s WWDC 2020
While watching the virtual Apple WorldWide Developer Conference on Monday, I imagined that if people were actually at the event, they’d be oohing and aahing over new software for iOS and Mac devices. I wasn’t. Well not quite. Instead, I was … [Read more...]