My first impression on getting the package was “this is a little weird”. I’m not talking about the packaging itself, but the size of the sensor inside, which is quite small. The packaging looks professional and sleek, and the instruction manuals were aplenty – Three in total. Coming back to the sensor – it really is small, but I didn’t expect it or need it to be a specific size. I just assumed it would be larger. You usually have a rough impression of how big or small something is, based on what you see online. That all aside, the overall first impression was was a good one. 

As for the setup, that went pretty smoothly, as I’ve generally come to expect with HomeKit installations. It comes with a custom-sized, ‘half-A4’ battery (CR123A) with a protective piece of paper to make sure the contact doesn’t touch the battery until you’re ready to use the device. Pull that and put the battery back in and you are off and running to the app stage. 

Once the device is powered on, download the Fibaro app from the App Store, as per the included instructions. You will then need to add the device itself, through the app  with the provided code on the back of the main instruction manual. The app will show ‘new home (or join one)’, so assuming you’ve already created a ‘home’ in the Home app, you would select that one. It’s important to note at this point, that as this is a Bluetooth device, you will need to keep your phone near to the accessory for the purposes of pairing (and make sure Bluetooth is active on your phone). The app will ask permission to pair up to your home while scanning the code. Once that’s finished, it sees any other installed accessories as standard with any HomeKit type app. Once the Fibaro Flood Sensor has been successfully added, it will also appear in your Home app as two devices or ’tiles’; The flood sensor also contains a temperature sensor.

In day-to-day behavior, the sensor works in two ways; it essentially measures temperature and is armed to detect water/moisture. As for the temperature sensor, I can’t speak to the accuracy of it currently, because it’s in a different place to my main thermostat. However, in terms of the water sensor, it works very well and sends the information to your iOS/OSX devices quickly. I wanted to go ahead and test it, as well as give myself an idea of what it looked like in HomeKit. It provides great immediate intel on any water that is sensed (via an iOS notification). There is another, less obvious sensor onboard, which is a ‘tamper’ sensor. This will detect when the device has been moved or ‘tampered with’, and send you a notification. This sensor would seem to be not part of the HomeKit makeup of the device, as it doesn’t appear as a separate tile in the Home app.

In terms of my final thoughts… uh, can I get back to you in 4 years?  As there are two versions of this device – one for Zigbee setups, and one for HomeKit, It’s a little expensive – the Zigbee version is a lot cheaper. However, in truth, it’s a small price to pay to protect my floors.

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PRESS RELEASE

Nice continues along its path of international growth and expands in the Smart Home sector acquiring FIBARO, a leading brand in the field, which offers a true wireless, modular ecosystem for a connected, controlled and customized home suited to the user’s specific needs. Thanks to an even broader and innovative offer, Nice is ready to seize the opportunities of a segment with a high growth potential such as the “Smart Home”.

Founded in 2010 with headquarters in Poznan, Poland, in just a few years FIBARO has established itself on 6 continents and in over 100 countries as one of the most advanced wireless systems for the Smart Home, designing and producing devices with Z-Wave and HomeKit protocols in its facilities and research centers, with a view to utmost simplicity in installation, plug & play, the possibility of remote access and compatibility with third-party systems such as Apple HomeKit®, Z-Wave, Google Assistant®, Amazon Alexa® and Apple’s Siri®.

FIBARO’s competences will expand Nice offer in the area of home automation systems, to turn the vision of a completely connected home into reality, everywhere in the world. This will be possible thanks to the complementary offers of the two companies, which have in common the international strategy, the Design Thinking approach, the constant push towards technological innovation and, most importantly, the willingness of putting people at the center stage, developing solutions that are easy to implement and use.

FIBARO offers a complete range of integrated Smart Home products: from its “Home Center” gateways, which are the heart of the home and building management system, to the most advanced design awarded multifunction sensors, which monitor the indoor environment for factors such as flooding, fumes and presence of CO, including sensors that detect whether doors and windows are open, acoustic alarms and cameras. It also offers innovative heat controllers that optimize the temperature of the house and allow significant energy savings.

FIBARO apps simplify remote control of the systems, such as home alarms, automation and sensor control. The applications for smartphones and tablets are extraordinarily easy and intuitive, and are available from the App Store, Google Play and the web. Moreover, it is possible to control FIBARO devices by voice control, choosing among several virtual assistants, such as Google Assistant®, Amazon Alexa® and Apple’s Siri® which respond to voice commands and the user’s questions, enabling the management of lights, automation, cameras, heat controllers, sensors and scenarios in the home. FIBARO sensors are adaptable and can be connected to smart systems and products of the most famous international brands, such as Abode, Sonos, Philips, D-Link, iRobot, making the home more comfortable, safe and eco-friendly. Access to the home and data are always protected by the most advanced encryption systems.

“We are pleased to announce this important new deal for the Group”, commented Lauro Buoro, founder and Chairman of Nice S.p.A. “It allows us to accelerate our growth by offering a portfolio of the most complete products in the Home Automation and Home Security sector, thus strengthening our position of leadership in world markets, characterized by the growing demand for connected solutions to allow consumers to have their own most innovative Smart Home. Nice and Fibaro are united by a drive for innovation and digitalization, as well as by a shared mission: to simplify the daily lives of people by offering an extraordinary, simple, friendly and secure user experience, in a domestic space for maximum comfort. Twenty-five years from the founding of Nice, we want to be the reference point in offering cutting-edge solutions on a global scale in the Home Automation, Home Security and Smart Home sectors”.

Maciej Fiedler, CEO and Founder of Fibar Group S.A., commented: “We are happy to join a solid and successful company like Nice, in strong expansion in the international market. This will allow to reinforce our position through technological and commercial synergies. We believe that simplicity is the way to go: eight years ago, I made the decision to build a truly intuitive and functional system, for a welcoming home that is always by your side, wherever you go, thanks to the applications for smartphones, tablets and PCs to have constant information about and control over what is happening at home”.

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The Heat Controller includes convenient features, such as the ability to identify and diagnose potential issues with the radiator that it is installed on, motion sensing to prevent heating of unoccupied rooms, and the ability to utilize other temperature sensors to control the temperature of the room. Rather than rely on a numeric display for reading the temperature of a room, the controller has a built-in LED ring that changes color, as a way to quickly indicate how warm or cold the walls that the radiator backs onto are, which has an effect on the overall temperature of a room, and adjust the temperature accordingly.

Fibaro claims that the Heat Controller is compatible with 98% of all radiators on the market, and states that the device can be installed without the use of tools in under a minute. In addition to HomeKit support, the Heat Controller is also compatible with Google Assistant as well as Amazon’s Alexa. The Heat Controller is listed as “coming later this year”, with prices and details to be determined.

The post Fibaro Heat Controller and Temperature Sensor Slated for Release Later This Year appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

Joe Dugandzic from Smarter Home Life gives us a few tips on how to get the most out of your smart buttons.

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Chris Young from homekitgeek.com takes a look at the Fibaro Motion Sensor on his YouTube channel today. Along with Fibaro’s ‘The Button’, this Motion sensor, with it’s eery looking ‘Cats Eye’ has to be one of the most original looking gadgets in the HomeKit ecosystem so far. Check out the video and be sure to subscribe to the YouTube channel so you never miss a review.

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Chris Young from HomeKitgeek.com Has a look at the Fibaro Door & Window Sensor, which is more than just what its name would suggest…

The post Fibaro Door & Window Sensor appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.