This year is going to be a big one for Bluetooth technologies in the smart home. Thanks to some updates in the…
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Check out this cool connected water shut-off valve from Lowe’s
Updated: This post was updated on Feb. 24 to reflect new information from Lowe’s. The company clarified that it had given me…
Read MoreSmartThings joins Z-wave Alliance board
With the launch of the Thread radio protocol, I’ve already heard several people deride ZigBee and Z-wave as legacy standards for smart…
Read MoreThe deluge continues: 3 smart home hubs worth checking out
I thought we’d be over hubs by now, but I was wrong. They are still coming hot and heavy, and if the…
Read MoreWink’s rocky launch hasn’t stopped it from gaining market share
Wink, the relatively new company that spun out from Quirky to sell connected home devices and software, is looking to be a…
Read MoreSmartThings’ next-generation hub will support Thread and the OIC
Samsung’s B.K. Yoon, the president of its Consumer Electronics group, gave an inspiring call to openness for the internet of things in…
Read MoreVerizon offers a new router designed for the smart home
Better routers can turn your glitchy home network into a powerful tool for controlling and optimizing bandwidth. But service providers have been slow to get on the advanced router bandwagon -- until today, when Verizon announced a new gateway.…
Read MoreWait on Wink: Fixable flaws in this smart home hub, but a solid user interface on which to build
The Wink smart home hub launched this month, but it's not ready for the mainstream just yet. If it fixes its flaws though, it's software should make it a winner.…
Read MoreHere’s why smart devices without Wi-Fi face an uphill battle in the home
Connected things are everywhere at this year's CES. There's a problem though: Consumers aren't likely to buy them unless they connect to the wireless networks that are already in our homes.…
Read MoreThe Gigaom smart home hub review guide
Connected home hubs are hot right now, but which one should you buy? I tried four and here's how they compare.…
Read MoreConnected christmas trees and home hub disasters on this week’s podcast
The holidays are here, and in this week's podcast we talk about how to connect your tree, build a water sensor and stop people like me from unwrapping their gifts early and in secret.…
Read More5 pieces of advice for those who want to buy a connected device
Buying connected devices or bringing the internet of things into your home doesn't have to be a daunting process. Here are some tips I've picked up along the way.…
Read MoreConnectSense offers Wi-Fi only sensors … for a pretty penny
As people attempt to connect their homes, different protocols post a challenge. Some vendors, like ConnectSense, are doing away with that drama by embracing only Wi-Fi.…
Read MoreThe Revolv hub: Good hardware, mediocre software, lots of promise
I've been eager to see the Revolv home hub in action since meeting with the company several months ago. The good news is the hardware is awesome. But the software could use some work.…
Read MoreZigBee wants to be the Bluetooth of the internet of things. Too bad everyone hates it.
ZigBee is fighting for its place in the internet of things against Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Low Energy and Z-wave. It has to overcome fragmentation, sneak into user's homes and keep Bluetooth at bay. Can it do all three?…
Read MoreReports of ZigBee on handsets would be a big deal for the connected home (and ZigBee)
ZigBee is at somewhat of a plateau when it comes to the standard's role in the connected home, but if Samsung and HTC put ZigBee into their handsets, the tech could soar.…
Read MoreConnect my house! A first look at the SmartThings hub and sensor platform
Since I'm covering the internet of things, I decided to dive in with both feet. My first project was installing a SmartThings sensor and hub review unit in my home. Here's how that went.…
Read MoreZigbee and Z-wave are out. Broadcom’s new chips bet on Bluetooth and Wi-Fi for IoT
The wide array of wireless radio technologies used to get devices online may soon shrink as major players in the chip world start choosing the standards they will support for the internet of things.…
Read MoreSay hello to the next home automation standard: Wi-Fi
Choosing a home automation network standard can be a hassle. It's too bad there isn't a ubiquitous network standard to use in plug-and-play modules. Oh wait: what about Wi-Fi? Belkin's new WeMo products use Wi-Fi, which may help move home automation from geeks to the mainstream.…
Read MoreIs Cisco’s Path to Networked Lighting Via 6LoWPAN?
What will be the wireless standard that acts as the glue between devices — from connected light bulbs, to wireless thermostats to…
Read MoreA Mobile Ecosystem Slowly Grows Around Home Energy
The broadband-enabled smart energy home finally started to make some initial headway as the new year ushered in 2011, and if the news trickling out from the massive wireless conference Mobile World Congress this week, is any indicator, this trend will only continue throughout the year.…
Read MoreToday in Cleantech
I hate to say I told you so, but… it looks like the proprietary, low-power wireless technology called Z-Wave is making headway…
Read MoreZ-Wave Makes Headway in Home Energy, via Verizon
Did the proprietary wireless technology Z-Wave just do a leap frog move into the smart energy home over a more standards-based approach like ZigBee? Verizon confirmed with me late last week that its inaugural smart home energy pilot will initially be based around Z-Wave.…
Read MoreZ-Wave: Gaining Ground on ZigBee for Home Energy Networking?
Could proprietary Z-Wave be gaining ground on standards-based ZigBee in the home energy networking space? Here are a couple of recent developments that indicate Z-Wave could have a role to play.…
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