Average Tech Blog | Home Automation with Samsung SmartThings

The garage door is a common roadblock for home automation, because garage door openers are “dumb”, expensive, and not something you'd want to break. Have no fear! If you pair a SmartThings hub with the Chamberlin MyQ Garage Door Kit, you can control your garage door remotely, and check its current status. You can even automate it using IFTTT and webCoRE.

Motion sensors are valuable when it's important to know when people enter or exit a room. There are many options available, but when it comes to SmartThings, the simplicity and native compatibility of the Ecolink Z-Wave Plus pet-immune motion...

The basic operation is to toggle power on and off using the SmartThings mobile app, but you can also dim the brightness of the plugged-in device using a fully customizable sliding scale. This feature enables homeowners to achieve the perfect dimmer level for table and floor lamps, and other lighting applications.

As you grow your home automation network, the need for triggers and automation using contact sensors becomes commonplace. There are a wide variety of options, but the Visionic sensor costs less than $20 online, which was the lowest priced SmartThings-native...

Ring Motion-Activated Spotlight Camera The Ring Spotlight cam combines motion-activated security lighting with Wifi security camera. Similar to other Ring products, the Ring Spotlight Cam (Available on Amazon) is controlled and setup using the Ring mobile app, and can send...

The Z-Wave Plus outdoor smart switch from GE is a reliable, heavy duty controller for lighting and appliances exposed to weather and the elements. Natively compatible with SmartThings, its compact, all-black enclosure and short 7.5-inch power cord can easily be concealed behind foliage and rocks, or mounted to an exterior surface.

Fire safety is, arguably, one of the most important aspects to home ownership. Not only are you responsible for yourself, but also everyone else living in the home. If your home is not already equipped with hardwired smoke detectors, it's simple to add wireless smoke detectors to SmartThings (or any Z-Wave home automation system) for less than $50.

Available on Amazon The idea behind MySmartBlinds is simple: place a small WiFi/Bluetooth servo motor, hidden inside the existing housing of your window blinds, to open, close, and adjust the angle of the...

As you work to make your dumb home smarter, you've probably thought about home security. The most common security system in the US is a hardwired, professionally installed system monitored by ADT. ADT monitoring can cost $60+ and doesn't...

Before you buy a Schlage door lock for yourself, it’s important to determine which of the three types you need: Schlage Touch, Schlage Connect, or Schlage Sense. If you're shopping for a smart door lock from Schlage, you've likely seen...