Inspired by a listener's question, Adam and Richard go back to basics in this episode and explain some fundamental concepts about smart home technology. Including: What is a smart home? What's a platform? What's a standard? What's the difference between a "warm" light and a "soft" one? And how does a smart device know how to do anything?

Previously...

- Insteon Goes Dark & Cloud vs. Local https://www.smarthome.fm/episodes/208-insteon

- Hubs and Bridges https://www.smarthome.fm/episodes/180 via Knit

Adam and Richard brainstorm what their dream smart homes would look like, if money were no object but technology advanced in a realistic way. They discuss the ideal state of voice assistants, lighting, window treatments, security systems, A/V equipment, home robotics, and more. Also: Should you AirTag your baby? (No.) via Knit

Adam and Richard continue their discussion of Richard's recent move to a new home. Richard explains the first devices he chose to set up, why he intentionally dragged his feet on some devices, and the mistakes he made with his existing Ring and Hue accounts. He also shares some advice for installing Zigby devices that may save you a huge amount of time, and a hack he discovered for making Sonos speakers - including first-gen ones - work in a HomePod-powered home. Plus: The smart home industry's "holding pattern" as everyone waits for Matter to drop. via Knit

Smartlabs, the company behind smarthome.com and Insteon smart home products, has shuttered operations. On today's show, Adam and Richard discuss how that sudden shutdown has impacted both manufacturers and consumers, and the trade-offs of communicating locally vs. over a proprietary cloud. via Knit

Adam and Richard are back to discuss Richard's move to a new state, which required him to also decide which of his more than 100 connected devices would make the move, and which would be left behind. He talks about how he decided what would make the cut, and explains the settings that needed to be adjusted or turned off in both sets of devices, because "it's not as simple as unplug and go." Plus: The annoyances Richard ran into that device makers should learn from. via Knit

Adam and Richard catch up with Seth Johnson for the 2021 Technology.FM Fireside chat via Knit

Adam, Richard, and The Verge's Smart Home reviewer Jennifer Pattison Tuohy talk about the next-gen smart home standard Matter, previously known as Project CHIP. They explain what it is, why there's some cause for optimism that this will be the one standard to rule them all - and also who's currently missing, and what important questions have not been answered yet. They also talk about Athom's reinvented Homey platform, and settle the most important debate of all: Is candy corn bad or good? via Knit

Adam and Richard are joined by Tom Flippin from Wayne Water Systems to talk about the Basement Guardian Halo, which Wayne developed with Adam's company ConnectSense. The Halo is a smarter sump pump - a device many homeowners don't see or think about until it fails catastrophically. The trio discusses what a sump pump does, how Wayne and ConnectSense thought about the ways hooking one up to the smart home could save consumers money and stress, and who the Halo is for. Plus: Adam and Richard talk about the Apple products they bought after last week's event, and answer a question from Bob H. about outdoor motion sensors.

Buy the Basement Guardian Halo at https://www.waynepumps.com/product/basement-guardian-halo/ via Knit

Last month was Richard's annual recap, and now it's Adam's turn to talk about the smart home projects he has taken on over the past year, including the Sonos Roam, new lights and cameras from Ring, an amazing 3D printer, the Harmony Elite remote, and more of Apple's HomePod Minis. Adam also talks about his "list of shame," gadgets he has purchased and projects he has meant to start that have so far gone unattended. Plus: How do Richard and Adam feel about the new Star Wars hotel at Disney World, what are the best alternatives to the Chamberlain MyQ garage door opener? via Knit

Adam and Richard talk about all the smart home projects Richard has taken on over the past year, including several attempts to install a decorative flickering light, outdoor lighting, motion sensor switches, and outfitting his new vacation rental home. Then, Richard talks about the products he's been testing recently, including smart roller shades, the Abode Iota security system, and the Philips Smart Button. Plus: How concerned should consumers be about the privacy policies of Google, Amazon, Apple, and Facebook, and what advice do Adam and Richard have for aspiring podcasters? via Knit

Adam and Richard talk about the numerous Smart Home-adjacent announcements Apple made at WWDC21, including updates to Siri, the Home app, and HomeKit Secure Video. They also discuss the "homeOS" rumors, Apple's participation in the device standard Matter (previously known as Project CHIP), and the announcements Apple didn't make that they're disappointed are still missing. Plus: A listener question about HomeBridge. via Knit