SmartThings Updates: Control Your Home with Natural Language
I've always been intrigued by the idea of a truly smart home, one that anticipates my needs and adapts to my lifestyle. Samsung seems to be taking a significant step in that direction with its latest updates to the SmartThings platform. Instead of fumbling through complicated settings, you'll soon be able to simply tell SmartThings what you want, like "turn off all the lights when I leave," and it’ll handle the rest.
Natural Language Control: A Game Changer
Let's be honest, setting up smart home routines can be a real pain. It often involves navigating menus, configuring individual devices, and troubleshooting when things don’t work as expected. With the new Routine Creation Assistant, Samsung aims to simplify this process by using natural language processing. It's similar to what Google Home and Amazon Alexa are doing, but the more, the merrier. This could make home automation far more accessible to the average user, and that's something I can get behind.
However, it's worth noting that while Google and Amazon's features are still in beta, Samsung's Routine Creation Assistant is already available in Korea and the US, which gives them a slight edge. I’m eager to see how well it works in practice and whether it truly lives up to its promise of effortless automation.
More Flexibility and Control
Besides the natural language control, Samsung is also adding some other useful features. The Delay Actions feature, for instance, allows you to schedule multiple timed steps within a routine. Imagine setting a "Good Morning" routine that gradually wakes you up with lights, coffee, and music. It's a small thing, but it can make a big difference in your daily life.
Another interesting addition is the Confirm to Run Actions feature. This adds an extra layer of confirmation before a routine is triggered, preventing accidental activations. I think this is especially useful in shared households where you don’t want your smart home interfering with other people's activities.
SmartThings Find and Calm Onboarding
I’ve got to say, losing things is one of my personal pet peeves. The updates to SmartThings Find, including the new URL sharing option, should make it easier to enlist help from friends and family in locating lost items. The fact that you can share the location of a SmartTag with any internet-connected device, even iPhones, is a welcome touch.
Finally, the expansion of the Calm Onboarding program is great news for those who are new to the SmartThings ecosystem. The ability to automatically detect and connect compatible devices makes the setup process much smoother and less intimidating.
Overall, these updates to SmartThings seem like a significant step forward in making smart home technology more user-friendly and accessible. I’m excited to see how these features perform in real-world scenarios and whether they can truly transform the way we interact with our homes.
Source: The Verge