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​Home Remote: Smart Home App

21/10/2020

1 Comment

 
The Home Remote Smart Home App - ImperiHome Replacement
Earlier this year, it became painfully clear to us (and no doubt many of you as well) that something was up with ImperiHome – the very popular app for controlling a wide array of smart home devices. The first indication of something wrong was when we tried to log into the app, which failed. When we headed over to the ImperiHome website to manage our account, the entire site was unresponsive. Huh? After a couple days, we stumbled across one simple tweet which revealed the problem: “The Evertygo company, which published the excellent Android/iOS ImperiHome application, is in bankruptcy proceedings. Bye bye ImperiHome!”. 

Noooooooo!!!!

Unable to log into the app, effectively rendering it useless, we found ourselves scrambling for a solution. The good news is, if you still have ImperiHome installed on your mobile device, and you never log out, you should be fine. If you’re trying to set-up the app on a new device or for the very first time (assuming you saved the app package in advance, before it was pulled from the app stores) you can still launch it using this very clever hack, which essentially bypasses the logon screen entirely.

These tricks work but they are interim solutions at best. Time to find a replacement app… Enter, Home Remote. 

Available for iOS, Android and Windows-based devices, Home Remote is a well-designed, dashboard-style app, for controlling numerous smart devices from a long list of manufacturers. It has built-in navigational elements and integrations for Vera, Fibaro, Logitech, SmartThings, Sonos, Yamaha, LG, HomeSeer and many more, but its real strength lies in its dedicated “Designer” app (for Windows) which allows you to fully customise the UI to suite your individual needs.

Designer is intended for advanced users but following this guide should be simple enough for most people when getting started. Even if you never touch Designer, when only using the default app template and widget tiles, you can use the built-in integrations to get basic device control very quickly and simply. We were able to set-up the app to control our VeraPlus, Yamaha Receiver, Logitech Harmony Hubs and IP cameras in literally a matter of minutes.

Home Remote is well worth a look and appears to be an excellent alternative to ImperiHome; possibly even exceeding its capabilities in terms of UI customisation and 3rd party device integrations. 

For more information, check out the Home Remote website.
1 Comment

Home Automation vs. Remote Control

28/9/2020

 
Z-Wave home automation and remote control
​Home automation has the ability to deliver some genuine improvements to our lives but its true purpose is sometimes confused by the power of remote control. This may stem from the fact that the consumer tech market is now flooded with so called smart appliances, designed to be controlled from the convenience of your tablet or phone. From connected TV’s to coffee machines, this can place your home in the palm of your hand but it probably won’t make it smart.
Whilst it’s true that remote control (or "home control" as it’s known in this context) is an important part of any home automation solution, on its own, it is not home automation. The real advantage of a smart home is realised when all your devices can operate as a unified system, without any need for human interaction. This is home automation!

Now, we will admit, the first time we experienced switching our lights on and off from a smart phone was a truly memorable event. The benefits were instantly recognised but we soon found ourselves wanting more than just a high-tech remote. Of course, it’s nice to know we can monitor and control things from a smart phone when necessary (and more recently, through voice recognition thanks to Amazon Alexa and Google Home) but this is only part of the story.

Home automation is not about pushing buttons. It’s about employing technology to take care of the day-to-day operation of your home automatically. When implemented properly, it will go about its business unnoticed, quietly reacting to your needs while improving you and your family’s comfort and safety.

If you'd like more information about home automation and how it can benefit you, contact us today!

Home Security & Safety with Z-Wave

9/9/2020

 
Z-Wave home automation security and safety
​One of the great advantages of owning a smart home is that it can also help keep your family safe and secure. ​Thanks to Z-Wave wireless home automation technology, the pain of installing a traditional hard-wired security system becomes a thing of the past and you can now have a sophisticated self-monitored solution without needing to worry about any messy cabling or ongoing subscription fees. The entire system is designed to be installed yourself and because it's wireless, you can even take it with you, should you ever decide to relocate, protecting your investment for years to come.
Home security is something all home owners worry about, especially when we’re away and unfortunately, a vacant home can often spell opportunity for burglars. However, with a Z-Wave home security and safety system, you can dissuade potential intruders through the automatic control of lights and window coverings at random times, creating the appearance that there’s always someone at home even when there isn’t.
 
Smoke and carbon monoxide sensors form an important part of any home safety system but when connected to a smart home, they can deliver several important benefits. For example, if you have elderly relatives you worry about living alone, they can simultaneously trigger other Z-Wave devices in an emergency and flash room lights, unlock doors or send an alert to family and friends. 
 
Automated lighting offers many benefits in and around the home but perhaps one not so obvious use case is that it allows its occupants to be guided safely between rooms at night without ever needing to fumble for a light switch. This can reduce the risk of falls and other injuries caused by poor lighting conditions.

With a Z-Wave key-less door lock, you can centrally manage unique access codes for every member of the household and trigger an event whenever someone gains entry to your home. You can also remotely lock and unlock your doors from anywhere in world and provide temporary access for house guests or tradesmen.
 
These are just a few of the many security and safety features of a Z-Wave smart home system and if you have any questions about how to best make use of this exciting technology, feel free to contact us anytime.

Click here to see our full range of Z-Wave home security and safety products.

New! Fibaro Double Smart Module

7/9/2020

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Fibaro Double Smart Module AU FIBEFGS-224
The FIBARO Double Smart Module (FIBEFGS-224) is a smart Z-Wave device capable of remotely operating your existing light fittings.

The device features d
ry contacts to control low voltage systems such as garden lights and irrigation, or where you want a pure volt-free switch such as alarm panels and garage door controls. Learn more.
Buy Now
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New! Z-Wave Smart Valve Actuator

3/9/2020

 
Z-Wave Water shut-off switch
Never deal with burst pipes or leaks again! The Z-Wave Smart Valve Actuator can not only automate your water main house feed or anything else that uses a quarter-turn ball valve, but it can also turn off your water automatically when leaks are detected or when you travel out of town.

This product is the first of the new Z-Wave Plus 700 Series devices we will be bringing to you over the coming months. Be sure to join our mailing list to get notified as soon as more products featuring this exciting new technology are added to our store. 
Buy Now

Z-Wave 700 Series

25/8/2020

 
Z-Wave 700 Australia
The 700 series edition of Z-Wave Plus offers some significant advantages over older versions of Z-Wave. Dramatic improvements in wireless speed and battery life are amongst the most noteworthy changes.

​Over the coming months, we will be working hard to bring you the first devices to feature this new technology. In the meantime though, check out this great post on Aeotec.com for a detailed comparison of Z-Wave Plus 700 versus 300 and 500 editions.

New! Yale Assure SL Z-Wave Digital Deadbolt

20/8/2020

 
Yale Assure SL Z-Wave Door Lock

Fibaro Home Center 3

8/7/2020

 
The all new FIBARO HC3 is now available. Get yours today!
Fibaro Home Center 3 - Now available

Home Automation with Vera & Reactor

27/4/2020

 
If you're a Vera user and have not yet tried Reactor (the excellent FREE Vera plugin for advanced home automation), do yourself a favour! To get yourself started, checkout this excellent YouTube tutorial channel.

Here's one of our favourite videos from the channel, to show you how simple it is to create a motion controlled lighting routine...
Happy automating!

Z-Wave Spec to Become Open Standard

21/12/2019

 
Z-Wave Open standard in 2020
BREAKING NEWS! 

As many of you will know, Z-Wave is currently a proprietary standard owned by Silicon Labs. Yesterday it was announced that the company and the Z-Wave Alliance plan to open the Z-Wave Specification as a ratified, multi-source wireless standard available to all silicon vendors for development. 

Starting in the second half of 2020, this change will allow competitors to develop and manufacture their own radios which will encourage further adoption of the technology and will likely bring down prices on Z-Wave hardware. Great news for consumers and the entire Z-Wave community in general!

Read the full press release.
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