Operation Gadget: Home Automation in the Apple Ecosystem
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This Superdanny Power Strip Powers Everything Around Your Desk
Reading Time: 2 minutes My wife needs a way to charge her iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. She would like to have it take up only one wall outlet. I may have found a fantastic solution for her. It’s the Superdanny Power Strip with 22 outlets and 6 USB ports. She has a corner of…
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Logitech Circle View Video Doorbell Tech Support is Outstanding
Reading Time: 5 minutes We’ve had a Logitech Circle View Video Doorbell installed at my house since January 2021, which is a long time for a doorbell compatible with Apple Home. Like many other HomeKit users, I’ve run into a few technical issues with the Logitech Circle View Doorbell, mostly early in 2021. But this…
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NameDrop in iOS is not a Security Risk
Reading Time: < 1 minute This NameDrop controversy that took place on Facebook earlier this week is one of the most misunderstood technical issues I’ve seen in a long time. Contrary to all of these posts from official sounding police-related Facebook pages, it’s not really a security risk. NameDrop is useful if you want to…
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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…