Imagining the smart home with a TV as its hub

By Jenny McGrath Published January 15, 2015

will your tv become a smart home hub best tvs — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Right now, most smart home hubs are shaped like small rectangular boxes or cubes or even a Russian nesting doll. These hubs exist to sync an increasing number of smart home products, from lights to thermostats to security cameras, even if they’re not all from the same manufacturer. The idea is that instead of needing tons of apps or individual controls, a single device will talk to everything and enable everything to talk to each other.

Yesterday, Logitech announced its Harmony API, which features voice control and lets developers access smart devices on lots of other platforms; the company is working with IFTTT and SmartThings, for example. Its home hub already comes with a remote, and the Ultimate Home Remote can control lights, too. Right now, Logitech’s devices are pretty home-entertainment-centric, but it seems like the company is looking to change that with the API. However, depending on whom it partners with, a future hub could just be baked into a smart TV.

Recommended Videos

Smart TVs already exist, of course, and their capabilities will only grow. Due to their nature as a gathering point for many families, and because they’re often found in more than one room of the house, we could see them acting as a hub for other connected devices some day. There were rumors that Apple’s HomeKit will use the Apple TV box as a hub, though the company denied it. Still, it did get us thinking that having notifications pop up on the TV if a sensor detects an intruder opening a window, or switching the picture over to the front door camera automatically when the bell rings, or lowering the volume if the smart baby monitor picks up sounds from the kid’s room would all be extremely handy.

Many of these things could happen on your phone or tablet, too, and eventually the connected home may not require a hub at all. Right now, Nest is positioning its thermostats as the center of its imagined smart home, and we can’t even watch The Mindy Project on that.

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Jenny McGrath is a senior writer at Digital Trends covering the intersection of tech and the arts and the environment. Before…

Smart Home

Echo Show 15 (1st Gen) vs. Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen): What’s new on the updated smart display?

Echo Show 15 on wall.

Amazon has officially discontinued the Echo Show 15 (1st Gen), replacing it with the new and improved Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen). The new device makes a lot of improvements over its predecessor, but it also carries over much of the same functionality. That begs the question -- if you already own an Echo Show 15 (1st Gen), should you upgrade to the Echo Show (2nd Gen)? And what exactly is different about this expensive smart display?

Here's a look at all the new features on the Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen) to help you decide.
Pricing and design

Smart Home

Host a flawless Thanksgiving with these smart home tips

Philips Hue Smart Dimmable LED Smart Light Recipe Kit lifestyle

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and if you’re worried about hosting a great party this year, know that your smart home is here to help. We’ve pulled together some simple ways your smart home can be optimized to help you host a flawless Thanksgiving. From building a cozy atmosphere with smart lights to setting Quick Replies on your video doorbell, here’s a look at how your smart home can help throw a stress-free Thanksgiving.
Create a temporary smart lock password

Many smart locks allow you to program temporary passcodes -- and this is an incredibly useful feature when you're hosting. Instead of telling all your guests your permanent passcode, you can create a temporary code that’ll only work on Thanksgiving. This ensures your friends and family can let themselves inside your home if you’re busy without giving them free rein to barge in other times of the year. We’ve put together a comprehensive guide on how to create temporary codes on the Yale Assure Lock 2, but you’ll find a similar process available for most other smart locks.
Use Quick Replies on your video doorbell

Smart Home

Echo Show 21 vs. Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen): which is best for your smart home?

Amazon's new Echo Show 21 and updated Echo Show 15.

Amazon just released two new smart displays -- the completely new Echo Show 21 and the updated Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen). Both are premium options for your home, offering powerful speakers, Full HD displays, and heaps of useful apps so you can stream videos or check your schedule. But which is the better option? The gigantic Echo Show 21, or the updated Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen)? Here’s a closer look at both to help you decide.
Pricing and design

The Echo Show 21 is the biggest member of the Echo Show family, and it’s got the price tag to prove it. Clocking in at $400, it’s a hefty investment. Its design is pretty premium, however, and it can be either mounted on a wall or placed on a table with an adjustable stand (sold separately). The Echo Show 15 looks much the same, though it’s quite a bit smaller. But from a design standpoint, it’s essentially a shrunken version of the Echo Show 21. It too can be mounted on a wall or placed on a table with an optional adjustable stand. But at $300, it’s much easier on the wallet.