some kind that may or may not
require a connection of its own.
Primary choice for disconnected
hubs seems to be the Hubitat
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be a local–only device, focusing on
functions which don’t need to go
through the cloud, like switching on
lights. It’s compatible with Zigbee
and Z–wave devices, and requires
that you attach it to the internet
initially to activate it — after that, in
local–only mode, you can use it to
set up the kind of complex rules that
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The Hubitat is also compatible
with those super–cheap Yeelight
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you’re not trusting of their Chinese
origins and want to contain what
little data they might be passing
around. For a similar alternative, the
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being cloud–free and even includes
(limited) voice actuation facilities.OTHER OPTIONS
If you’re comfortable with at least
a little cloud communication, the
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as many, perhaps, as you might
expect; some smart hubs work hard
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the Dot, Google devices beyond the
Home Mini, and the HomePod (or
iPad) can perform some processing
without the cloud. The latter — the
HomeKit enabler — does even more.
The heavy lifting the HomePod
performs means HomeKit devices
don’t require their own internet
connection, just a local one. It’s one
of the things that makes HomeKit
a uniquely low–power protocol, one
which tends to pool those smarthome devices more into the domain
of the home, but one that doesn’t
actually solve our problem — that
HomePod is still chatting online.GOOD CHOICES
If you’re happy to lose at least some
functionality, there are ways to keep
your data away from the cloud. When
buying devices, look for a Bluetooth
connection, or a non–Wi–Fi wireless
protocol — look for Zigbee, Z-wave,
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don’t explicitly need a connection to
the internet, but they do generally
need to be controlled from a hub ofHOW TO^ Make your Mac more private
Image rights from top: Apple, Mixtile.
Home Life
72 APR 2020 maclife.com
Zigbee hub Mixtile is in short
supply so far, having just finished a
successful crowdfunding campaign.Find the setting
Want to reduce the amount of data you
send to Apple? Open System Preferences
by clicking the Apple icon on the title bar
and selecting (yes) System Preferences.
You’ve done this before. Then head to the
Security & Privacy section.Cut it off
Make sure the Privacy tab is open, click
the lock icon in the bottom left, and enter
your password. Now switch everything
off. You may also wish to restrict Siri’s
field of knowledge, so head back to the
Siri section of system preferences.Managing Siri
You can switch off Ask Siri altogether
with the check box, but you can also
control which applications the assistant
pokes its nose into. Click Siri Suggestions
& Privacy and deselect any apps whose
data you’d rather keep private.