Operation Gadget: Home Automation in the Apple Ecosystem
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Video Doorbells that Fully Support HomeKit Secure Video
Reading Time: 2 minutes Since I rebooted Operation Gadget, I have promoted video doorbells that fully support HomeKit Secure Video (HKSV). They are an important security measure for a Smart Home in the Apple ecosystem. This is because the dominant video doorbells in the market are made by Ring, a subsidiary of Amazon.com. I discuss…
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Were Ring Customers Victimized by a Ransomware Gang?
Reading Time: 3 minutes Joseph Cox at Motherboard reported that a ransomware gang claims to have broken into the cloud-based data compiled by Ring. Ring video doorbells and security products are commonly installed in Smart Homes that are compatible with Alexa. There is now some debate about whether the claim by the cyber gang behind…
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Upgrading from eero or eero Pro to a Newer eero
Reading Time: 2 minutes After I wrote A Mesh WiFi Network is Important to Apple Home Success, I started reading the /r/amazoneero subreddit a lot more carefully. Here’s a good question: I got an Eero Pro and 3 Beacons just about three years ago. Starting to do a little research about what I might get…
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A Mesh WiFi Network is Important to Apple Home Success
Reading Time: 6 minutes In order to maximize the chance of great Apple Home performance, Operation Gadget recommends installing a high performance, Mesh WiFi Network. It’s amazing how many people start installing Video Doorbells, Smart Plugs, Smart Switches, Smart Thermostats, and Smart Speakers, but then experience problems with those devices intermittently failing to work when…
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Useful HomeKit Online Communities
Reading Time: 2 minutes In November 2020, we began automating our new home. I searched for online communities where discussions occurred about successes and failures regular folks had implementing HomeKit devices in their own homes. Reddit Reddit was a pretty hot place to look for user-generated content. So, I started looking for informative content there.…
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Avoiding Smart Home Control Controversies
Reading Time: 4 minutes Anna Kodé of The New York Times wrote a provocative article called Unwanted Connection: Who Has Control of Your Smart Home? that was published on Friday. I started out reading this article with alarm. I had never considered what would happen if I bought a house that had some Smart Home…
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The Circle View Doorbell’s Stunning Improvement
Reading Time: 5 minutes I bought my wife a Logitech Circle View Doorbell for Christmas in 2020, when it was newly on the market. It has turned out to be a great product; Arguably the best HomeKit Secure Video doorbell available in North America. The funny thing about the Circle View Doorbell is that it…
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Operation Gadget Currently Features Minimal Theming
Reading Time: < 1 minute I hope you are enjoying reading Operation Gadget since I rebooted it a little more than a week ago. I wanted to write briefly about the visual design of the site. I’m experimenting with WordPress Block Themes in order to better understand them. This is primarily because they are a…
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When Did Operation Gadget’s Focus on Home Automation Begin?
Reading Time: 2 minutes In November 2020, a number of things changed in the lives of my family. We bought a house in Bucks County, Pennsylvania that had living spaces on three different levels. Also, the HomePod mini became available from Apple. After watching the HomePod mini announcement, which was part of Apple’s “Hi, Speed”…