Welcome to our Smart Home discussion of Personal Assistant based home automation eco-systems
The two most, well known, geared for the mass market personal assistants developed at this time, are Amazon with their Alexa assistant, and Apple, with Siri. Microsoft and Google have joined the party more recently, so other than a couple quick mentions, and future articles, the focus will be on our A players – Apple HomeKit, and Amazon Echo.
Apple integrates HomeKit into it’s overall eco-system, so it differs in that it’s less open structure than the other three. There are, of course trade-offs which we will discuss here. (Think iOS vs Android, but only in some ways.)
Amazon with it’s Echo device (and Dot, and Remote…) with Alexa was definitely the first major personal assistant available with limited (beta) shipments going back over a year and a half. Basically Cortana and Google starting to play catch up. That’s not to say there haven’t been other solutions that could do some control by voice prior to Echo.
Art's been reviewing high tech products and editing their reviews for 15 years. He launched his first website presenting solutions.com (sold in 2003) in early 1995 when there were only a few thousand .coms. He launched ProjectorReviews.com in 2000, and started planning Smarterhomeautomation.com back in 2011.
Art's goal is to provide in-depth reviews on the latest and hottest products that fit into the Smart Home, aka Home Automation, as well as insightful articles to educate people into what's available, what makes the most sense, and where the market is going, so people can better plan, and implement their goals for energy efficient, convenient, and downright "cool" capabilities.
Ancient history: Born in Allentown PA, Graduated 1972. Sold and managed stereo stores (and did a little surfing) in the early, mid-70's before getting into computers and more AV. Managed the first computers store in Pa, starting in 1979 (not the first manager). Moved to selling computers to major accounts. Then moved west to SF area, for a four year stint with Epson starting in 1982, then left for one of the early large venture backed start-ups in the Silicon Valley - Presentation Technologies. Left there to start up Presenting Solutions, which became the first projector focused reseller on the internet (Jan 1995). Married Lori in 1990, and have been enjoying our daughter Lisa, since 1992! Presently living, and working in San Clemente, CA.
