🔴 CHECK OUT 🍿 Apple HomePod Handoff ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-tPEv5ZGPVw0.html 🍿 Top 10 Everyday Apple Watch Uses! Why You Need One - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-687RhgGGSiY.html 🍿 Top 10 Everyday HomePod Uses! Why You Need One - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-oty5zxs0uoc.html
11:42 When you mention Thread. Who do you think made Thread? Google was a founding member, and pushes Thread, and Thread is in all of Googles smart displays, and in their Nest products. Apple only joined up at the end of 2018. Also NFC tags work great on Android, and even other devices that are not from Apple. As far as Shortcuts are concerned, Apple had to make something to give its users, especially since SiriKit is terrible, and if you ask me Siri Shortcuts is a kludge, because SiriKit sucks so bad. You know Apples SiriKit sucks, when you have to code differently for an Apple Watch, vs iPhone, vs a Mac. That is why Apple came out with Siri Shortcuts, because SiriKit is horrendous to develop and code with.
I recently completed switching from Amazon Alexa devices throughout my house to all HomeKit. I appreciate Apple’s attention to my security and privacy.
what I like about homekit is that you dont need to worry if paying for a subscription, it is embedded to the apple ecosystem. With alexa you are going to multiple apps to integrate everything to alexa app that I personally never use. With home kit you have a fast and easy app without worrying about other stuffs that are not necessary
One thing Apple does very well is their Ecosystem. Once I purchased my first Apple TV and saw how my iPad and iPhone could communicate.. I was sold! That was the beginning of my HomeKit Experience. #ShareTheLove
Hello Tyler, thank you very much. I have not installed home bridge yet myself. I would check out some of the more HomeKit focused channels that have been working exclusively with HomeKit and using HomeBridge. I just bought Hoobs and certain things are easy and others I have not got working.
I’m using the Google assistant atm. But thinking about switching to Alexa. Using a single ‘wake’ word I think would be a simple quality of life improvement, plus the Zigbee integration would be a nice to have feature.
Completely agree! Siri Shortcuts is a hugely underappreciated resource in the smart home world and Apple adopting Thread as standard in the HomePod Mini (and hopefully a refreshed HomePod and next-gen AppleTV) really sets HomeKit apart. Great video as always!
Thank you very much. I appreciate you saying that. I think you’re right with a thread helps set them apart. I think it’ll be underappreciated until people start to see it in use.
Man I would really like to convert to HomeKit, but there are just too many devices I love that won’t work on home kit. Like Wyze products. Great video as usual though.
My favourite assistant for getting things done around the home is Jenkins my butler, who brings me afternoon tea as well as the occasional gin and tonic.
A year ago when I started my smart home journey I had planned to use HomeKit. I setup my hue hub and it absolutely refused to connect to HomeKit. So I setup Alexa and has control of my lights within 5 minutes. About two months later, after having bought some echos and ring cameras, I decided to try to add it again for fun and options. It connected with no problems. If it had just connected in the first couple of days I might have cared more about HomeKit. Now I try and buy products that work with all three when possible in case I switch someday.
Banging my head here - 2 iPhones 1 iPad and couple of Macs - yes I understand Homekit idea BUT I want to use some Ring products and on a budget for the rest. I haven't started yet just want to get over the first seemingly BIG hurdle!
Really great video. I’m just getting involved in the smart home space. Trying to sift through the crap is a mammoth task. Great informative videos like this makes the task a lot more enjoyable. We’re an Apple family at home but I prefer Spotify over Apple Music. As some will know, this simple preference complicates the integration of music into the system.
Thank you very much Brent that’s very nice of you to say. I know it could be hard getting through to find the information you actually want to find on RU-vid. I understand the music situation. Before Apple Music was available on the echoes it was frustrating that I had to use a different music service instead. they need to have more 3rd party music support.
Hey Greg injoyed your video on the Apple home app but was wondering I heard this does support ring security but I don’t understand how you load this item on the app and also do you have to scan each item of the devices. Any help I would appreciate thanks
I just got two HomePod Minis and love my new automations! They start playing music when I arrive home and stop when I leave. I also have them set to turn on music when I wake up for work. Looking forward to doing more HomeKit stuff
Very cool. Congratulations on the HomePod minis. That is great that you are putting them to work for you. I hope you enjoy your HomeKit journey. There is some great stuff. Thanks for sharing and watching.
Just got Philips lights in my bedroom and bathroom got ecobee thermostats both floors and front door smart lock all with home kit also got me 2 homepod minis in my night tables love telling siri to play rain or waves at night to sleep got to say its addictive wanna make the entire home smart lol 🤷♂️👌💡✨
Native iOS control IS very nice. I have homeassistant and setup every smart plug and LED strip I have (WLED too) in Homekit. Super accessible to wife who doesnt want to mess with multiple apps.
Watched video, loved it. Switched to HK and won’t look back. just for those who might have a synology nas in their home - homebridge runs in there like a boss. i’ve got all my alexa compatible switches, nest, ring cameras, doorbell, rachio irrigation, and my door lock. all on my home screen with automation and routines setup.
You don't need Homekit to have a centralized third party app and interface. You can also use the Alexa or Google Assistant apps to control and access your devices without the need to use their manufacturers apps.
Even an amateur hacker can hack your home with other platforms. Apple home isn't bullet proof, but the communication is end to end encrypted. But ofc apple isn't the only way. Just go through your smart devices and make sure everything is safe.
Craig, Great video and HOOBS/Homebridge are great for "expanding" HomeKit (I've got my Roborock vacuum, Logitech Harmony Hub, and Ring Alarm in Homekit with HOOBS), but it's not universal. The claim that HOOBS/Homebridge allows you to use your non-HomeKit devices in HomeKit only applies if there is an available plugin and then it's how well the plugin works. For my Ring and Harmony kit, it was super simple. For the Roborock vacuum, the plugin is great, but HomeKit, even in 2021 (maybe WWDC will change this) doesn't support vacuums as a device type. With my HOOBS setup, my vacuum shows up as a fan and a presence sensor. I've seen other folks report other robot vacuums in HomeKit as a variety of on/off switches. It gets the job done, but it's certainly not plug n play. YMMV on which devices/plugins you use. I especially like your point about the U1 chip and how that could be a game changer. I'm disappointed that the U1 chip isn't in the new ATV4k.
I love the homekit and automation, but it needs more devices to work on it. I got my locks and lights done, but not my vacuum, garage opener, and curtain.
110% dedicated Apple here but also have a few Amazon products. Australia here and I just wished we’d have more available for HomeKit. There’s really not much of a choice at all. Alexa stuff is much more plentiful.
🙌🏻 HomeKit! 😃 👏🏻 Great video Craig! Glad to hear you discussing the U1 chip and some of the future possibilities there. I think Apple is playing the long game when it comes to smart home and I’m excited to see where it goes.
Thank you very much Shane. I appreciate you checking out the video. I think when the U1 chip is unleashed, it will be a whole new game. I am excited to see where it is going too. It’s going to get fun. Thanks for the support Shane. Have a great weekend.
I’ve always wanted more from HomeKit and we now have a lot more. Everything in my home is Alexa and HomeKit compatible except for the Alexa smart oven. I plan to replace my Alexa devices with HomePods (I’ll keep an echo in the kitchen for the oven)
With 8 Alexa type devices in my house I have to be more selective as to how I replace. But replace is what I'm doing. Got my first HomePod Mini this past weekend.
@@othercharr I have 2 HomePod minis and 3alexa devices. My wife still calls on the Echos to do things and I’m transitioning to “Hey Siri”. Siri seems to be more responsive but no follow up really stinks.
Very cool Dennis that you are making the switch. You just need to keep wanna go around like you’re saying for that oven. I know for me I will be a multi assist in household. But everything I buy now I buy for home care. Thank you for watching. Both you and Jeffrey, I hope have a good switch over to HomeKit.
As a happy Apple custoner, I've been aware of Homekit for years now, but never realized until recently that I'd actually like to use it. My wife has some mobility challenges, and it takes her a while to get to the door when someone rings the doorbell. Though our Ring video doorbell helped her in knowing who was at the door, it still took her a good while to get to the door to unlock it. So, we recently purchased the Encode electronic deadbolt lock from Schlage, our favorite lockset brand. The first one we bought didn't support Homekit, so I returned it to Home Depot to get the Encode Plus, which DOES support Homekit. Then I learned that I could make a HomeKit hub on my Apple TV. So I paired my lock to HomeKit, and she can now can lock and unlock the deadbolt from her computer. And I can do the same from my Apple Watch. With the watch, I can unlock the door simply by holding it against the lock's numberpad. Sweet! We also replaced our Nest thermostat (we hate Google!) a couple years ago with an Ecobee3 Lite, which I discovered has supported Homekit all along. I added it to Homekit by simply holding my iPhone near the thermostat, which lit up a QR code on the thermostat's displaya, which my phone read and paired it automatically with Homekit. And the Homekit app on my watch lets me now control the thermostat with it. Next step for us is to get an HK-compatible video doorbell to replace the Ring (Amazon-eeeuww!) one-probably Logitech or Belkin! I'm 73, and I've been around computers and made my living with them for over 50 years. Apple made me a zealot of the Apple brand, and now they can pry my Apple stuff out of my cold dead hands, eternal gratitude to Steve Jobs and Tim Cook and company.
Daniel, thank you very much for sharing this. I am glad that it has helped your wife out. That is great that the HomeKit journey has been so good for you. It is awesome how it all works across all your devices. I am with you, you have to pry this stuff from my hands. The encode plus is such a great lock. Glad to hear you are enjoying it. I did the video on the Aqara G4 doorbell. I love the Aqara lineup. I am hoping we see some new Matter doorbells this year. It might be something to wait on. If Amazon is playing nicely, they should release a Matter Ring doorbell that Apple users could use. That is if they play nicely. Thanks for watching and for your comment. Good luck with HomeKit.
Great video, but for someone who’s new to all this home stuff, it’s a bit overwhelming. All I could think of is I wonder if there’s a company you can hire to come to your house, advise you on what items you could use, buy what you want, and then they help set up, explain how everything works, and shows you how to use it all.
Yeah that’s a traditional security system .. but also when there are software updates you’re going to have to learn for yourself , but Best Buy or lowes will do that for you with smart home things.. but also having someone do that is having someone know how your house is setup so it’s truly up to you
The HomePod needed to go. They overpriced it and wasn’t good enough as an assistant. I think the mini is to get them back in the game and as a palette cleanser to get people to forgot the original. 😀
Not enough people talk about how yes the Amazon and google systems are cheaper to get items up and running but no one talks about how those systems have such garbage quality control on those cheap products. Apple has chosen to make their barrier to entry a higher standard, which means better performance, and tighter quality control, those things come at a price premium. I don’t mind paying more for something if it’s going to work consistently and doesn’t need a degree in code to setup.
I started replacing all my Alexa devices with HomePods a few months ago and I just finished… I’ve been able to OBSERVE my ads become less relevant across social media and Amazon. That level of privacy is the reason I’m an Apple customer.
WAIT PLEASE HELP. How do you have so many accessories to control VIA APPLE TV? I have dozens of accessories on my HomeKit but when i go to that menu on my Apple TV it only shows my camera and one scene and not all of my other accessories PLEASE HELP
Thanks Craig. Great video content. Accurate account of why we are switching over to Apple from Google. Number one reason is privacy, but a lot has to do with a better ecosystem as you described. Nice work!
Hi Craig. Like you I’m all in on Alexa as a digital assistant (I have 6) but I would love to switch to Apple/HomePod because for phones, tablets, computers, tv boxes, I’m all in on Apple. So why did I choose Alexa? The wake word of course. Saying ‘Hey’ before an assistant’s name is lame and unnatural. Simply saying Alexa is far more natural and everyday. So I choose natural over security and privacy. Simple. Except I want security and privacy. It’s an ongoing dilemma/frustration and I hate that.
Rob it sounds like the only real solution is to have a multi assist in household. Now that is a tough one. At one thing you could look at from a security and privacy standpoint is the Amazon euro routers. They are HomeKit certified. I do think it’s great to have an Apple TV or a HomePod so you can use compatible devices and create shortcuts along with using your echo. They are great benefits to both. I just hot between the two. But I feel your pain.
@@CraigsTechTalk I hadn’t heard about the euro routers, I’ll look into that. Would ExpressVPN do the same thing - protect me from Amazon’s spying eyes?
I don’t know how much a VPN helps within your own house in network of devices. If anything I would check into the privacy settings in the Alexa app. But other than that I don’t know of a way to block and still get the functionality of these devices. It’s more about taking a vantage of their privacy and data options.
1.-The possibility to add two languages at the same time to Alexa was the main reason I picked her. (Even though we speak 3 languages at home) 2.-The option of controlling Spotify playing on Alexa from my phone. 3.-The way cheaper devices to start my smart home.
do you need smart tv just to connect alexa? or even light bulbs please explain i wanna put in my mother in law so that easy for them to close even with out switch out
why are you censored when you say the first name of the amazon smarthome system? 😮 at first i thought it was a sounderror but i noticed it in a few videos from you now.. 🤨
I’m in the process of changing out for things that work with HomeKit. I know Matter is coming/here, but I don’t really think all my Google and other devices will really work together.
As a reminder, a voice assistant is NOT home automation. It's just another method for interacting with devices. This video really points out want automation is all about. Google's and Amazon's automation across multiple device manufacturers is almost non-existent. While they do have routines, they are unmanageable and simply not the same thing as full on automation.
Hello Jeffrey, that is some good clarification. I do like that apples shortcuts can go across multiple third-party apps. It opens up more automations that feel useful. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and watching.
Very interesting I have never been an Apple fan but that goes back to the original cpu chip which was difficult to program at the chip level (we did have to do that in the beginning). Many of the homekit features should be everywhere, which would make things easier, I have built my system on alexa an hue basically but this gives me reason to do some research into this system for future expansions.
My smart home evolved from a smart lock. It has become a place of complex automations. I don’t know much about HomeKit. Does it have a programmable rules-based automation engine?
That is very cool. Glad to hear it had grown into some bigger for you. Apple shortcuts is a rule based automation, that can control apps on, your phone, your smart home and so much more. The Home+ app lets you write conditional automations in shortcut. I was watching some videos from @TheBradLloyd ru-vid.com He gets into some cool conditional stuff.
@@CraigsTechTalk Like Disney World’s mobile ticket you wouldn’t need to double click the button. The watch knows it’s with you so you could just set it up to trigger from the NFC Tag simply by raising the Watch to the tag. Just like entering Disney World. Ultimately making the watch more convenient than the phone.
My biggest issue with home pod is you can’t connect any other devices to it except for apple devices which to me it makes no sense to do that to a speaker, that’s the reason I will never waste money on them.
Well they’re intended for people within the ecosystem, so for most people it isn’t a problem I guess. The Echo Studio is kinda janky with bluetooth and especially aux in.
Have you been able to integrate a Eufy doorbell to Homekit?. I want it to pop up on my device and allow me to see and speak to the person when the bell is pressed.
Instead of Homebridge/HOOBS give Home Assistant a look. Seems to be much more reliable and customizable. I started with Homebridge and moved to Home Assistant as my main home automation brain. Runs on a Raspberry Pi as well. All my devices are in there as well as all my automations. HA automations are much more flexible than HK. I then use HomeKit as the user interface layer on top of this for voice control and some scenes. The HA app is pretty decent too.
Thanks for the great video. Incredibly helpful as always. I can’t seem to find the stickers that you have on your desk. I’d be ever so grateful if you could let me know where they are from. Keep up the great work! I am in the UK so I’m not able to import from the US. Products have to be available in the UK. Thank you so much!❤
Just wondering how homekit accessories works and controlled from outside network. Understood that if we use third party apps to control devices from outside, it uses its own cloud server to send the command to network hub and hub will send the command to that device. But how it works in homekit? Is it using our icloud or is it using apple cloud for IoT or by any other means?
Love the enthusiasm. I think you are right about that. Glad you got your badge now. You have been bumped back to greenhorn. Thanks for support Eric. I am going to have to make a HomeKit emoji, an Alexa Emoji and Google people can glad there team.
Really nice video Craig. I am a total apple fanboy, but as you know it is a bit limited in the market right now. I do however think that Alexa and Apple homepod with a homeassistant integration will give you the ultimate utopia of automations.
Thank you very much. You are right, it is bit limited. Having both Alexa and HomeKit is the best solution for me too. Using the HomeKit automations are nice. So far Hoobs has filled a couple of voids, but is missing a few things I have. I am excited to see what is coming. Thanks for watching.
I’m new to your channel. I found this video solely because of “HomeKit”. I’m definitely going to learn from your past and future videos. Keep it up. #ShareTheLove
I had my Samsung v3 hub go south. I looked around and decided on the Hubitat. I have had it for just 4 days and I am not a real fan on the interface and the clunkiness of the need to find code to make certain things work. Coming from the Samsung (2-3 years worth) and using Google Voice and Alexa, can the way I have been using my devices work with Apple? Meaning, can I use "Hey Google" and still turn on my TV (using Harmony Remote Hub) or use any of my Z-Wave devices using "Hey Google" or Apple? Basically, can I install HomeKit and pick up where I left off or do I need to relearn using Hey Siri only? I use wifi and Z-Way devices.
Hey Craig, Hubitat connected to HOOBS is the way to go. It's not real easy to set up, but once done, it is easy to use and connects my entire house to HomeKit.
Very cool. That’s good to know. With what little knowledge I have, I can picture what you are saying and can also picture it being tricky. Thanks for sharing and watching.
Could you recommend a rotary smart dimmer for smart lights that work with HomeKit? And which wound you say is the best smart bulb? (I liked Nanoleaf’s, but their colors are way too dim)
That is great that you are using all 3. There are benefits of all of them. I do like the home app a lot. The automatons with it and the shortcut app is great. Glad that you are trying them all. It is good for people to hear opinions from people who use them all.
Hi Question for you , is it possible transfer hand off or any other means for a FaceTime video call or google duo or any video call over to a tv or monitor ? Having even more hands free and even voice activated
Not to correct you but in case resolution is a deal killer for some... 1080p = 2k. Not *exactly* but in marketing and layperson speak. That means no quality loss. (I have no skin in this game. We aren’t using any security cameras as yet. We’ve begun migrating into HomeKit from SmartThings and still use Alexa because it will take time before we aren’t cross-platform.)
Hello Dave, thank you for the information in such a nice and polite way. I had not thought of resolution that way. After reading more I understand what you explained is the correct and accurate definition of 2k based on pixel count. But now 2k is being used for 1440p because it’s twice the pixels 1080p. With that being said, I am not sure which version of 2k Eufy picked for resolution. Here is there marketing speak “The Key is in the Detail: View every event in up to 2K clarity (1080P while using HomeKit)” I do appreciate your comment. That is cool you are migrating. I hope it is a good experience. Changing is not easy and definitely takes time. Thanks for watching.
At the beginning you mention that HomeKit hubs are needed for outside access. True. Any HK automation you create on your phone, actually runs on the HomeKit hub, not the phone... so automations need that hub as well. Also, in your phone screen insert shots... a lot of “no response” items... the dreaded no response... in red...
Thank you for the additional information. That is good to know about shortcuts. Yeah, the dreaded no response. Luckily most of those were devices that I had to pull out of my garage because we are getting work done. But definitely annoying to see. Especially if you just used the device and now it says no response. Thanks for the info and for watching.
Great review. Thank you very much. The shortcuts scripting is really versatile, easy to see how much room there is for that to grow! I learnt a lot about the homekit ecosystem from your video. Thanks again for making it.
