Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[dhouston]

• http://www.engadget.com/2014/09/19/belkin-crock-pot-smart-slow-cooker-review/?ncid=edpicks&google_editors_picks=true

This quote had me  

Should I use my phone to turn it on or press the button on the front?

This could be the ideal gift for HA Dave who's looking for more things he can control with his phone.  

[beelocks]

This could be the ideal gift for HA Dave who's looking for more things he can control with his phone. 

Depending on what he cooks, he might needs one of these.
http://www.cnet.com/news/flush-with-your-smartphone-toilets-get-bluetooth/

[dave w]

After checking these links, my reaction was: "It's all out of control!"
But I guess that would not be the appropriate reaction or description, which only leaves laughing. 

[dhouston]

Having spent $27 for a 6-QT slow cooker about a year ago, I think this vastly overpriced. Being home-bound, I've no need of a smartphone. I traveled heavily in the past so can understand the desire to communicate remotely but I think this would make much more sense, have a wider market and perhaps justify an even higher price if it could keep the ingredients at refrigerator temperatures until time to initiate cooking.   
 
But, not even Frigidaire appears to make such a combo. 

• http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Frigidaire-Professional-Slow-Cooker/6393642/product.html

[HA Dave]

Cute guys.

I am not so sure I want to control stuff so much as be informed of stuff. I like to know about events and or conditions. My setup [now] uses voice announcements now to inform me when someone approaches my home (and warns possible intruders they've been detected), and if the garage door opens or is left open. I use some sound warnings as well for other things like a water leak or car in the driveway.

Of course admittedly since my phone is always handy... it's nice to also be able to use it as a/THE remote to normally control stuff. But what I'd really like to see is the phone becoming more like the Halo AI companion. That's a lot more than pushing digital touch-screen buttons to turn lights on and off.

The phones can already do much more stuff than make calls. They can track the proximity of friends and family. Make regular or emergency calls on (voice) command. And... control automation and IR devices as well. I use mine to view my security cameras remotely too. Someday... our phones may replace our Home Automation computer altogether. But for now I'd at least like to see the HA and my phone talk to each other more.

It's nice to get voice announces when I am home.... but why not get them via my phone too? Or maybe get test messages of certain events. Is there a text message generator [program] somewhere?

[dhouston]

Cute guys.
I am not so sure I want to control stuff so much as be informed of stuff. I like to know about events and or conditions.

I really didn't mean to pick on you specifically but had just seen your post saying you were looking for things to control with your phone so couldn't resist mentioning it.  

I understand your desire to monitor things. I wrote some software called Commander X some 12-15 years back that predated Homeseer and others that followed. At least one engineer used it to monitor/control his Southern California home from Montreal where he (and his family) were on a lengthy temporary assignment. It employed IFTTT long before it or that became things. And, I first got involved with X10 as an add-on to other software (SpeakOUT!) that I wrote that gave those with ALS, stroke and other conditions that took their voice to speak using text-to-speech long before this was built-in to phones and tablets. Many also needed to control lights/appliances, doors, etc. as well as monitor their environment.

[Tuicemen]

It's nice to get voice announces when I am home.... but why not get them via my phone too? Or maybe get test messages of certain events. Is there a text message generator [program] somewhere?

Any third party software that can send email alerts can send a text message.
 

[HA Dave]

I really didn't mean to pick on you specifically but had just seen your post saying you were looking for things to control with your phone so couldn't resist mentioning it.  

No problem. I didn't feel picked on at all. And you're correct I do want to use the phone more with/in my setup. Right now.... I am patently (doing my very best) waiting for X10 to introduce their new WiFi controller (or whatever it turns out to be). I am a big fan of X10... so I am hanging in for/with them.

My summer(s) has been kind's full and busy... I can wait till winter to address Home Automation changes. Currently I haven't lost anything with my setup as it was/is. I have voice control as well as announcements and a lot of the system just runs along by itself.

I keep waiting for something.... the new X10 controller or something... that will help/guide/inspire me to create a new Home Automation master plan.

[HA Dave]

It's nice to get voice announces when I am home.... but why not get them via my phone too? Or maybe get test messages of certain events. Is there a text message generator [program] somewhere?

Any third party software that can send email alerts can send a text message.
 

You recommending any software in particular?

[dhouston]

I keep waiting for something.... the new X10 controller or something... that will help/guide/inspire me to create a new Home Automation master plan.

Stay tuned - Xmas may come early. I think the Haibrain TIP10RF can be easily modified for the North American market. I've emailed Haibrain in hopes of getting more detailed documentation so I can verify this. If so we could have an Ethernet to X10RF bridge with an existing iOS/Android app to control X10 via a WiFi link without waiting for the new X10 WiFi unit.

PS: Is anyone else nervous, fearing Haibrain may have elided an r in their name?

[HA Dave]

Stay tuned - Xmas may come early. I think the Haibrain TIP10RF can be easily modified for the North American market. I've emailed Haibrain in hopes of getting more detailed documentation so I can verify this. If so we could have an Ethernet to X10RF bridge with an existing iOS/Android app to control X10 via a WiFi link without waiting for the new X10 WiFi unit.

Woo Hoo!

[dhouston]

See...

• http://forums.x10.com/index.php?topic=28628.msg161991#msg161991

[Tuicemen]

It's nice to get voice announces when I am home.... but why not get them via my phone too? Or maybe get test messages of certain events. Is there a text message generator [program] somewhere?

Any third party software that can send email alerts can send a text message.
 

You recommending any software in particular?

None in particular as there are several although I do use PCC
Looking threw the third party add-ons and software section should reveal a few others.
Even AHP would do it when the servers were up and you had the Myhouse plug-in.
 

[dave w]

But, not even Frigidaire appears to make such a combo. 

• http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Frigidaire-Professional-Slow-Cooker/6393642/product.html

I give up, what does the "200 watt motor" do in a slow cooker? I want one of them WiFi toilets so I can flush it from the office. I say again, "it's out of control". 

[JeffVolp]

I give up, what does the "200 watt motor" do in a slow cooker?

I caught that too.  I guess "motor" sounds more impressive than "heating element" to the target buyer.

Jeff