Smart Home Automation Hubs

Use Amazon Echo or the Google Home as your smart hub for all your smart home devices.

16:51 11 April 2018

Anyone who wishes to build a smart home should always start with a smart hub, which acts as the heart of the home that allows you to access everything through one centralised app rather than constantly juggling a number of different apps from disparate manufacturers. Smart hubs are extremely useful in managing different devices that rely on different wireless standards, eliminating compatibility problems along the way.

 

Smart speakers can double as your smart hub. The Google Home Mini and Echo Dot, although they do not function like a traditional smart hub, can do the job and much more. Such smart speakers can unite different ecosystems and provide a “hub-like” functionality through its companion app. Apple users can use Home Pod, which uses Siri as its assistant and offers HomeKit compatibility.

 

Your smart speaker can also be complemented by available third-party programs, such as Yonomi and Stringify that offer centralised locale where you can control everything that’s connected in your house. These apps provide full automation support, allowing you to program smart lights to come on every night at the same time for example or trigger your smart coffee maker as soon as your alarm sets off.