What is Microsoft's Home Automation Platform? or do they even want one?

[James Auman]

There seems to be lots of options for having a tightly integrated Home Automation Platform. Google has Google Home, Apple has HomeKit, and Amazon has Alexa. Is Microsoft playing in this space, and if so, what is their solution and is that solution readily available? If not, whose solution gives us the best compatibility with Microsoft products (e.g. Windows 10, XBOX, Windows 10 Mobile, Office 365, etc.)

 

[Drael646464]

I know cortana has some smart home capabilities, but you'd have to select your gear based on what's compatible (not that you also wouldn't have to do this with the others, to a lesser degree). Cortana also has some skills like alexa (ordering pizza etc, but it's US only). They are also bringing alexa compatibility to cortana soon, for whatever gaps exist. Harmon have some home speakers with cortana (but it's US only).

Inside the US, I'd say cortana. Outside the US, maybe alexa, given that amazon and Microsoft are working together.

 

[Drael646464]

https://www.windowscentral.com/every-smart-home-device-works-cortana

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4046777/control-smart-home-cortana

 

[Drael646464]

In theory, if not in the US, you could fake your geolocation. Not sure if that works though, for smart home intergration.

 

[sxotty]

IFTT allows Cortana to do most anything it seems. It is better than relying on some company to make the skills specific to your situation. Just check that you can intereact with the two services you want. Namely Cortana which you can and then whatever the other is. I found that documentation from third parties is sort of sketchy. For exaple finding info on TP-Lunk Kasa bulbs was a pain, but I finally found it on a forum

https://community.smartthings.com/t/tp-link-kasa-bulbs-and-plugs-control/73921/33

That thread had all the information I needed to program cortana to do what I wanted with my lights. TP-Link themselves had useless support I have to admit. When I first connected the service it did not work at all. It turned out that I had to turn off all smart home stuff in notebook and then reenable it instead of just the KASA thing and it worked perfectly. Since I already had a support ticket with TP-Link open I let them know the solution. They responded thanks, so glad you could get on the internet (like I had been asking about a router). They initial effort at support was also useless.

 

[the_moesiah]

I think Home Hub was supposed to be the "brains" if their smart home platform but who knows what's going on with that. Coming soon, I guess.