Episode 169 - Yay, Florida! 😐

On this week's episode of HomeTech: The joy of summertime in Florida. Have we reached the voice-enabled speaker tipping point? Samsung wants to compete with Echo and HomePod, if only Bixby could speak English. An OTT video comparison worth 7 minutes of your time. Hulu lands a carriage deal with HBO. Another large builder dabbling in the smart home. An (unlikely?) marriage of convenience between Sonos and Crestron. Savant and Ihiji finally play nice. And more...

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Show Notes

• After Apple’s HomePod announcement, Samsung said to be also planning intelligent speaker | 9to5Mac
• Alibaba Unveils the Tmall Genie X1 Voice-Activated Speaker | Investopedia
• The Voice Speaker Tipping Point – Tech.pinions
• How to Get the Best Live TV Streaming : Hulu vs. YouTube vs. DirecTV | Digital Trends
• You can now subscribe to HBO through Hulu for $14.99/month | 9to5Mac
• Meritage Homes to Include Advanced Wireless Home Automation Package in New Homes - NASDAQ.com
• Crestron and Sonos Deepen Their Relationship - Strata-gee.com
• Sonos Available Through Crestron, the Only Home Automation Co. with Embedded Sonos App - CE Pro
• Savant Home Automation Now Works with Ihiji for Remote Monitoring, Management - CE Pro
• TRENDnet Partners with Domotz for Remote Network Monitoring - CE Pro

Episode 168 - The Hackintosh

On this week's episode of HomeTech: Seth gets a new computer (with a side of buyer's remorse). Ring's new Elite model now for sale, and a welcome addition to the line up. Amazon's Echo Show now integrates with most popular smart home cams. Sharp jumps into the OLED game. LG's 77" wallpaper TV will set you back a cool $20K. Yet more dire predictions for PayTV providers. And much more...

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Show Notes

• Ring Elite Shipping
• Ring Video Doorbells and Security Cameras Now Work With Amazon Alexa on Echo Show!
• You can now watch your smart home camera from an Amazon Echo Show - The Verge
• Bug your family with Amazon Echo's new intercom feature
• Run Google Assistant on Your Amazon Echo
• Alexa, What Happens if the Echo Has a Screen? You Get This Review
• Sharp will reportedly start building OLED TV panels next year
• LG's 77-inch Wallpaper TV is selling for the low, low price of $20k
• Xiaomi is bringing cinema tech to a living room projector
• U.S. pay TV business to lose 10.8M more subscribers by 2021, Kagan predicts
• Editor’s Corner—Why Hulu is best positioned to win OTT vs. pay TV subscriber race
• Caavo
• YouTube TV is expanding to 10 new markets
• Angry Comcast customer set up Raspberry Pi to auto-tweet speed test results

Episode 167 - Brown the Bear? Or Sally the Chick?

On this week's episode of HomeTech: Seth and Jason indulge in some Apple HomePod speculation. Japan's answer the Echo comes in Chicken or Bear. Lennar and Toll Brothers get hands-on with the smart home.  New hardware from Ring. Vivint kicks open the door to the smart-home-for-renters market. Zigbee PRO 2017 - don't call it a comeback. And Insteon acquired, but where will it lead? 

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Show Notes

• Observation: Sphero needs to make a smart hub - Spiderman meets Echo
• Japan’s answer to the Amazon Echo comes in ‘bear’ or ‘chicken
• Amazon surpassed Sonos to become leader in Wi-Fi speaker sales ahead of Apple’s HomePod
• Wi-Fi Certified Smart Home Designs Offered by Lennar Homes: Assurance of Strong, Reliable Home Wi-Fi - Electronic House
• Toll Brothers Builds Smart Home Appeal in New Construction Market
• Smart home startup Kirio’s first product works with pretty much any device, including the kitchen sink
• Ring announces second-generation video doorbell, available today
• Nest is considering Apple HomeKit as iOS 11 makes supporting existing products easier
• Vivint Launches Smart Home Platform for Rental Properties
• ZigBee PRO 2017 Spec Operates in Simultaneous Multi-Band Mesh Networks - CE Pro
• Seattle startup vet Rob Lilleness acquires Smartlabs, investing $7.3M in the home automation company

Episode 166 - Getting to Know Loxone with Florian Woess

On this week's episode of HomeTech: We are joined by Florian Woess, CEO of Loxone US. Florian provides a great overview of the company's unique approach to professionally-installed home automation. Comparable to the most established brands here in the states, Loxone's US operations are just getting started. But if their widespread popularity overseas, and rapid growth to over 250 worldwide employees is any indication, they are poised to gain significant market share in the years to come. With a huge array of hardware options. a thoughtful approach to software, and highly competitive price points, Loxone is clearly one to watch. Tune in to our conversation with Florian to learn more about the company's compelling story!

That plus... New hardware and service offerings from Eero. Thoughts on Logitech's new Circle 2 indoor / outdoor camera. Savant's "Wally" line up - What's old is new again. CEDIA's (crazy expensive) new digs. Netflix subscriber numbers surpass Cable. And more...

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Show Notes

• Eero’s new router is twice as powerful and twice as fast as before
• Logitech Circle 2 In/Outdoor HD Home Security Camera
• Logitech’s Circle 2 security camera can transform to fit in different places
• Savant Intros Wall-Mounted Touch Screens
• Why CEDIA is Building New HQ in Fishers, IN: Crunching the Real-Estate Numbers - CE Pro
• Netflix now bigger than US cable market
• Interview: Loxone

Episode 165 - Apple WWDC17 Wrap-Up Special

On this week's episode of HomeTech: Richard Gunther, long-time friend of the show and host of the Home: On Podcast, joins us for a comprehensive wrap-up of Apple's recent WWDC. From significant (if a bit under-the- radar) HomeKit updates, to a spirited discussion about Apple's new HomePod product, and everything in between, this episode covers all you need to know about Apple's latest event. 

 Fan of the podcast? Want to support our efforts? Please consider becoming a Patron! 

Show Notes

• WWDC 2017 Keynote
• HomeKit in iOS 11: Sprinklers & faucets, QR code & NFC setup, improved latency, software authentication & more | 9to5Mac