If This Then Bob – TMO Daily Observations 2021-03-04

· Kelly Guimont · The Mac Observer's Daily Observations Podcast

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Today Kelly is joined by Bob “Dr Mac” LeVitus to discuss If This Then That, and some of the ways you can use the service to automate your life.

‘Eve for HomeKit’ 4.4 Update Adds Smart Schedule Suspension

· Andrew Orr · Cool Stuff Found

Eve for HomeKit updated to 4.4 recently and a major feature added is called Smart Schedule Suspension for Eve Aqua. This lets you pause your watering schedules if the weather forecast calls for rain so your plants won’t be overwatered. This is enabled by a built-in Siri Shortcut within the app. You can use from Siri, the Shortcuts app, the widget in Today View, or as an automation. Eve has more information in its blog post. App Store: Free

‘Eve for HomeKit’ 4.4 Update Adds Smart Schedule Suspension

Repairing iCloud Syncing — Mac Geek Gab 825

· John F. Braun & Dave Hamilton · Mac Geek Gab Podcast

Should you update? That’s always the question, isn’t it, regardless of whether it’s hardware or software or both. This week John and Dave answer your questions about both, specifically when it comes to Apple’s offerings. That’s not all, of course. Your two favorite geeks roar through a tour of your questions, tips, and Cool Stuff Found, including segments on repairing iCloud syncing, backing up your music the right way, diagnosing CPU spikes, and more. Press play, and enjoy learning at least five new things, all while remaining perfectly socially-distanced!

Wink: Give Us $5 Monthly Or Lose Access to Your Devices

· Andrew Orr · Link

Wink logo

Wink is a company that makes smart home devices, and it recently announced it will force customers to pay a US$5/month subscription or they will lose access to device functionality.

In order to provide for development and continued growth, we are transitioning to a $4.99 monthly subscription, starting on May 13, 2020. This fee is designed to be as modest as possible […] Should you choose not to sign up for a subscription you will no longer be able to access your Wink devices from the app, with voice control or through the API, and your automations will be disabled on May 13. Your device connections, settings and automations can be reactivated if you decide to subscribe at a later date.

1: I think that’s called extortion, or fraud at the very least. 2: Apparently Wink is owned by will.i.am of The Black Eyed Peas, and has trouble paying its employees. Not that it’s relevant, I just haven’t heard either of those names in years.

I Made a Loop – Mac Geek Gab 808

· John F. Braun & Dave Hamilton · Mac Geek Gab Podcast

Are your fans blazing during those Zoom calls? Is your laptop plugged in more frequently now? Have an issue printing? How about choosing between NAS vs. USB-C drives? You’re in luck! These are just a sample of the questions your two favorite geeks answer during this week’s show. John and Dave then share some Cool Stuff Found, some tips, and more. Press play and enjoy learning at least five new things!

iBaby Monitors Can be Exploited by Hackers

· Andrew Orr · Link

Parents using an iBaby Monitor M6S should be aware it has multiple security problems that open it up to hackers.

That means any ne’er-do-well can purchase an iBaby monitor and use it to access files from every iBaby monitor. Unbelievable? Believe it. For legal reasons, the Bitdefender researchers did not access data belonging to other real-world users. Instead, they set up a second test device and verified access.

Abode Smart Security Kit adds HomeKit Support

· Andrew Orr · News

Abode is adding HomeKit support to its Smart Security kit, a DIY home security system featuring a gateway, motion sensor, and more.

Turn Your Phone Into a Universal Remote and Control Multiple Smart Home Devices: $19.95

· Bryan Chaffin · TMO Deals

We have a deal on Hombli, a smart IR remote control that turns your iPhone or Android device into a universal remote for multiple smarthome devices. The Hombli acts as a hub, and you control it with a companion app. With it, you can access over 80,000 devices from popular brands including Samsung, Sony, and Philips, and you can use hands-free voice commands using Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. This device is $19.95 through our deal.

RoomMe is a Smart Home Device to Person-Specific Automation

· Andrew Orr · Cool Stuff Found

RoomMe is a occupancy automation sensor for your home. This means when a person walks into a room, it detects your phone via Bluetooth to enable person-specific automation. A spokesperson told me it uses localized technology called Presence Sensing Technology. It stores your automation rules on your smartphone and doesn’t accept external automation triggers or manual operation. Meaning, the device commands your other devices and doesn’t accept commands from other devices. However, according to its privacy policy the app does contain Google analytics and “behavioral remarketing services” to show you ads outside of the app. But you can enable Limit Ad Tracking in iOS settings. You can pick up a single RoomMe sensor for US$69.99, or buy combo packs. It supports various smart home protocols including HomeKit.

RoomMe is a Smart Home Device to Person-Specific Automation

JBL, SanDisk, Legrand, LE Audio, and More from CES 2020 – TMO Daily Observations 2020-01-07

· Dave Hamilton & John F. Braun · The Mac Observer's Daily Observations Podcast

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LAS VEGAS – Live from CES 2020, Dave Hamilton and John F. Braun share their thoughts on the new stuff they’ve found. Cool Stuff Found includes JBL’s new Quantum gaming headsets, Legrand’s smart electrical panel, ChronoLife’s smart Nexkin shirt, SanDisk’s latest (r)evolution of the thumb drive (it’s got a lot of storage and it’s fast!), Bluetooth’s first audio evolution in decades, and even more. Listen, enjoy, and let us know what you think at [email protected]