If you also have many devices that don't necessarily work together, you'll have to control them separately. Many of us bought into smart home devices before standards like Works with Nest or HomeKit were a thing. Ry Crist tested a handful of HomeKit apps to find his favorite of the bunch. If all (or many) of your devices are HomeKit-compatible, or in the Samsung Smart Home Service family, consider using an app that controls all your products. Scenario: Your devices are on the same platform, like HomeKit
Smart home control center install#
Still, you may want to install each device's dedicated app to have access to granular or app-specific settings as needed. If you have a hub like SmartThings, WigWag Relay or Logitech Harmony Home Hub, then setting up your universal remote will be easily, since you only need one app. The more likely scenario, however, is that you'll need to continue using each device's dedicated app. Depending on the devices you own, you may be able to control them from one central app. Now's the time to determine the most streamlined approach to controlling your many devices.
I'm so glad I have a place for all of those apps, so they're not clogging up my phone. With the right setup (more on that later), you can streamline your tablet to easily control your smart bulbs, thermostat, security camera, locks, and other Web-connected devices.įor example, my mega tablet remote runs my SHIELD Android TV, Playbulb Color light and speaker, Xbox One, SmartChef Wifi-enabled smoker, D-Link Wi-Fi security camera and all of the other devices I have all over my home. It's time to give your old tablet a new life by making into a mega remote that controls all of the smart devices in your home.īesides using it to control your streaming box or stick (like the Chromecast or Apple TV), your tablet is an ideal option for managing the many smart devices in your home. Have you upgraded your tablet and your old one is languishing in a drawer? Or maybe you tossed your tablet to the side in favor of a big-screened phone.