Techtime have written an article about the upcoming release of TVOS 17 for Apple TVs. It will include the ability to support third-party VPN software that will unlock a bunch of useful capabilities. Read more here.
Installing a VPN on a Smart TV & why
There are a number of reasons you might want to install a VPN on your Smart TV, one of which is to access streaming services from a different country. The Slash Gear guys explain why you might want to do this and tell you how. Read more here and then checkout the following Youtube video.
DIY Home Automation projects
The Raspberry Pi is a great platform for starting to explore and building your own home automation system. There are many companies providing purpose built home automation systems based on this hardware. In this month’s MagPi (the official Raspberry Pi) Magazine there is an article dedicated to the topic. Get a copy of the magazine here.
What’s (the) Matter
Matter is a new Home Automation standard that helps with the integration of Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings. The Verge go into a great deal of detail about Matter in their article here.
Feel like Amazon or Google are listening in to your conversations?
We have been told this is not happening, but experts Techshielder are warning users of Amazon Alexa or Google smart speakers about some ‘valid privacy concerns’. Read the Liverpool Echo’s article here to discover more.
Which AI digital assistant is best?
it is not so easy to determine which of the Siri vs Alexa vs Google Assistant vs Bixby AIs are best. It all comes down to what you need to do. Read Android Authority’s article on the topic here to discover more.
Unifying home automation technologies with Matter
Coming soon, a new industry–unifying standard called Matter is attempting to unify a fragmented smart home market by standardising the way smart devices talk and can be controlled. Keep up to date on their web site here.
Renovating? Consider these 10 Smart Home Devices
MakeUseOf.com have just published a list of smart devices you might want to consider when next updating or renovating your home. Read about them here.
What happened to the promise of a Smart Home?
Smart Homes today are a combination of foundational technologies that are not always well inter-connected. Simon Hill of Wired discusses the challenges he has had with his own smart home and then takes a peek at some of the upcoming technologies in a recent article here.
Change this important privacy setting on your video streaming devices
Automatic Content Recognition (ACR), is software that recognizes the images on your TV to track what you are watching. CNET explains how to turn this off for most major platfoms in their article here.
Smart home devices should use a separate Wi-Fi network
Android Authority have just published an article suggesting Smart Home devices should run on a separate Wi-Fi network. Find out more here and discover why you wont necessarily need a second router.
Whats the difference between Wi-Fi & Bluetooth?
Do you ever question the difference between Wi-Fi & Bluetooth? They are both wireless technologies right? So when would you use one over the other? MakeUseOf.com explains it all here.
Buying a new Smart TV? Check these specs first
If you plan to upgrade or buy a new Smart TV, MakeUseOf.com have just published an aricle containing the six most important specifications you should check before making your decission. Check it out here.
Use A.I. to better understand your dog
Petpuls is a device that is the equivalent of a FitBit for your dog, that gives “dog owners a holistic view into their dog’s behavior and activity throughout the day”. It also uses voice recognition technology to detect and track the emotional state of your dog. The Brighter Side of News provides an interesting overview here.
What are all those sockets on the back of my TV?
If you get a little intimidated by all those sockets on the back of your TV when trying to add a new games console or Blueray player, a recent Tom’s Guide article will help by demystifying all those ports here.