General Gaming Article |
- You May Want to Hold Off on Your Steam Link Pre-Order
- Asus ROG Intros Swift PG279Q, PG27AQ Monitors
- Facebook Now Warns about State-Sponsored Attacks
- Newegg Daily Deals: Intel Core i7-4790K, Toshiba 3TB HDD, and More!
- Lenovo's Answer to Surface Book is Yoga 900 Convertible
- MSI Treats Gamers to GS40 Phantom in Time for Halloween
- Maingear Nomad 15 Laptop Tackles 4K Gaming with G-Sync, GTX 980M
- Corsair Strafe Mechanical Keyboard Review
- How To: DIY Home Automation
| You May Want to Hold Off on Your Steam Link Pre-Order Posted: 19 Oct 2015 06:26 PM PDT Ethernet connection is fine, but wireless has issuesWhile the review embargo for Valve's Steam Link won't lift until November 10, we recently received a unit and thought we would give you our first impressions of the $50 game streaming set top box. We'll publish our full review when the embargo lifts. The front of the Steam Link. The box itself is quite small and measures roughly 4.8x3.6x.7 inches. Ports on the Link include three USB 2.0 ports, HDMI out, 100 Mbit/s Ethernet connection, and a power port. Under the hood, it also supports Bluetooth 4.0 and Wireless 802.11ac (along with your B/G/N variants). The goal of the Steam Link is to allow you to stream your local Steam games from your desktop PC into your living room over your local network. The Steam Link supports 1080p streaming at 60fps, which is smart, considering the bulk of most HDTVs are still situated at 1080p/60Hz. The back of the Steam Link. Setting up the Steam Link is super easy. You just plug in your power and HDMI cables and you're pretty much ready to go. Once you log in to your local network (either wirelessly or via Ethernet), the Steam Link will update its firmware and then automatically detect other PCs on the network that have Steam enabled and allow you to stream from them. You will have to hop back on to the desktop PC to input a four-digit number to authorize the device, however. It is also worth mentioning that Steam Link merely launches the game on your desktop PC and then mirrors the image and intercepts the audio to your Steam Link. This means that you unfortunately won't be able to use your desktop PC independent of Steam Link. What it then does is fire up Steam's Big Picture mode (Valve's 10-foot UI) to allow you to play your games as you would normally on your desktop PC. Valve also saw fit to include a six-foot Ethernet cable in the box. Plugged directly into our Asus RT-N66U router, we garnered a display latency in the low 20 milliseconds (Valve's In-Home Streaming provides an onscreen latency counter). Low 20 milliseconds is a little more latency than we thought it would be for a wired connection, but it was certainly playable, and we hardly noticed any compression issues. When you go down the wireless route, however, Steam Link isn't so polished. The Steam Link's simple menu. We'll provide a more in-depth analysis of latency in our full review of the device, but our initial experiential impressions are not good for wireless. While we don't have a high-end AC router at home, the Asus RT-N66U is still a kick-ass N router that supports both 2.4 and 5GHz frequencies. Streaming wirelessly to a room that was roughly 23 feet away from our router yielded extremely inconsistent results. At best, it yielded low 30 millisecond delays in our game streaming tests, which is playable, but it looked extremely compressed. There are things you can do to try and adjust the latency, such as adjust the stream quality to "fast," "balanced," or "beautiful," and you can also enable/disable host hardware encoding and Steam Link hardware decoding, but everything we tried didn't seem to get it lower than 30 milliseconds, or resolve the compression issue. We tried switching out different Ethernet cables, but that didn't work either. Hell, sometimes the millisecond delay would spike up to over 4,000! This is odd, considering the Steam Link was reporting that we got three out of four wireless signal bars. While that's not a perfect signal, we don't think it should warrant a 4,000 millisecond delay! We eventually decided to move the Steam Link closer to the router, and placed it in the living room, which is roughly 17 feet away from the RT-N66U. While we didn't get a 4,000 millisecond delay here, we were seeing delays of more than 100 milliseconds coupled with video compression issues and audio drop-offs. Le sigh. What if you just want to stream to your HDTV that is in the same room as your desktop PC/router? Then it gets better, but it still has issues. We were seeing about a 30 millisecond delay with the Steam Link being around four feet from the router on 5GHz Wi-Fi, which is certainly playable, but we were still getting random audio dropouts. Also, if you're going to be four feet away from the router, might as well just buy an HDMI cable, which would generate no perceptible lag. To be fair to the Steam Link, Valve told us that one of the reasons there's a review embargo is that the company is still updating the firmware, so hopefully this issue gets addressed before it officially launches next month. Still, we can't help but feel like the Steam Link should have shipped with an extendable antenna or something to bolster its signal strength. Another gripe we had with the Steam Link is that if you're going down the wired route, your PC and the Steam Link need to be connected to the same router/cable modem. In our current setup, we have our desktop hooked up to our router, which is then hooked up to our cable modem. When we tried plugging the Steam Link into the cable modem directly, it couldn't detect our desktop on the network. This problem was remedied when we plugged the Steam Link directly into our router, however. Hopefully, Valve can address this issue before launch as well. Should you pre-order the Steam Link? While $50 isn't a lot to ask for, at this point, we would recommend that you wait it out to see if Valve fixes some of these Wi-Fi issues. Of course, there's always a chance that there's something wrong with our unit, or perhaps the architecture where we did our testing isn't conducive to Steam Link streaming. As the saying goes, your mileage may vary, but from what we can tell thus far, our miles suck. At this point, we'd only really recommend it for those who have a home setup that would work well with the wired connection option. | ||||||||||||||||
| Asus ROG Intros Swift PG279Q, PG27AQ Monitors Posted: 19 Oct 2015 03:16 PM PDT Asus Republic of Gamers (ROG) introduced on Monday two new monitors for gamers: the Swift PG279Q and the Swift PG27AQ. These panels measure 27 inches diagonally, and feature Nvidia's G-SYNC technology, which helps reduce both input lag and screen tearing. Asus also says that the PG279Q is the first monitor to sport a 165Hz refresh rate, which can be accessed if the gamer is using a Nvidia GeForce GTX 960 or higher GPU. Asus said on Monday that both monitors feature IPS panels and 178-degree viewing angles. They also include the GamePlus hotkey, which provides four different crosshair overlays, an FPS counter, and a timer that can keep track of the amount of game time being played. There's also a TurboKey that allows users to switch refresh rates on the fly (60, 120, and 144Hz refresh rates), and GameVisual technology that provides six preset display modes. These modes can be accessed by way of the on-screen display (OSD) settings menu. A list of specifications show that the PG27AQ model has a 3840x2160 screen resolution and the PG279Q model has a 2560x1440 resolution. Both feature a 100 percent sRGB color gamut, a response time of 4ms (Gray to Gray), and a five-way OSD navigation joystick. The monitors also sport the company's Ultra-Low Blue Light technology that reduces blue light emissions (up to 70 percent), and its Flicker-Free technology. The specs also show a slight difference between the two panels beyond the resolutions. The PG27AQ has a pixel pitch of 163ppi, a brightness of 300cd/m2, and 10-bit display colors. The PG279Q has a pixel pitch of 109ppi, a brightness of 350cd/m2, and 8-bit display colors. However, both have a pair of embedded two-watt speakers, one DisplayPort 1.2 jack, one HDMI 1.4 jack, two USB 3.0 ports, and an earphone jack. The big news here is that both panels feature Nvidia's G-SYNC technology. For many Nvidia gamers, this is must-own tech, as it will sync the monitor refresh rate to the GeForce GTX GPU's framerate output so that input lag, screen tears, and onscreen flicker is reduced. That means a better gameplay experience, and with Asus's own gadgetsh, like the GamePlus crosshairs and on-the-fly refresh rate changing, these seem like good bets for Nvidia-based gamers looking for a new monitor. Asus says that the Swift PG279Q will be made available worldwide starting this month, followed by the Swift PG27AQ sometime in November 2015. Unfortunately, the company hasn't provided pricing just yet; the full list of specs, however, can be found here. | ||||||||||||||||
| Facebook Now Warns about State-Sponsored Attacks Posted: 19 Oct 2015 03:03 PM PDT Alex Stamos, the Chief Security Officer at Facebook, posted on Facebook's security blog that the company will now inform users if their account is the target of a state-sponsored attack. He said that Facebook is alerting users because these types of attacks are more dangerous and highly advanced compared to other attacks. Those who receive the alerts are encouraged to secure all of their online accounts, not just Facebook. "It's important to understand that this warning is not related to any compromise of Facebook's platform or systems, and that having an account compromised in this manner may indicate that your computer or mobile device has been infected with malware," Stamos states. "Ideally, people who see this message should take care to rebuild or replace these systems if possible." The message he refers to warns the user to turn on Login Approvals, which will help prevent others from logging in to the Facebook account. With this feature turned on, the user will receive a security code on his/her phone that can be used to log in to the social networking site. As previously stated, those who receive the message should also inspect their other online services as well. "To protect the integrity of our methods and processes, we often won't be able to explain how we attribute certain attacks to suspected attackers," Stamos adds. "That said, we plan to use this warning only in situations where the evidence strongly supports our conclusion. We hope that these warnings will assist those people in need of protection, and we will continue to improve our ability to prevent and detect attacks of all kinds against people on Facebook." Facebook follows Google, which began warning users of suspected state-sponsored attacks back in June 2012. The search engine company said that the warning wasn't confirmation that an account had been hacked, but rather that the user may be subject of an attack and should take extra steps to secure the account. Google also offers two-step authentication, meaning users must provide a Google-given code in addition to their regular login credentials when accessing a Google service. "You might ask how we know this activity is state-sponsored," said Eric Grosse, VP Security Engineering, at the time. "We can't go into the details without giving away information that would be helpful to these bad actors, but our detailed analysis—as well as victim reports—strongly suggest the involvement of states or groups that are state-sponsored." Facebook's Login Approvals is actually its version of two-step authentication. To get the best, most secure experience out of the social network, users may want to turn on this feature. While this extra step may be a pain, it will help prevent others from accessing your account (and perhaps posting pictures you'd rather others not see). | ||||||||||||||||
| Newegg Daily Deals: Intel Core i7-4790K, Toshiba 3TB HDD, and More! Posted: 19 Oct 2015 12:23 PM PDT Top Deal: Saying goodbye isn't always easy, though it's sometimes necessary, like sending a son or daughter off to college, attending a funeral, or breaking up with a demonic partner. Sometimes you can delay things. That's especially true if you're rocking an LGA1150 motherboard that you're just not ready to part with. In that case, a CPU upgrade could extend its lifespan, and if you're going that route, check out today's top deal for an Intel Core i7-4790K Devil's Canyon Processor for $324 with free shipping (normally $340 - use coupon code: [EMCKAKS23]). With four cores, eight threads, 8MB of L3 and an operating frequency of 4GHz to 4GHz, this is still a chip to be reckoned with. Other Deals: Samsung Black 27-inch Curved LED Monitor 4ms (GTG) HDMI LED-Lit VA Panel 350 cd/m2 Dual Stereo Speakers w/ Game Mode function for $280 with free shipping (normally $330) Toshiba 3TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5-inch Internal Hard Drive Retail Kit for $85 with free shipping (normally $93 - use coupon code: [ESCKAKS43]) Corsair Vengeance K70 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard - Red LED - Cherry MX Brown Switches for $115 with free shipping (normally $120 - use coupon code: [EMCKAKS36]) Team Dark 16GB (2 x 8GB) Desktop Memory Model for $65 with free shipping (normally $71 - use coupon code: [EMCKAKS47]) | ||||||||||||||||
| Lenovo's Answer to Surface Book is Yoga 900 Convertible Posted: 19 Oct 2015 12:11 PM PDT A cheaper Surface Book Lenovo doesn't have any plans of selling Microsoft's Surface Pro laptops like Dell and HP both agreed to do, and presumably you won't see any Surface Book systems in the Chinese OEM's product catalog, either. But what you will find is the Yoga 900, a convertible laptop that looks a little similar to the Surface Book. The Yoga 900 gets billing as the thinnest and lightest Core i convertible laptop around. Towards that end, it measures just 14.9mm and weighs 1.29kg, or about 0.59 inches and 2.84 pounds if thumbing your nose at the metric system. Like pretty much all systems coming out these days, the Yoga 900 gets the Skylake treatment with Core i5-6200U and Core i7-6500U processor options.You can also choose between 8GB and 16GB of DDR3L RAM and either 256GB or 512GB of solid state storage. Unlike the Surface Book, there's no option to add discrete graphics to drive the Yoga 900's 13.3-inch QHD+ (3200x1800) IPS display with 10-point multi-touch. But like the Surface Book, the Yoga 900 has a special hinge design that Lenovo calls a "watchband hinge," which in this case has more than 800 "intricately woven, individual pieces" for a "noticeably smoother rotation." This gives the convertible the flexibility of four usage modes, including laptop, stand, tent, and tablet. It also has a USB 2.0 port, USB 3.1 Type-C port, USB 3.0 port, 4-in-1 memory card reader, headphone port, fingerprint reader, webcam, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 4.0. And of course there's Windows 10. Lenovo said its latest Yoga convertible boasts 50 percent greater battery density and runs 30 percent cooler than the previous generation. Pricing for the Yoga 900 starts at $1,200. That's right around $300 cheaper than the lowest priced Surface Book. | ||||||||||||||||
| MSI Treats Gamers to GS40 Phantom in Time for Halloween Posted: 19 Oct 2015 10:02 AM PDT A potent portable MSI on Monday announced the availability of its GS40 Phantom laptop, which it's pitching as the thinnest and lightest gaming notebook in the galaxy. To make that claim, the thing weighs just 3.5 pounds and measures 0.86 inches thick. "The GS40 Phantom is a breakthrough in design that combines the power of bigger gaming laptops with the portability of a netbook," says Andy Tung, president of MSI Pan America. "The GS40 Phantom does not scale back on performance just to be lighter or thinner, it complements its svelte physique with technologies not even found in larger units." Comparing its portability to a netbook might be pushing things, though it's not far removed from Ultrabook status. Despite the GS40 Phantom's small size, it packs some relatively big performing hardware inside, including an Intel Core i7-6700HQ processor and Nvidia GeForce GTX 970M GPU, a capable duo for the laptop's 14-inch Full HD 1080p display. The GS40 Phantom's arsenal also includes 16GB of DDR4-2133 RAM, 128GB SSD (PCIe-based) for the OS, 1TB HDD for storage duties, Killer E2400 networking, SD card slot, two USB 3.0 ports, four Dynaudio Tech Speakers with Nahimic Sound, SteelSeries backlit keyboard, and of course Windows 10. MSI's $1,600 MSRP is pretty reasonable for the setup, at least on paper (we haven't tested one in person). If your budget is even bigger, MSI says to hang tight for its GT80 Titan, which will combine a Skylake processor with dual GTX 980 GPUs in SLI. It will also be the first gaming laptop to sport a mechanical keyboard with Cherry MX Brown key switches. | ||||||||||||||||
| Maingear Nomad 15 Laptop Tackles 4K Gaming with G-Sync, GTX 980M Posted: 19 Oct 2015 09:43 AM PDT High resolution gaming on the go Boutique system builder Maingear has gone and overhauled its Nomad 15 laptop with some high-end options, including a 15.6-inch 4K display with G-Sync support powered by Nvidia's GeForce GTX 980M GPU. Both are optional upgrades over the base model that includes a Full HD 1080p display without G-Sync support. That configuration starts at $1,899 and includes an Intel Core i5 6500 processor clocked at 3.2GHz to 3.6GHz, 8GB of DDR4-2133 memory, GeForce GTX 970M GPU, NVMe 256GB Samsung 950 Pro SSD, 8X DVD burner, GbE LAN, Killer 802.11ac Wi-Fi, and Windows 10 Home 64-bit. "The power and performance of the Nomad 15 will stun even the most serious gamer," says Wallace Santos, CEO and Founder of Maingear. "Gamers demand the best even while on the go and our latest gaming laptop delivers." That statement holds more meaning if jumping up to what Maingear calls a "Stage 2" configuration. It starts at $2,149 with a GeForce GTX 980M standard, though other upgrades will cost extra. For example, to bump up to an Intel Core i7-6700K processor, 4K display with G-Sync, and 16GB of DDR4-2133 RAM, you're looking at spending $2,573. Those are just some of the upgrade options available -- you can add even more RAM and increase the storage, and also upgrade to a Blu-ray burner if you're still riding the optical train. One thing to keep in mind is that the GeForce GTX 980M GPU is not the desktop-class GTX 980 for laptops that Nvidia recently announced. The latter would be better equipped for 4K gaming. | ||||||||||||||||
| Corsair Strafe Mechanical Keyboard Review Posted: 19 Oct 2015 07:39 AM PDT at a glance(+) Dog Fighter (-) Cannon Fodder This article was published in the December 2015 issue of Maximum PC. For more trusted reviews and feature stories, subscribe here. Clicky quality from sensitive switchesMechanical keyboards. Love them or hate them, they're here to stay. Whether you're still not convinced it's worth dropping the extra $60 or $70 on a mechanical key switch or not, it might be worth giving this review a read. Corsair brings to the overcrowded table a slimline version of its popular Vengeance series of boards. It's a brand synonymous with solid build quality and premium feature sets, and the Strafe doesn't disappoint. Packing Cherry MX Red key switches, it's quiet, but still has that mechanical sound and feel associated with Cherry's carefully crafted clackers. If this is your first time delving into the world of Cherry switches, you'll find the Red switch is very soft to the touch. It has an incredibly sensitive actuation point, meaning that placing just a small amount of pressure down on the key will activate the switch, without any tactile feedback to let you know that you've activated the key. Sounds bad? Well, not entirely. Once you adjust to the new switch style, you'll find it's actually very responsive, meaning it's much easier to react to otherwise more difficult situations. It's ideal for gaming. The overall build quality of the Strafe is impressive. Although it has a plastic outer shell, the keyboard itself has very little flex. This is primarily down to Corsair including an aluminum support bar through the middle of the board, not that you'll ever see it. And while it lacks the classy metal chassis of its older K70 Vengeance brothers, the Strafe is still a good-looking keyboard with a beautiful set of outlying LED stripes to complement the overall gaming feel. It also features the LED controller found in Corsair's latest RGB series of peripherals. That means you can have any number of complex LED wave patterns and responses to boot. It sounds like a gimmick, but trust us, you can spend hours just staring at your keyboard as it reciprocates like a Cylon or ripples from your touch. Beyond the CylonsOther features include media control via the function keys, brightness control and a Windows lock key. The board also comes with a USB passthrough, which is handy. Depending on whether or not you're playing MOBAs, you can even change out the key caps and the more traditional WASD keys. The only downside to this board is the lack of truly dedicated media keys. It would have been nice to see a dedicated volume wheel and other keys in the top right. However, for the price point, it's understandable why Corsair couldn't include them. Other than that, a wrist rest would have been a bonus, too, as it can sit a little high on your desk. Again, this does take some time to get used to. Granted, there are a few alternative mechanical keyboards out there for this price, but none of them feature the same integrated LED controller or the modern level of gaming aesthetic design as seen on the Strafe. That said, you can pick up a K70 Vengeance in red now for the same price—despite its slightly dated design, the dedicated media keys and all-aluminum body make it incredibly tempting (not to mention the lack of garish sails). Should you buy this? Well, if you like pretty lights and want a solid, dependable, and versatile gaming keyboard, then yes, the Strafe is certainly worth considering. It could be your weapon of choice. $110, www.newegg.com
| ||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 19 Oct 2015 12:00 AM PDT Make your home a modern wonderHome automation devices and projects can make life easier and, depending on the task, can be done without spending a lot of money. Automating your home goes beyond simple temperature control and smart appliances. Entertainment systems, lighting control, yard watering systems, and even pet feeding systems (among a host of other tasks) are being integrated into the home, making our lives a little less stressful. New devices, kits, and the IoT (Internet of Things) are continually evolving and upgrading, giving us more options to automate just about everything in our homes. In this roundup, we'll take a look at some of the latest devices and DIY projects that won't cost an arm and leg to acquire and implement. In no time at all, you'll be able to turn your home into a smart abode that's ready to work for you. WeMo Switch + Motion by BelkinBelkin's WeMo Switch + Motion allow users to automate anything that requires an outlet to function. First on the list is a device from Belkin that allows users to wirelessly control just about anything that needs an electrical outlet to function. The company's WeMo Switch + Motion sensor brings smart technology to anything from electronics to appliances. It functions using a proximity sensor to run those device when users walk near them, about 10 feet in distance. When the sensor is tripped, it sends a signal to the Switch, which then turns the connected devices on or off, depending on how it's set. Users can combine multiple Switches and sensors, making it easy to automate anything that's plugged in. Each kit costs $80, direct from the Belkin website. SmartThings Hub by SamsungSamsung's SmartThings Hub connects all the smart devices in your home no matter what protocol they use. Samsung's SmartThings picks up where the WeMo leaves off—by connecting every smart device in the home to a centralized hub. It also comes with a series of remote sensors that can be placed throughout the home to monitor everything from heating and cooling to intrusion and water leaks. The Hub is outfitted with ZigBee and Z-Wave radios to connect and monitor the sensors and send alerts to users' smart devices if they're tripped. The Hub also allows for connection of cameras, which can provide video alerts if something goes wrong. The ability to connect to just about any smart device and program them (using a smartphone, tablet, or laptop) to activate or deactivate on any given schedule makes SmartThings an awesome introduction to home automation. The $100 price tag for the introductory setup makes it that much more appealing. iSmartAlarmThe iSmartAlarm monitors every entry point from doors to window using contact and motion sensors as well as a series of cameras. Smart home security doesn't get any more thorough than the iSmartAlarm, which is more of a modular system than a kit. The company's Preferred Package includes the CubeOne control box that acts as the system's brain, which wirelessly connects the included pair of contact sensors that can be placed on any door and widows around the home. It also comes with a motion detector and two remote tags that allow users to arm and disarm the system. When any of the sensors is tripped, it sounds a high-pitched alarm and sends a text message and phone call to the user's smartphone alerting them of the intrusion. It's up to the user at that point on whether to call the authorities. While the Preferred Package starts at $200, users can buy additional modules for increased security, including the iCamera that provides audio and video feeds, the SmartSwitch for controlling other smart devices, and of course, a yard sign that will tell burglars your home is protected. OpenHabOpenHab is an open-source software platform designed to connect different IoT devices to each other. Not all automated home devices are created equal in terms of speaking to one another. Getting those devices to play nice together can be a nightmare, especially when they use different communication protocols. In cases such as these, some users look to a centralized hub that can mesh those protocols together, which is what the open-source platform OpenHab does quite nicely, combining them into one easy to use interface. The Java-based system is essentially a server that connects different smart devices to a centralized hub that can be accessed from mobile devices, through a web-based application, or even scripting systems. This makes it easy to connect devices from different manufacturers using user software definitions, automation rules, or other tools such as Runtime core and software bindings available directly from OpenHab or from a community of builders on GitHub. The best part about the platform is that everything is free to use. Echo by AmazonAmazon's Echo provides voice interaction with smart devices using cloud-based processing. Sure, Apple's Siri is great at running applications on the iPhone; however, it doesn't hold a candle to Amazon's Echo at controlling smart devices around the home. Similar to Siri, Google Now, and Microsoft's Kinect, the device is an always-on microphone that responds to vocal commands to perform the desired function—in this case, activating entertainment systems, lighting, appliances, and anything else that's connected to it. The Echo requires a wireless Internet connection to function and can interface with smart devices over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth 4.0, and processes commands using Amazon's Web Service. Users can even purchase a remote-control unit to issue commands when not in the same room, which works surprisingly well as long as there's a solid internet connection. And the Echo's compatibility with WeMo, SmartThings, and Phillips Hue (among others) makes it an attractive home automation device for $180. Uber Home Automation by ElectronichamstersElectronichamsters' Uber Home Automation platform controls and monitors almost everything conceivable using the Raspberry Pi and Arduino. Some of the more technically inclined home automation enthusiasts sometime build their own systems using the widely available and cheap single-board computers such as the Raspberry Pi, Arduino Uno, or BeagleBone Black. This is precisely what Instructable user [electronichamsters] decided to do with his Uber Home Automation platform. The platform makes use of a Raspberry Pi and Arduino Clone to monitor a series of sensors placed around the home. The sensors—including heat, sound, smoke, magnetometer and hydro—are completely self-contained and are connected wirelessly to an Arduino unit that acts as a gateway, which connects to the Pi. The system uses OpenHab to coalesce the sensor data, which can then be monitored remotely using a mobile device. It will also send alerts via audio alarm or email to the user if sensor variance occurs. Considering that the Pi costs a mere $35 and each sensor and Clone bundle top out at around $10 to $20, it's easy to see why DIY home automation is an attractive alternative. Check out the link above for a complete walkthrough on how to build your own Uber Home Automation platform. Star Trek LCARS Home Automation by Ludwig BoltzmannLudwig Boltzmann's Star Trek LCARS Home Automation is the closest you will get to being on the Enterprise. Keeping with the DIY theme, one of the more unique projects for home automation comes from YouTube user Ludwig Boltzmann [AKA blotzmann138], who designed a platform that is controlled using a Star Trek LCARS (Library Computer Access/Retrieval System) GUI interface. Ludwig makes use of a Raspberry Pi and Arduino, plus with a series of smart outlets to control lights and audio/video systems, along with a series of sensors to monitor temperature and an alarm system. It can even pull weather and traffic information when the need arises. Ludwig has been developing this ongoing project for the last couple of years and will release the code he's designing on GitHub as soon as he produces a stable version. Hit the link above to see his platform in action. iDevicesiDevices is set to release their Apple Homekit–enabled devices for home automation for both indoor and outdoor applications. While not technically on the market as of yet, iDevices is set to release a trio of new Apple Homekit–based devices for home automation. The company's devices include a $50 indoor Wi-Fi enabled Switch, which allows users to connect and control devices that are plugged into the outlet. Everything from cooking appliances to lighting can be controlled using a soon-to-be-released iPhone app or through Siri. iDevices will also release an $80 weatherproof outdoor version, allowing users to control everything from lighting to watering systems. The final device that's set to be released is the $150 iDevice Thermostat, which will allow users to control their heating and cooling systems using the same applications listed above. All the kits should be available from Lowe's home improvement stores in early autumn. Hue by PhillipsPhillips Hue smart lighting allows users to change contrast and color spectrum remotely using their smartphone. Smart lighting is synonymous with home automation, so much so that there are literally hundreds of options to choose from when it comes to lighting kits. One of the better kits on the market comes from Phillips, with its Hue line of lights that can be altered and programmed on the fly using a smartphone or tablet. The company's $200 Starter Pack may seem expensive considering you only get three bulbs, but the number of things that can be done with them seem justifiable. The kit comes with a programmable base station that can be set to control color, contrast, and intensity over specific periods of time. For example, users can program the system to slowly illuminate in the morning or turn off at a certain time. The platform is modular as well, allowing up to 50 bulbs to be connected to the system, each with their own intensity and color scheme. Programming and controlling the lights is done through a smartphone application that can be controlled from anywhere, making it perfect if you want to have the lights on when you return home. Kevo by KwiksetThe Kwikset Kevo is an affordable smart lock that can lock/unlock itself just by walking near it. The last device on our list of home automation devices is a must-have for home security: the Kwikset Kevo. The smart lock may not be the prettiest on the market, but it functions well considering it's been available for a few years. One of the unique features it boasts is that it can be locked or unlocked using Bluetooth Proximity Authentication—meaning users can simply walk near the lock to engage it as long as they have their smartphones with them. Another great feature is that users can assign "virtual" keys to others, which comes in handy if they have lost their physical key; however, they still need to install the app and create an account. While the $200 price tag might seem a little expensive, it provides enough functionality and security to justify the cost. |
| You are subscribed to email updates from Maximum PC latest stories. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States | |
