PC Magazine - USA (2020-08)

(Antfer) #1

Bluetooth wireless technology is popular in devices that will be controlled
locally using a mobile app, such as door locks and lighting systems. It’s more
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devices remotely (out of Bluetooth range) without the use of a hub. That said,
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found in nearly all mobile devices.


Thread, an IoT platform developed by several companies including Nest,
Qualcomm, Samsung, and Silicon Labs, is a newer option. It’s a low-power
technology based on the Internet Protocol (IPv6) that allows secure connectivity
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out there yet, but the list includes a couple of Nest devices.


WHAT IS A SMART HOME AUTOMATION HUB?
A hub serves as the nerve center of your home automation system and ties all of
your devices together. Whether you need one depends on the types of
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example, if you’ve decided to use Insteon devices, you’ll need an Insteon hub to
control them and have them work together. Insteon makes its own hubs: The
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Alert, Logitech, Nest, and Sonos products, and it supports Amazon Alexa and
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above-mentioned integrations and support for Android and Windows devices.
However, you can use Siri voice commands.

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