Why Is Philips Hue So Expensive? Are They Worth It?

YouTube thumbnail showing me sleeping with my Hue bulbs and accessories

This morning I ordered some Philips Hue bulbs (four White Ambiance E14s, a size sometimes called ‘decorative candles’) and a starter kit including the hub/bridge. To be honest, I was almost annoyed at myself for ordering them because I’ve been wary about smart lights for years. Why? Well, I remember having a conversation with someone … Read more

Which Ring and Nest Devices Support 5 GHz WiFi?

Phone screenshot showing the WiFi selection of my Ring Indoor Cam, with the prompt asking me if I want to connect to a pre-existing WiFi network.

When it was first released, 5 GHz WiFi was advertised as being faster and sometimes ‘more reliable’ than 2.4 GHz WiFi. Whilst this is broadly true, many Ring and Nest devices still seem to only support 2.4 GHz WiFi. This got me wondering whether this can lead to worse connections for your smart devices, and … Read more

Ring Device Health Says That Voltage Is Too High (“Danger!”)

A Ring doorbell voltage warning

Wired Ring devices have the convenience of not needing frequent battery changes, but they are at the mercy of the safety and reliability of your home’s wiring. What should you do if you keep seeing the danger alert in your Ring Device Health? The first thing you want to do is use a voltmeter or … Read more

Amazon Echo’s Music Keeps Stopping Or Buffering During Playback

Aux Port on Echo Dot

Music is how many of us get through our day. Whether it’s Rock, Rap, Latin, or Classical – music has the power to move us. But there’s nothing more annoying than when the music won’t play! While listening to their music via the Amazon Echo, some Echo users have run into a couple of annoying … Read more

Newsletter (14th Dec 22): Eufy Caught “Lying” (Apparently?), & Other Smart Home Updates

A Tweet from Paul accusing Eufy of transmitting local data to their cloud servers

(This newsletter was originally sent to subscribers on 14th December 2022) Hi I’m Tristan, and welcome to today’s Smart Home Point newsletter, covering the latest smart home news and updates over the past few weeks. Security researcher Paul Moore caused a splash in smart home circles, by revealing that Eufy’s cameras and doorbells transmit data … Read more

Why Your Amazon Echo’s Volume Keeps Randomly Going Down

Whisper and Adaptive Volume Options in Alexa App

Picture it: you’re enjoying your favorite tunes as you clean the house, and then you notice your music getting lower and lower. Or you ask Alexa to give you the morning news, but her voice is barely audible, even though the last time you used your Echo it was beyond loud. What’s worst, this isn’t … Read more