![]() ![]() You can add more routines and name them whatever you want, which is a great upgrade from earlier versions of Samsung's app. You can either tap the routines themselves within the app, or other sensors can trigger them with an action - like if your smartphone is "home" or if your motion sensor sees something happening within a particular time period. The SmartThings app defaults to four routines initially - Good Morning, Good Night, Goodbye and I'm Back - which you can trigger two different ways. Routines can automatically set your devices to certain conditions. It took me a bit of time to find the correct option, since it was buried within Samsung's app. (Also, if you're pairing a ton of smart devices to the app, it would be a bit annoying to scroll through your all-device list.) Creating new rooms is easy, but reassigning devices to different rooms can be a headache. The Rooms portion of the app is a simple way to organize all of your various smart devices by where they are - useful if you want to check the temperature in a particular location, for example. The core of Samsung's SmartThings app centers on three different scenarios: accessing individual devices via the rooms you've previously assigned them to, switching between different "routines" that activate a preset combination of device configurations and using third-party apps to access your various smart devices in new ways. I didn't have any trouble with the pairing process, and the lights were quick to respond to various in-app commands. Though I mainly stuck to Samsung's various smart devices for my testing (a door/window sensor, motion detector, SmartSense Presence key fob and an outlet), I also paired the app with my Philips Hue lights. On said list is a pretty comprehensive mix of device types: switches, thermostats, sensors, lights, cameras, speakers and door locks (to name a few). MORE: Smart Home: A Guide to Products, Services and Security Samsung's SmartThings platform supports a ton of different devices compared to most other smart home systems: more than 200 in total, according to my most recent check of Samsung's website. In 2016, Samsung says it will charge $5 per month for those who want access to more advanced features: live DVR recordings from connected cameras, notification services that let you target specific people for specific issues (like water detected, or a possible fire), and a service that allows trusted contacts to control your SmartThings devices when you aren't around. That's not to say that Samsung won't be doing this pretty soon, however. While that's probably the reason why Samsung doesn't offer a Web-based interface to control it, too - and that's not much solace for those who just spent $250 on a hub and a few sensors - the setup is a lot better than competing smart home platforms that can charge you around $10 monthly to access core features ( like Lowe's Iris). I love that the entire SmartThings platform doesn't cost anything to use once you've purchased the equipment. That's not a problem for first-time buyers, but those upgrading from one hub to another won't enjoy the experience. And even though I read plenty of online instructions, I wasn't able to use any previously associated SmartThings devices with my new hub. For starters, I couldn't disassociate the first hub from my SmartThings account. Those of you who are upgrading from the original SmartThings Hub may have a more difficult time. Once you set up one device, you're taken back to a device list that's different from the one you'd use to indicate which device lives in which room. If it's successful, the hub links your gadgets to the app, and off you go to the app's primary dashboard.Īssigning devices to specific rooms in the SmartThings app is a little clunky. It checks to make sure your hub is fully updated (mine was), and it then starts trying to find all the other SmartThings devices you've purchased. The app does a great job walking you through exactly what you have to do to get SmartThings working in your house. On iOS, Samsung's app appears fairly easy to use at first. Samsung doesn't have any kind of Web-based UI for its SmartThings devices, which is a bit of a letdown compared to competing smart home platforms such as Peq or Staples Connect. While the hub fires up, you need to spend a minute or so downloading a separate iOS or Android app to start the setup and configuration process. Otherwise, you connect an included Ethernet cable from the hub's port to your house's router. If your power goes out, the SmartThings battery ensures you'll still be able to get some use out of your connected devices. The hub also has a new built-in Bluetooth radio, but it, too, will be activated at some future point. According to Samsung, you'll be able to use them in some kind of "future expansion" of the SmartThings Hub. The new hub also comes with two USB 2.0 ports, but they were disabled when I wrote this review. ![]()
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