Control your smart devices with the best smart hubs. Read reviews, setup guides, and find the perfect hub for your home automation.
No. HomeKit does not work with Android – full stop. It requires an Apple device (iPhone or iPad running iOS 16 or later) to set up, control, and manage everything. If you’re on Android, the Home app doesn’t exist for you, and there’s no official workaround from Apple. That said, Android users aren’t without options. … Read more
Haiku ceiling fans by Big Ass Fans now support HomeKit natively – but only if your model received the Matter firmware update. Fans purchased before that rollout still need Homebridge. Here’s how to figure out which path applies to you and get it working either way. Native HomeKit vs. the Homebridge Path In late 2024, … Read more
Yes, Alexa works with Samsung SmartThings – and the setup takes about five minutes. You link the SmartThings skill in the Alexa app, authorize your account, and Alexa can start controlling your SmartThings devices by voice. Here’s exactly how to do it, what you can control, and what to do when things go sideways. What … Read more
Quick correction before we get into this: a Raspberry Pi running Homebridge is not the same thing as an Apple HomeKit hub. The title on this page implies otherwise, so let’s fix that up front. What you’re actually building here is a Homebridge server – software that bridges non-native HomeKit devices (think Nest, Ring, TP-Link, … Read more
HomeKit is one of the most secure smart home platforms available – and that’s not marketing. End-to-end encryption, local processing for native devices, and no mandatory cloud dependency set it apart from the budget alternatives that have had embarrassing breaches. That said, the security is only as good as the Apple ID protecting your setup. … Read more
A HomeKit bridge is a translator – it takes devices that speak Zigbee, Z-Wave, or a proprietary protocol and converts them into accessories the Apple Home app can see and control. Without one, any device that isn’t natively HomeKit-certified is invisible to Siri and the Home app. Two flavors exist: hardware bridges (a dedicated hub … Read more
No, you cannot use an iPhone as a HomeKit hub. Never could. The iPhone has always been the remote control, not the hub – and Apple never changed that. If you’ve been searching for a workaround, there isn’t one. You need dedicated hardware. Here’s what actually qualifies and what to buy. What Does a HomeKit … Read more
Wink Hub 1 vs. Hub 2 used to be a reasonable question. In 2026, it is not. Wink is a zombie service – barely alive, no active development since 2019, subscription required just to turn your lights on, and a track record of multi-week outages that would make a network engineer cry. If you came … Read more