I have a set of steps between floors that is fairly steep and narrow. When I enter the steps area, the light comes on. When I leave the steps area, it goes off a time later. I touch nothing. Pretty handy in the middle of the night. Can also manually control the light from my iPhone or via any number of other means.
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Apple to Launch New 'Smart Home' Platform at WWDC
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I have a set of steps between floors that is fairly steep and narrow. When I enter the steps area, the light comes on. When I leave the steps area, it goes off a time later. I touch nothing. Pretty handy in the middle of the night. Can also manually control the light from my iPhone or via any number of other means.
They could call the program iBright. But that doesn't portray conservation. Maybe iDim?
I also have motion-controlled lights on a steps area. Very convenient at night coming or going and it turns off a few minutes later. However I can only adjust the timer manually on the sensor with a screwdriver.
From a operational perspective certainly, but not from a total integration perspective.
If you spend the cash to have a dedicated automation system installed it still isn't totally integrated with all of your devices. Odds are that if the system is accessible remotely via an app that the app doesn't have all of the features you want. Also you more than likely can only use devices that are provided by the controller manufacture.
Today there are a ton of technologies like zigbee and zwave that make wireless home automation very simple. If you take these technologies and combine them with a consistent, functional, and open web API you open up a lot more possibilities than a proprietary controller based system.
For once, Apple is way, way, way behind the curve. I've been doing this for years with my Universal Devices ISY and Insteon controls. I have an app on my phone which connects me to my router via a forwarded port and I can sit in Bora Bora and turn on my pool pump at home (and I did).
But you have to think of the everyday user. I think Apple getting into this field will be great for home automation to get to the less tech-inclined crowd.
Clever. But not as clever as AdBlock.
Fun games to play when you're bored on the Internet, visit random pages and try to get adblock to show the largest number of blocked ads on one page. I haven't made triple digits yet, but I shall
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I'm always suspicious when I read "The piece notes that plans can always change" because plans for WWDC aren't going to change between now and next week in anything but the most minor ways.
Apple Rumours Jesus, Mark Gurman corroborates the report:
https://twitter.com/markgurman/status/471056485162549248
https://twitter.com/markgurman/status/471056485162549248
There are hundreds of millions of iPhones and iPads out in the world right now. That's plenty.
How many hardware devices only work with Apple products today?
The reason home automation has never taken off is due to the fact that they want a monthly fee to access your home. That model is stupid and I hope Apple breaks it.
Gee pay 300 for a new door lock and pay only 9.99 a month to monitor it... no thanks.
Gee pay 300 for a new door lock and pay only 9.99 a month to monitor it...
no thanks.
For once? I don't see how the situation is any different than other product categories they entered.
They didn't make the first computer, MP3 player, first touch-screen smartphone or first tablet. They were the first to make them in a way that makes sense for the average user.
Your solution doesn't sound like it does, and will probably feel like a Windows XP tablet PC next to an iPad if Apple ever releases their own user-friendly, polished home automation products/software.
If it is anything less that I have been doing for a couple of years without a recurring monthly extortion fee, I'm not sure it will be a huge draw.
Apple will probably integrate controls into Control Center allowing people to interact with their appliances without even unlocking their device (let alone open an app). Currently this is not possible.
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This is sorcery. BURN IT.
One of my favorite home automation scenarios was the CRISTAL project, where you interact with an overhead view of your room / home. I think it'd be perfect for an iPad.
I am not going to dismiss this as "no wa this will be successful", but I can say if this is lightbulb, mini blind, AC type of automation, it is going to have to become a LOT more affordable for me to care about it. Dropping $80 per light socket (as an example) just to be able to tweak that tuff from anywhere in the world isn't my idea of a was expenditure of money.
Of course, this could be totally amazing and do so much more than anyone, including myself, can currently imagine. It may very well knock my socks off. I guess what I am saying is that everything that nest currently is is a "wow, neat, but I'll pass" sort of thing for me.
Of course, this could be totally amazing and do so much more than anyone, including myself, can currently imagine. It may very well knock my socks off. I guess what I am saying is that everything that nest currently is is a "wow, neat, but I'll pass" sort of thing for me.
The reason home automation has never taken off is due to the fact that they want a monthly fee to access your home. That model is stupid and I hope Apple breaks it.
Gee pay 300 for a new door lock and pay only 9.99 a month to monitor it...
My door lock system cost about $150 and has zero recurring costs.
Exactly. The audience is none of us. It's non-techies who will eat this up.
My question is, how is Apple going to monetize this beyond more iPhones/iPads sold. Could the much delayed Mac Mini be morphed into a smaller puck sized box for home automation?