Articles about Smart Home

German investigative journalists from the c’t magazine said many home security systems come with a huge vulnerability which can put every home using the system at risk.

The vulnerability, however, is nothing fancy in hacking terms -- it’s pretty obvious and straightforward, but frequently overlooked. You see, similar to Internet routers, these home security systems are configured through a browser, and many come with easily crackable passwords like "1234" or "admin1234".

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When Nest first launched its thermostat it had very clear views of what people wanted to see. You can view the current temperature in your home as well as the target temperature. Clicking it can show the outside temperature and humidity, among other things.

With the third generation, the company released Farsight. The thermostat lights up when it sees you, basically motion detection. It shows you all the relevant information then goes dark again, presumably to save a bit of power.

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Home automation and control is all the rage nowadays. Doing things such as turning on lights or adjusting a thermostat with a smartphone -- or other connected device -- is not only convenient, but empowering for those with disabilities too. Think about it -- if someone is unable to get out of a bed, for instance, they can utilize this technology to be more independent.

Today, Logitech announces a really cool new way to interface with its Harmony Hub -- Sony Android TVs. By installing a special beta version of the Logitech Harmony app, you can control your home using an on-screen television interface.

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Today at Google I/O, the search giant unveiled its Amazon Echo-baiting Home. Google Home is ostensibly a cylindrical speaker with an angled top featuring Google's iconic four colors. Far-field voice recognition allows you to issue commands to the device to control everything from music playback to look up something online.

Google's latest foray into the Internet of Things is much more than just a Wi-Fi speaker -- although it will function perfectly well in the role. Just like the voice-activated options in Android, Home can be used to set alarms and reminders, and can even be connected to other smart devices such as Nest thermostats.

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The Internet of Things, or IoT, has been both a blessing and a bain since it came into existence. Does convenience trump security concerns? That's the question each user has to ask his or herself. It's that security part that tends to make the news.

The latest to suffer a setback is Samsung SmartThings, with a new report claiming the platform has a security problem. The vulnerabilities reported are only hypothetical so far however.

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Yes, the Internet of Things, commonly called the IoT, has been steadily growing and increasingly hard to ignore. It's not all bad, though. In fact, it's great when it works and when it isn't being hacked. Security is obviously the number one concern. Nobody wants a hacker turning off lights, or worse.

Now Dell is teaming up with a number of companies for what it calls its "IoT Partner Solutions Program". Those involved, at least initially, are GE, Microsoft, OSIsoft, PTC, SAP and Software AG.

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The Internet of Things, more commonly known as IoT and sometimes referred to as a Connected Home or as Home Automation, is one of the biggest trends in technology these days and 2016 doesn't seem to be slowing down as new products continue to pour onto the market while others get updates and increasingly become compatible across platforms.

Product lines abound, from door locks to shades and from lights to crock pots. Manufacturers like Samsung, Insteon, Cree, GE, Nest, Wink, Sensi, Ecobee and many more are out there waiting for your hard earned money.

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There have been occasional complaints with the IoT. Things don't always work as planned – lights that fail to come on or go off, a door that won't unlock and other minor annoyances. A bigger concern has been security, as these systems continue to display vulnerability. But, what if a device just suddenly stops working, and not through mechanical error, but because the company just chose to reach into your home and kill it?

Well, that's exactly what's about to happen with Revolv, an IoT hub that was purchased by Nest, which in turn is owned by Google. Officially, Revolv is considered a Nest company, though.

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There's no shortage of connected devices on the market these days and more seem to come along almost daily. The problem, to an extent, is interoperability. That's improving somewhat as devices are starting to play nice with other systems.

Now SmartThings, one of the more popular offerings on the market, is introducing new products to its UK line. Both are from Belkin, which makes the WeMo line.

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Nest, a company now owned by Google's parent Alphabet, makes products that home automation enthusiasts sometimes salivate over. What began with a thermostat has expanded somewhat to include such things as smoke detectors.

One drawback with the system was the way Nest's app works. If you have a family then controlling things could be a problem, and that's something Nest has set out to solve by introducing Family Accounts.

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Windows Phone has its fans, but they sometimes, perhaps most times, feel left out of things. That includes the latest fad, the Internet of Things. Controlling devices in your home can be easily done without moving off the couch, but, for the most part, you better have an Android or iOS device at hand.

Samsung is hoping to open this world up to more people. The company makes a line of devices it calls SmartThings and the platform is compatible with some devices made by other manufacturers. It hopes to soon update its app on the Microsoft platform (yes, it has one) in an effort to please everyone and, perhaps, get a few more customers.

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We have previously written about setting up lights with the Wink home automation hub – there are a number of bulbs that work including GE Link and Cree. We have also provided a tutorial for installing the Nest thermostat.

Now we're looking at linking the two together. Wink can be paired with Amazon Echo, which means you can control your heating and cooling by voice. For now, let's just worry about the first part and we'll get to Alexa later.

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The Internet of Things, more commonly called simply the IoT, is coming into its own, with an ever-growing array of products and manufacturers. Big players are in this market, with the likes of Samsung, Apple and Google being among them.

But who is leading this push to connect your home devices to one another, the internet and, in some cases, hackers? A new study has some possible revelations and insights into this brave new world of products. Argus Insights took the time to look into this matter, and here is what it found.

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It seems to be a big day for Amazon Echo, as Alexa has found two new friends to pal around with, the Tap and the Dot. No, it's not Morse Code, it's devices that compliment that previous item that may be sitting in your home. But, that wasn't all of the news.

Today Wink, who makes a home automation hub that we've talked about before and which is in contact with Alexa, announces that users can now control Nest.

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We've covered the Amazon Echo extensively and the company has been running a series of ads as of late, featuring several amusing spots with Alec Baldwin, which began at the Super Bowl with Dan Marino featured in that particular one.

Now the company is trying to further its inroads into everyone's home with two new companion products for its popular device, even as it continues to push updates to the current offering.

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