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The Apple TV comes in a HD or 4K version, I’d recommend going for the 4K version if you want to future-proof your setup. The TV can be voice-controlled via the Siri button on the remote. My recommendation is the HomePod Mini (especially since Apple announced in 2021 that they were discontinuing the flagship HomePod). It’s also the only HomeKit hub that supports Thread. HomeKit door and window alarms or sensors provide you with an easy way to monitor the status of your house. With these sensors, you can immediately receive notifications when the status changes, and they work with other HomeKit accessories, allowing powerfulautomation. You can either manually activate Siri, or say “Hey Siri”, followed by one of the following examples:
Unlike other products on this list, this one requires a drill for installation. Nevertheless, it completely blends into your door, window, and frame. Being able to control your smart home using your voice is awesome, but it’s not always the most convenient. Especially if you have guests around that don’t know the commands, or you don’t want to make noise at night. Now that the inside of your home has had a Siri upgrade, now I want to share some smart devices for the garden, starting with some lighting. Here is a good example of more complex logic using multiple automations that was also featured on LeadsRating.com. I have an outdoor water feature that is fully automated through presence and time conditions via an Eve Energy smart plug. This works well as it only turns it on during the day when someone is home and turns it off as required.Apple’s Home app already has an excellent interface to act as a smart home controller so I recommend using an iPad as your controller. Simply pair it with a wall-mount and leave the screen on all the time and you’re good to go. It’s best to create a custom Apple ID for this iPad so that it’s not interrupted with notifications. When the wind switch turns on, turn off the fountain (the switch will reset after whatever delay you set on it) Triggering your outdoor lighting when a motion sensor detects movement is a nice convenience, but you may find it lighting up the yard every time a cat or other animal strolls through. You can pair the motion trigger with a condition based on something else, such as a gate or door being open when you are actually entertaining. Filter your outdoor lights to turn on only when you are going outside Whether you want to provide safety along your pathway, light up your patio for guests, or add some feature lighting to the flower beds, by using smart lights they can control themselves. My favourite device for making your curtains smart is the Switchbot curtain. This retrofits to your existing curtains and can be installed in minutes.
It’s simple to set up, but you need to remember to set it up in the Meross app before adding it to HomeKit.
Set up the automation: After building up your automation, be sure to test it to ensure that it’s working as expected. If it’s not working correctly, you can refine the automation by adjusting the trigger, action, or conditions. Finally, press “done,” and the automation is ready to go. There are pros and cons, but we use it ourselves for its straightforward integration with Apple gizmos. The platform is baked into the phone you already own, so it couldn’t be easier to get started. You can simply add items like smart light bulbs or plugs to your home setup, and include a smart speaker through Apple’s HomePod or a streaming device like the Apple TV. Either of these can act as a “home hub”, enabling you to command and automate your home while you’re away. To get notifications for your HomeKit and Matter accessories when you're not at home, set up a home hub. This LED light is also something that may not appeal to some users for a different reason, which is battery life; The VS1 uses a standard CR2032 coin battery, but the estimated battery life is a mere six months. Could this be due to the LED being quite large? Possibly. for many Zigbee users, we’re used to the idea of this type of battery lasting upwards of two years, so six months is a little disappointing. I don’t know if Bluetooth 5.0 uses more ‘juice’ than Zigbee, but it’s supposed to be ‘Low Energy’ usage. If the battery could squeeze twelve months of use, it could be acceptable, but I would posit that six months is simply too low for many people. It’s just as well that the battery compartment is easy to access… or is it?
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