homekit

Connected Home

How To: Lutron Caséta Lighting Control System Review Updated

Although we were first introduced to Lutron when we purchased their traditional switches and outlets, Lutron is reknown for their residential and enterprise lighting control systems. Lutron’s residential lighting control systems include Caséta, RA2 Select, RadioRA2, and HomeWorks QS. Caséta and RA2 Select are intended for the DIY user segment while the RadioRA2 and HomeWorks QS product lines are intended for the system installer/integrator segment. Continue reading How To: Lutron Caséta Lighting Control System Review Updated

Mike Connelly
Connected Home, Music

Sonos One & Sonos Beam (Part 2): Review of Voice Services Including Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant & Apple Airplay 2 Updated

Sonos speakers will be able to bridge the gaps between Amazon, Apple, and Google’s smart home ecosystems. Sonos owners will be in the unique position of choosing their preferred voice assistant for a task, independent from the music source, method of streaming, or smart home control. For example, a Sonos owner could maintain their music library in iTunes, their music subscription service on YouTube or Amazon, their home control on Apple HomeKit, and ask general knowledge questions to Google Assistant or Alexa. Similarly, Sonos consumers could control Nest and HomeKit devices from a single smart speaker. Continue reading Sonos One & Sonos Beam (Part 2): Review of Voice Services Including Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant & Apple Airplay 2 Updated

Mike Connelly
Connected Home, Music

Sonos One & Sonos Beam (Part 1): The State of Smart Speakers Updated

Amazon Echo’s primary function appears to be extending Amazon’s ecosystem including e-commerce and advertising. Like Amazon, Google Home’s primary goal appears to be lowering the price of its devices so that users will install multiple devices in their homes, generating more user data for Google’s advertising business. Apple’s product design treats smart speakers as a relatively dumb and local extension of the iPhone. The Sonos One hits the price-performance sweet spot: although it costs nearly twice what an Echo or Home does, it provides significantly better sound. Continue reading Sonos One & Sonos Beam (Part 1): The State of Smart Speakers Updated

Mike Connelly