Micro_Mart_-_January_7_2016_

ON

TEST

Reviews

SmartCodeDeadboltLocks,
YaleDigitalDoorLocks,Jasco
Plug-inSmartSwitches&
SmartDimmers,Centralite
3-SeriesApplianceModules,
SamsungSmartThingsPower
Outlets,PhillipsHuebulbsand
theNestThermostat.
Thatlastitemmightbea
causeforconcern,notleast

becauseitwasinfamously

hackedbackin2014,and

despitethemaker'sbest

efforts,thatsortofinsecurity

mudsticks.Thatsaid,the

hackasI recallrequired

physicalaccess,andthe

SwannOnesystemisdesigned

toavoidthatscenariofrom

theoutset,

Whatmayalsoconcern

somepeopleisthecostoutlay,

becausethisisn’t atthelevelof

impulsebuyformostpeople.

Intermsofreducingthecost,if

you’vegota more specificneed,

youcanbuyjusttheSmartHub

(£139.99fromMaplin)andthen

justthoseaccessoriesyou’re

interestedin.Doorsensorsare

£44.99fora doublepack,and

camerasare £119.99each.

Tottingupthecontentsof

theSmartHomeKit,buyingall

thepartswouldcostyou£435,

soif youuseeverythinginit,

there’s a discounttobehad.

Includedislimitedemail

andpushnotificationsto

twosmartphoneusers;those

wantingmore orremotelock

controlpaya monthlyfee

of£7.49.

Havingusedthesystemfor

a while,itgenerallyworks

acceptablymostofthetime,

withtheexceptionofthe

KeyFobs,whicharen’t well

designedatall.Theyhave

unprotectedbuttonsthat

caneasilybeactivatedina

pocketorbagwithoutyou

beingaware.Whythiswasn’t

obvioustothosepeople

designingthemisodd,

becauseitbecomesapparent

toanyoneusingthem

almostimmediately.

Andanysortoflocalised

wi-fiinterferencecansetoff

thealarm,whichcanbea

problemifyou’re a longway

fromhomewhenithappens

andyou're unaware.Anysort

ofpoweroutagewouldalso

underminethesystementirely,

fromwhatI canascertain.

Overall,I likeSwann’s

thinkinghere froma

conceptualperspective.It

justneedstorefinesomeof

thecomponentssoitdoesn’t

annoyitscustomerswith

phantomalertsandaccidental

deactivations.Problemslike

thatjustmakepeoplewonder

whytheydidn’t justbuya

dogorstayhomeinstead.

mmMarkPickavance

AnInternetofThings

securityensemblethat

needssomework

7

6

Quality

Value

77

Overall