Already have an account? Log in
Hello all, and welcome to Build a Smarter Home. This site is meant to be a primarily written alternative to the myriad of excellent YouTube content creators that review and educate on smart home technology.
Primarily, there will be a focus on Apple HomeKit, however, a lot of the planned educational content is platform agnostic and with the introduction of Matter later this year, there is likely to be a lot of content relevant to users of Google Home, Alexa, SmartThings, and other smart home platforms.
My name is Davey Shafik, and I will be the (likely) sole author of the content here. I am a veteran software developer by trade; I love to tinker with technology, but I also prefer simplicity over complexity. When it comes to things I use every day, I need them to Just Work™, 100% of the time and so I intentionally make some choices that limit my ability to tinker and — all too often — ultimately, break things. This is why I primarily use Apple products, in addition to the privacy features.
I am a subscriber of Hygge, preferring cozy over minimalistic, and warmth over stark and cold.
We aim to help people progressively build out their smart homes, making them smarter, in practical, cost effective, and simple ways — rather than attempting to create the complete Sci-Fi dream home that is often drawn on as inspiration for the idealized outcome.
In the short term, I will be primarily focused on writing reviews for the existing elements of my current home, as well as several introductory articles for those just getting started. Additionally, as I continue to plan and make changes to my smart home, I'll be documenting those efforts here too.
Before you buy any smart home gear, you must understand how all your gear talks to each other —...
WiFi devices connect directly to your WiFi network and communicate with your Home Hub directly over your local network....
The Problem A frequent issue in my house is that someone will use the bathroom and either forget to...