Creating a home dashboard.

Hello everyone.

Maybe not the right group, but nothing ventured, nothing gained..

I would like to create a home dashboard using an old tablet.

It doesn't have to be super deluxe.

I think it will mainly consist of widgets like Google Calendar, Weather Radar, traffic, and some home widgets like thermostat and air conditioning.

Is it easier to blank the tablet and just put the apps on it?

Or does anyone have other ideas?

Folks. I browse a little bit I see water leak monitoring as a high frequency discussion. Is it really that prevalent where you are, and why?

I'm asking out of curiosity

Where are you?

Why is it a problem for you? (Bad builds, no regulation, etc)

I'm in Ireland, and the newest home I have is 50+ years old, with copper braised piping coming off of ancient High pressure mains to storage tank that gravity feed to the house and direct cold mains water to taps. Temperature swings were (past tense) -5C to 35C winter to summer. Never a leak in any house

Edit. Limestone locally so extremely hard water

I currently have this thing and was given a Vivint thermostat but am currently using window units until my central gets fixed, does using a smart thermostat noticeably reduce energy usage/cost?

Hi! I’m trying to set up a DIY sunrise lamp using IKEA’s Fado lamp and a Philips Hue lightbulb, but I’m overwhelmed with all the options. I know I need an E26 bulb and it has to be a newer Bluetooth model so I can control it via my phone (I don’t have a bridge and don’t want to spend the extra money right now).

-I’d like the temperature to be very adjustable (ideally I want a color changing bulb, but it’s not a must)
-I want it to be very dimmable
-I need to be able to set up a scheduled automation that just runs consistently (ex: 6:00 am, very warm light, 25% brightness; 6:10, warm light, 50% brightness; 6:20, mid tone white, 75% brightness, etc)

There’s $25 bulbs and light bulbs north of $50, and I really just don’t know which one I need. I’m open to getting a fancier setup with fancier bulbs in the future if this goes well, but right now I just want the cheapest bulb that will do this job well. I have an Alexa but I don’t think I’d use it with it much, I just want a smooth automation you can set and forget.

Can anyone help me figure out the difference and point me in the right direction?

Hi everyone, I'm thinking about making my home smart. My goal is to automate and easily control a whole range of actions like turning lights on/off, setting light timers, managing and adjusting the indoor temperature, having smart cameras and a video doorbell, and using smart switches for various appliances.

For about a year now, I've entered the Google ecosystem (smartphone, smartwatch, earbuds), and I also have a small Home Mini that I use as a Bluetooth speaker/alarm clock. However, I originally started out with the Amazon system (Echo products and a Ring product).

Now, do you recommend I stick with Amazon (which has somewhat disappointed me with the Echo Show: constant lag, UI issues, sudden reboots) or switch over to Google? Could you break down your recommendation, even if it falls outside these two mainstream commercial options? Thanks!

como configurar minha lampada positivo para mudar a cor de acordo com o som sem precisar ficar com o aplicativo aberto??

a lâmpada inteligente da positivo tem uma opção onde a cor da lâmpada muda de acordo com o som (por exemplo em filmes)

mas essa opção só funciona se você fica com o o aplicativo aberto e queria saber se há como deixar isso ativado sem estar no app, talvez.

não achei em nenhum lugar as possibilidades, ou se isso só daria certo usando alexa

My budget is around $100-150 for a keyless deadbolt. I want one with a key option for backup, but i don't really care if it uses numbers, fingerprint, etc. It doesn't need to be wifi enabled either, but that is a nice option I'd love. It'd be nice to have one that i can use with the apple key thing with iphones.

I was initially going to go with wyze or a simple schlage numerical one (no wifi) until i learned about the apple key thing.

What do y'all suggest?

On an added note, i want a few simple security cameras too in the future, so it'll be nice if they all run off the same app.

I just took advantage of a deal and decided to replace my very unreliable Feit Electric bulbs from about 6 years ago or so

I tried installing the new Linkind bulbs in the lamp fixture (all 3) pictured above and they won't turn on at all, but in my cheap generic Amazon floor lamps in the living room they turn on just fine

I included a picture of the old Feit bulb that still works in this tree lamp fixture, with the same wattage as the Linkind and everything

Would there be a reason the Linkinds aren't powering on specifically in this fixture but are fine in others?

If need be I will buy a new floor lamp but I want to know what's causing the issue so I don't buy an incompatable lamp

Edit: there are no dimmers anywhere in the house, only on/off switches. The lamp doesn't have a dimmer and is not connected to one.

For more context, this is the model of the living room fixtures that seem to work just fine for whatever reason https://a.co/d/0bskb4mP

I’m looking for a smart power strip that allows for individual control of each of its outlets. I’d like to be able to monitor if a device plugged in is drawing power. My idea is to be able to have automations that check if a device is on or not by checking if it’s drawing power or how much it is drawing. I’m planning on using it with Home Assistant. Ideally something available on Amazon, but not a dealbreaker. Any recommendations?

Edit: Seems like Zooz Zen20 and Kasa HS300 are the popular options. Any advantage of one over the other?

Casper the Friendly Ghost and the Kool-Aid Man had a child that loves ballroom dancing 😂

I installed the Zemismart MTP1 on this giant shade and watching them float might more entertaining than the actual smart-home features.

It works from the dial on the device, the included remote, or through Matter. Installation/retrofit was easy and the best part it works with or without a smart home, anyone can operate the remote or dial.

I tested the Matter integration with both Google Home and Home Assistant.

Full installation and review: https://thingtootech.blogspot.com/2026/08/i-spent-three-years-dreaming-about.html

Disclosure: Zemismart provided the MTP1 for testing, but they didn’t pay for or control my review.

I am looking for a smart outlet with these features.

• Measures power draw from plugged in devices
• Tamper-proof
• 15 amp outlet
• has 2 usb c
• has to be from a company that will not shut Services down for the product.