In this TMO video podcast, Bryan Chaffin and John Kheit look at Apple’s Chinese iCloud occupation and what it says about Apple. They also think Apple is just plain missing the smarthome boat, judging by what we’re seeing at CES. John goes off on a tangent rant about parenting and Apple, and for the pop portion of the show, they talk about recent developments in The Curse of Oak Island. (WARNING NSFW: PROFANITY & RANTS)
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CES - Wemo Bridge Makes All Your Wemo Gear HomeKit Compatible
LAS VEGAS – Wemo introduced their HomeKit compatible Wemo Bridge at CES, and showed it off to Jeff Gamet. It lets you add all your Wemo devices to a HomeKit network without replacing any gear. Check out our video interview.
CES - Flo Technologies Helps You Monitor, Control Your Water
LAS VEGAS – John F. Braun gets to check out Flo, a water monitoring and control system that can help you save money through conservation and preventing water damage.
Sylvania Announces Apple HomeKit Smartbulbs and Flexstrip
Sylvania announced two lighting products for Apple’s HomeKit ecosystem. The Sylvania Smart+ A19 Soft White LED Bulb puts out 800 lumens, the equivalent of a 60 watt incandescent lightbulb. It’s dimmable, and joins the full color A19 already on the market. The Sylvania Smart+ Full Color LED Flex Strip supports both full color and dimming. It puts out 400 lumens, or roughly the equivalent of a 30 watt incandescent bulb. Neither light requires a hub for on-off functionality, but work in Apple’s HomeKit ecosystem with hubs like an Apple TV, HomePod, or an iPad. Using a hub, users can automate the lights and access them remotely. I’m stoked to see new HomeKit products hit the market, and these ship on October 23rd. They’re on Amazon now, listed as out-of-stock. The Smart+ A19 Soft White LED Bulb is $25.99, while the Smart+ Full Color LED Flex Strip is $59.99.
iOS 11's Device Setup Feature, Coding iPhone Apps for Arduino - TMO Daily Observations 2017-08-16
Jeff Butts and Kelly Guimont join Jeff Gamet to talk about iOS 11’s new way to set up our devices, plus Mr. B fills us in on the iPhone app he wrote to monitor the Arduino thermometer he made.
The Apple of Tomorrow, and the Wild West of Home Automation - ACM 419
What exactly is “Apple?” The company is changing dramatically, and Bryan and Jeff explore where Apple might be going. They also talk about home automation, and how we are in the Wild West days of this future technology.
Smartduvet Breeze: Dual-Zone Climate Control Duvet THAT MAKES ITSELF UP!
I don’t use exclamation points in titles, but come on, Smartduvet Breeze MAKES ITSELF UP! I mean, IT MAKES ITSELF UP! I can’t even type it without going all capslock with a bang. OK, it’s also offers dual-zone climate control, but IT MAKES ITSELF UP! Watch the video. You’ll see it. I love a made bed, but being an overgrown boy at heart, I hate making the bed up. And so do a lot of other people, it seems, because Smartduvet has raised $579,533 on Indiegogo out of an original goal of just $20,000 (4 days left as of this writing). The Breeze part of this product is a system of air passages that delivers climate-controlled air through Smartduvet Breeze. Each side can be controlled through a smartphone app. The self-making part is done through a different set of air passages that essentially inflates to its made state when activated. There are funding options starting at $199 that get a Smartduvet Breeze, with shipping estimated for September.
Apple Wants you to Know Swift, Smarthome Fatigue - TMO Daily Observations 2017-05-24
Kelly Guimont joins Jeff Gamet to discuss Apple’s Swift education strategy, plus they talk about smart home fatigue.
Amazon's Echo Show, FBI's iPhone Hack Price Tag - TMO Daily Observations 2017-05-09
Amazon unveiled its Echo Show, and it has a display. Bryan Chaffin and the Maccast’s Adam Christianson join Jeff Gamet to share their reactions to Amazon’s newest Alexa device. They also have some thoughts on the unintended confirmation that the FBI paid $900,000 for the San Bernardino iPhone hack, plus Bryan coins “I’m gonna up that up.”
Brookfield Residential Will Build First Ever Apple HomeKit Houses
The next time you’re driving around California, you may find brand new Apple HomeKit houses built by Brookfield Residential. Other builders have offered HomeKit upgrade packages, but Brookfield will be the first to integrate HomeKit from the ground up, making it a standard.
Kwikset Premis HomeKit-Compatible Smart Lock
Kwikset recently introduced Premis, the company’s first Apple HomeKit-compabitle touchscreen smart lock. John F. Braun received a demonstration of the new product from Marty Hoffmann, VP of Marketing, and here are the features he thinks you’ll like.
Cognitive Systems Announces Aura Home Monitoring System
Cognitive System recently announced a system that takes a unique approach to monitoring and securing your home. The Aura system uses radio frequencies to detect motion rather than the optical detection used in most systems.
See and Sleep Smarter with the Helia LED Bulb from Soraa
Soraa has announced their Helia LED bulb, which incorporates several lighting and communication innovations not found in other LED bulbs. Todd Antes, Senior Vice President of Marketing, gave us an overview of the benefits of their bulb.
Apple and Worker Visas, HomeKit Falls Behind in the Smarthome Game - TMO Daily Observations 2017-01-31
Work Visas for the tech industry may be changing thanks to an executive order that’s said to be coming from the White House. Bryan Chaffin and John Martellaro join Jeff Gamet to look at the draft order and the impact it could have on Apple and other Silicon Valley companies. They also have some thoughts on the rapidly changing smart home market and Apple’s apparent lagging position.
How Can We Tell if Our Love for Apple is Logical or Biased?
Apple is our most favored company for perfectly good reasons. Or so we think. And yet there are people who despise the company. How can both attitudes be right? The reason for this duality may depend on a particular kind of thinking called cognitive bias. John Martellaro explains. Or, at least, he thinks he’s explaining.
Dropcam Founder Greg Duffy Joining Apple Could be a Smart Home Boost
Dropcam founder and Next executive Greg Duffy has a new gig at Apple, but no one is saying what he’s doing. Considering his inner drive to create cool new things, it’s a safe bet Apple brought him on board for a very interesting project, like the rumored Echo competitor.
Yoky Matsuoka Left Apple to Return to Nest
Former Nest executive Yoky Matsuoka joined Apple in May 2016, and by December she was gone. Now we know why: she’s back at Nest helping create the company’s long-term smart home technology plans.
CES 2017 Smart Home, IoT, More - TMO Daily Observations 2017-01-10
Dave Hamilton joins Jeff Gamet to talk about the smart home and IoT gear they saw at CES 2017. They also dive into storage and smart fitness tech, too.
CES 2017 Wrap Up - TMO Daily Observations 2017-01-09
With CES 2017 behind us, Bryan Chaffin and John Martellaro join Jeff Gamet to talk about what stood out for them. They look at health and fitness, televisions, and more.
iDevices Introduces HomeKit Wall Switch, Wall Dimmer, Wall Outlet
LAS VEGAS – iDevices introduced Wall Switch, Wall Dimmer, and Wall Outlet at CES. These Wi-Fi-enabled devices support Apple’s HomeKit, as well as Amazon Echo. They don’t need a hub, and company reps told me they meet all of Apple’s and Amazon’s security (and other) requirements. Folks looking to build a HomeKit-specific smarthome should take a good look at these devices.
