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SMART HOME BASICS
he Apple TV
4K... really?
You might
be sceptical
seeing this four-year-old
set-top box in a roundup
of cutting-edge gadgets.
But the answer is yes...
emphatically so.
Apple has splurged on
a range of new services
recently – so as well as
having a one-stop shop
for all your favourite apps
from iPlayer to YouTube,
and the benefits of AirPlay
and screen-sharing from
Apple devices, you can
now watch Apple TV+ too.
Its original programmes
may be a bit of a mixed
bag, but they’re always
cinema-quality with 4KHDR visuals and Dolby
Atmos sound.
Then there’s Apple
Arcade, for a new way
to play games online, while
Fitness+ offers guided
home workouts. Though
these services cost extra,
they’re all great reasons
to embrace this smart
entertainment hub.GET RIGHT WITH POD
Apple has also continued
to improve the Apple TV
4K experience in every
way. It connects with the
new HomePod Mini and
the original HomePod so
you can enjoy stereo or
Dolby Atmos surround
sound. And as well as
being able to control yourgarage door with a tap of
the Apple TV remote, you
can view a feed from your
video doorbell on your
telly screen.
That’s not to say this
device isn’t starting to
show some signs of age.
Its processor seems a little
sluggish now, while new
port standards like HDMI
2.1 mean it’s fallen out
of sync with the next
generation of TVs.
But the chances are,
unless you’re an avid
cinephile or gamer
obsessed with picture
quality, you’ve only just
upgraded to 4K anyway...
meaning most of us are
in line with Apple’s old but
forward-thinking design.LOGITECH
CIRCLE VIEWApple has something
called the HomeKit Secure
Video platform, meaning
footage from compatible
cameras is end-to-end
encrypted and stored on
its own servers – which
apparently even Apple
doesn’t have access too.
Hmmm. Anyway, chief
among snooper options
is Logitech’s slick 1080p
camera with 180° field
of view and two-way
chat. It’s even IP64
weatherproof.
£170 / logitech.comAugust Wi-Fi
Smart Lock
Perhaps the biggest
compliment we can pay
August’s Wi-Fi Lock is
that it doesn’t look like
a lock. Sleek and secure,
it could have been made
by Apple. You can remotely
bolt the door, grant virtual
guest keys and find out
who’s coming and going...
or ask Siri to do it. And it
works over Wi-Fi with no
bridge required.
$250 / august.comAbode Smart
Security Kit
This DIY alarm system is
the ultimate burglar-beater.
The kit includes a motion
detector, door and window
sensors and a 93dB siren
to scare off prowlers...
plus a keyfob that lets you
remotely turn it on and off.
The system works with
loads of other HomeKit,
Zigbee and Z-Wave
gadgets for tailor-made
home security.
£276 / goabode.co.ukNetatmo Weather
Station
Look, we’re all spending
a lot more time at home
right now. So who needs
a weather forecast that
extends beyond the front
garden? This twin-sensor
setup tracks air quality,
temperature, humidity
and barometric pressure
indoors and out. And it’ll
alert you when it’s going
to rain, just in time for you
to bring the washing in.
£150 / netatmo.comElgato Eve Motion
Elgato is on a mission.
Its Eve range is hugely
extending Siri’s limited
smart home reach: this
weatherproof, wireless
movement sensor
can be used to trigger
Homekit-compatible
lights, security cameras
and more. Best of all,
the motion detector’s
sensitivity can be adjusted
so pets and children don’t
always set it off.
£45 / evehome.comApple TV 4K
from £179 / apple.com
STUFF SAYS If you’re a real movie addict, the Apple TV 4K
could be the (pricey) answer to your dreams ★★★★✩If you want an iHome, Apple’s array of smart appliances is big
on privacy protection and small in number... but growing fast
HEY SIRI!
NOW ADD THESE...
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