Andrew O'Hara
In this week's episode of HomeKit Insider, working around initial HomeKit setup troubles, several user questions get answered, and we announce the winner of our Eve Cam giveaway.
Stephen Robles is out this week so Andrew has frequent AppleInsider podcast contributor William Gallagher join him for this super-sized episode. William has the start of a HomeKit home, but still much further to go, and some woes along the way. We talk about those next steps and possible additions that make sense for him and his wife.
We've also continued to received countless user questions so this week we answer queries from Andy Hopkins, Mads Thvilum, and Chris Heitchue.
Since the launch of the initial iOS and macOS betas we've continued to test, including a much deeper look at HomeCam for Mac. This episode we touch more on how that is shaping up and how excited we are for additional HomeKit apps to come to Mac.
Giveaway by Eve
In last week's episode, we announced a new giveaway of an incredible Eve Cam. We had countless entries but there can only be one winner, and he or she is revealed in the episode. Congratulations to the lucky winner, and thank you to Eve Systems for sponsoring the giveaway.
Not only did Eve sponsor that giveaway, they've also sponsored this week's episode of the podcast as well.
Recently they've launched that new Eve Cam which is a HomeKit Secure Video camera that allow you to keep an eye on your home around the clock while protecting your privacy at the same time. It doesn't collect any data, require any third-party accounts, everything is fully encrypted, and all data is processed locally in your home.
Your home hub will analyze footage and help you discern when it sees just one of your pets versus a person. It has a motion sensor which can be used to trigger other accessories and the camera can automatically switch to privacy mode when you arrive home.
The camera also has full 1080p resolution, night vision up to 5 meters away, 150-degree field of view, infrared motion sensor, and two-way communication. It also requires no additional subscription for storage, simply relying on your iCloud storage plan. Eve Cam already sold out its first batch of preorders but it is back in stock this week and ready for you to pick up.
Links from the show
Stay tuned for more!
As we get this podcast off the ground, we'd love to hear what you think. Send your feedback to Stephen and Andrew via email or ask as us questions on Twitter @StephenRobles and @Andrew_OSU.
Please also leave a rating or review us on Apple Podcasts to help us improve the show as we move forward.
Those looking to sponsor the HomeKit Insider show can reach out to andrew@AppleInsider.com
Christine McKee
Charles Martin
Oliver Haslam
William Gallagher
Sponsored Content
1 Comment
Question for the homekit insider team. Have you looked into the Leviton smart light switch and smart dimmer sold thru Home Depot? I don't think they have been mentioned in Appleinsider or Homekitinsider podcasts and I don't know why they aren't a leading candidate for home light automation. I have 9 in my home controlling a combination of indoor and outdoor lights as well as an outdoor outlet that is used for holiday lights.
Likes:
1) Look - They look like conventional decora looking switches. Minus a small led on the bottom you aren't able to tell them from a non-smart decora switch and dimmer.
2) Ease of Use - They can be used manually just like any decora switch or dimmer. No instructions needed for family or friends.
3) Reliability - They run on 2.4Ghz wifi so bluetooth range is not an issue. Running recent firmware they are reliable through power outages and wifi reboots.
4) Flexibility and cost - Controlling the switches allows me to use conventional light bulbs. I use the Philips LED warm glow led bulbs that go cooler as you dim them. From a cost perspective the switches are expensive at $50-$55 full price but I have purchase several for $30(switch) and $35(dimmer) when on sale. When compared to other smart bulb systems using bridges and individual smart bulbs they can be much more cost effective especially when controlling multiple bulbs as once. For example, I have one dimmer that controls a nine bulb foyer chandelier.
Concerns:
1) Wiring - They do require a neutral wire. Not an issue in a newer house but I know it is a killer for homes with older electric wiring.
2) Smart System Specific - Last time I purchased there are still different versions of the switches for Homekit, Google and Z-Wave.
Thanks for the homekit insider podcast. Enjoying it.