UPDATED 12:53 EDT / AUGUST 04 2015

NEWS

New smart home hub for Windows 10 arrives

This week’s Smart Living roundup features the first Windows 10 smart home hub, why Quirky, Inc. CEO Ben Kaufman stepped down, and how an app update allows your Apple Watch to control your smart lock.

CastleOS announces first Windows 10 home automation hub

CastleHubCastleOS Software, LLC announced that its upcoming smart home hub, called the CastleHUB, will be among the first Windows 10 smart home hubs (see all of Microsoft’s compatible home automation products here). It will feature voice control with Microsoft’s voice-control assistant Cortana and far-field control with Microsoft’s motion-detecting Kinect.

The CastleHUB calls itself the most flexible smart hub on the market, as it uses several internal radios, features ports for external radios, offers support for any smart device protocol, and features C#-based scripting. It also comes with a full and open API, as well as support for any mobile device.

With Windows 10 and the CastleOS, CastleHUB allows users to use voice control to turn on lights, change the color of smart light bulbs, control media streaming, adjust temperature in the room, lock or unlock smart door locks, monitor security, water the lawn, feed and monitor pets, and control other smart home devices.

CastleOS is compatible with any smart device brand and works on any mobile platform.

What makes CastleHUB unique from other smart home hubs is that it doesn’t need the Cloud to perform its duties. This means there’s no latency between commands issued and commands executed. This also gives users total control over their privacy and security, which is a huge plus, especially for those who are worried about hackers tapping into Cloud services. And because everything happens in the hub, even if the Internet goes down, your smart home will still work.

Quirky CEO steps down

Three months after a botched software update that resulted in users being locked out of their Wink HUB, Quirky, Inc. CEO Ben Kaufman is stepping down as head of the company.

In a short announcement in the company’s blog, it was revealed that the position will be immediately filled by Chief Financial Officer Ed Kremer. No reason was given as to why the sudden change of leaders, but signs are pointing to the recent botched software update and other missteps by the former CEO in relation to Wink.

August Smart Lock app gets updated for Apple Watch

AugustAugust Home, Inc. has updated its iOS app to make it compatible with the Apple Watch. This update brings control to the Apple Watch, allowing the user to lock and unlock their August Smart Lock using the smartwatch.

Aside from remote control with the use of the Apple Watch, the update also delivers new features, such as viewing your August Smart Lock’s most recent activity and getting instant notifications directly on your wrist.

photo credit: Smart Home: Das digitale Wohnzimmer via photopin (license)

A message from John Furrier, co-founder of SiliconANGLE:

Support our open free content by sharing and engaging with our content and community.

Join theCUBE Alumni Trust Network

Where Technology Leaders Connect, Share Intelligence & Create Opportunities

11.4k+  
CUBE Alumni Network
C-level and Technical
Domain Experts
15M+ 
theCUBE
Viewers
Connect with 11,413+ industry leaders from our network of tech and business leaders forming a unique trusted network effect.

SiliconANGLE Media is a recognized leader in digital media innovation serving innovative audiences and brands, bringing together cutting-edge technology, influential content, strategic insights and real-time audience engagement. As the parent company of SiliconANGLE, theCUBE Network, theCUBE Research, CUBE365, theCUBE AI and theCUBE SuperStudios — such as those established in Silicon Valley and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) — SiliconANGLE Media operates at the intersection of media, technology, and AI. .

Founded by tech visionaries John Furrier and Dave Vellante, SiliconANGLE Media has built a powerful ecosystem of industry-leading digital media brands, with a reach of 15+ million elite tech professionals. The company’s new, proprietary theCUBE AI Video cloud is breaking ground in audience interaction, leveraging theCUBEai.com neural network to help technology companies make data-driven decisions and stay at the forefront of industry conversations.