Latest news with #Switchbot
Wales Online
22-06-2025
- Wales Online
Review: SwitchBot Lock Ultra Vision Combo drags your old door into the 21st Century
Review: SwitchBot Lock Ultra Vision Combo drags your old door into the 21st Century The world's first retrofittable smart lock with 3D facial recognition SwitchBot Lock Ultra Vision Combo Not may of us live in a hi-tech house where everything is at your beck and call. Our windows, doors and locks are so very 20th Century. However, more and more companies are inventing ways to retro-fit the cutting-edge to the normal home. One of the leaders in this field is SwitchBot, and its latest offering is the Lock Ultra Vision Combo. The world's first retrofittable smart lock with 3D facial recognition, the Ultra combines the Lock Ultra, Keypad Vision, and Hub Mini to deliver fast, secure access. Suprisingly easy to install, the device will work for 99.9% of locks without drilling. That, for the DIY-phobic among us, is a godsend (I can tell you!!). Once fitted, you can then lock/unlock your door purely by looking at it! Switchbot is very proud of its 3D facial recognition system, which it says employs more than 30,000 infrared points to create a high-resolution, millimeter-level facial map for authentication. Recognition is instantaneous - within one second - and highly secure, with a false recognition rate of less than 0.0001%. Certainly, it worked flawlessly for me in all conditons, day or night. You actually are given 18 unlocking methods - auto unlock, NFC cards, semi-conductive fingerprint recognition, app control, and voice commands - so you're spoilt for choice on how you get in. The system is also quiet with several modes to choose from, indlcuing a night mode that auto locks at a specific time, creating an even quieter door entry experience when its dark. SwitchBot Lock Ultra Vision Combo Battery life is very solid, you get a large rechargeable main battery that could last up to 12 months, a backup CR123A cell, and an electrolytic emergency unlocking system for the most ultra reliability even in emergencies when the main battery is out of power. You can also set up temporary passcodes for friends and family while traveling, grant entry remotely and monitor entry logs. It's a great device and works well. It coiuld be seen as a little pricey but theb advantage of not having to pick up a drill makes it worth it. Meanwhile, the SwitchBot Hub 3 serves as a powerful, Matter-enabled smart home control hub that works with more than 100,000 infrared (IR) devices, streaming TVs, and the SwitchBot ecosystem, meanwhile, it can also bring SwitchBot products to Matter. It can also send up to 30 programmable commands to activate automation scenes consisting of Matter-compatible products from other brands that are already integrated into Apple Home, providing users with a centralized, intuitive interface to manage their entire home. The device features the exclusive Dial Maste rotary controller, enabling ultra-precise control over volume, temperature, and more. In addition, it offers customizable scene buttons and real-time indoor/outdoor environmental data monitoring. Meanwhile, the Hub 3 is also capable of creating custom automation routines, supporting energy-saving behaviors and enhanced user comfort through the combination of built-in sensors and preset criteria. The SwitchBot Lock Ultra Vision Combo is available for £299.99 via Amazon. The SwitchBot Hub 3 on its own costs £129.99. What users say "I was a bit overwhelmed getting this out of the box due to all the pieces and cables – however a quick scan of the QR code told me everything I needed to know, with an easy-to-follow tutorial. I installed the lock in under 20 mins!" "In operation it's pretty much flawless and the face recognition works quickly and effectively. The only negative I can think of is that as I have a typical UK door with a multipoint locking mechanism, the handle has to be pushed up to engage the mechanism before it will lock. So I can't really use the auto lock function, or rely on being able to lock it remotely, unless I get in the habit of always pushing the handle up when coming in/out." Alternatives Smart Fingerprint Door Lock, Biometric Keyless Entry Door Lock Article continues below ULTRALOQ Latch 5 High Res images for the Lock Ultra Vision Available Here and the Hub 3 Here
North Wales Live
08-06-2025
- North Wales Live
Review: SwitchBot Adjustable Roller Shade is great (once you get it up)
Switchbot is a company that promises to bring home automation to the masses, and its latest effort is an ambitious, self-installed smart window blind - the type you see in the homes of tech bros - at a fraction of the price. The SwitchBot Adjustable Roller Shade will cost you under £200 and, if you're brave enough or a competent DIY-er, offers a cost-effective alternative to professionally installed motorized blinds. While the shade is marketed as DIY-friendly, I found the installation process... challenging to say the least. To be honest, I lucked out. I picked the width of the shade that didn't need an alteration from my end, otherwise I'd have been in the world of hurt, having to cut the fabric myself. Even though all the tools needed are supplied, that would not have ended well. Not that I could have altered the width anyway as the first screw I came across that I was instructed to unscrew immediately threaded. So if I hadn't picked the right size, it would still be in the box. Also, for extra fun, the instructions don't always align with the (tiny) video tutorials. I also fell foul of mistaking a thin length of plastic as part of the packaging. I threw it away before right at the end of the set-up I found out it was part of the blind! That was my bad, and I was able to engineer a replacement made of cardboard. Reading this you might think it's best to steer clear. Well, here's the thing, if you manage to navigate getting the thing up, it works brilliantly and you'll be extremely happy with it. Once installed, the SwitchBot Roller Shade - coming in either white or grey - boasts a sleek and modern design, operates quietly, with noise levels as low as 30dB in silent mode, making it suitable for bedrooms and other quiet spaces. The shade can be controlled via a mobile app, voice commands (with the SwitchBot Hub 2), or a wired controller, offering flexibility in operation. The shade is powered by a rechargeable battery that can last up to eight months on a single charge. An optional solar panel is available to keep the battery charged, though some users find the panel's appearance not so great. I didn't have that to test so couldn't offer an opinion. Integration with smart home platforms like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri Shortcuts is possible through the SwitchBot Hub 2, enabling features like scheduling and percentage-based adjustments. To be honest, I mostly used the app (once I'd got over playing 'blind goes up, blind goes down'), which I found to be pretty straightforward and surprisingly powerful. So here's the thing. Now they're up, I love them. Would I want to go through the installation again? Maybe not. Do you need to be scared, yourself? I'm at the extreme low-end of the DIY scale so if you have any skills or experience, you might find it easy. But I'd definitely pick the right shade immediately, and not throw away the 'packaging' before you set it up! Other reviews Smart Home Scene: "If the SwitchBot Roller Shades fit your use case and budget, I can recommend them without reservations. If you find the DIY element of these shades challenging, consider the ready-made SmartWings Blinds as a good alternative." Reidential Tech Today: "While the overall installation process is reasonably easy, a homeowner will want to very carefully perform the process of cutting the fabric role as a mistake could be costly. Finally, Smart home integrators might even consider offering the SwitchBot Roller Shade as an inexpensive option compared to the fully custom smart shades they typically offer."
Wales Online
08-06-2025
- Wales Online
Review: SwitchBot Adjustable Roller Shade is great (once you get it up)
Review: SwitchBot Adjustable Roller Shade is great (once you get it up) While the shade is marketed as DIY-friendly, I found the installation process... challenging to say the least SwitchBot Adjustable Roller Shade Switchbot is a company that promises to bring home automation to the masses, and its latest effort is an ambitious, self-installed smart window blind - the type you see in the homes of tech bros - at a fraction of the price. The SwitchBot Adjustable Roller Shade will cost you under £200 and, if you're brave enough or a competent DIY-er, offers a cost-effective alternative to professionally installed motorized blinds. While the shade is marketed as DIY-friendly, I found the installation process... challenging to say the least. To be honest, I lucked out. I picked the width of the shade that didn't need an alteration from my end, otherwise I'd have been in the world of hurt, having to cut the fabric myself. Even though all the tools needed are supplied, that would not have ended well. Not that I could have altered the width anyway as the first screw I came across that I was instructed to unscrew immediately threaded. So if I hadn't picked the right size, it would still be in the box. Also, for extra fun, the instructions don't always align with the (tiny) video tutorials. I also fell foul of mistaking a thin length of plastic as part of the packaging. I threw it away before right at the end of the set-up I found out it was part of the blind! That was my bad, and I was able to engineer a replacement made of cardboard. Reading this you might think it's best to steer clear. Well, here's the thing, if you manage to navigate getting the thing up, it works brilliantly and you'll be extremely happy with it. Once installed, the SwitchBot Roller Shade - coming in either white or grey - boasts a sleek and modern design, operates quietly, with noise levels as low as 30dB in silent mode, making it suitable for bedrooms and other quiet spaces. The shade can be controlled via a mobile app, voice commands (with the SwitchBot Hub 2), or a wired controller, offering flexibility in operation. You'll need help to install the SwitchBot Adjustable Roller Shade The shade is powered by a rechargeable battery that can last up to eight months on a single charge. An optional solar panel is available to keep the battery charged, though some users find the panel's appearance not so great. I didn't have that to test so couldn't offer an opinion. Integration with smart home platforms like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri Shortcuts is possible through the SwitchBot Hub 2, enabling features like scheduling and percentage-based adjustments. To be honest, I mostly used the app (once I'd got over playing 'blind goes up, blind goes down'), which I found to be pretty straightforward and surprisingly powerful. So here's the thing. Now they're up, I love them. Would I want to go through the installation again? Maybe not. Do you need to be scared, yourself? I'm at the extreme low-end of the DIY scale so if you have any skills or experience, you might find it easy. But I'd definitely pick the right shade immediately, and not throw away the 'packaging' before you set it up! The Switchbot Roller Shade is available from £169.99 from the Switchbot website Other reviews Smart Home Scene: "If the SwitchBot Roller Shades fit your use case and budget, I can recommend them without reservations. If you find the DIY element of these shades challenging, consider the ready-made SmartWings Blinds as a good alternative." Reidential Tech Today: "While the overall installation process is reasonably easy, a homeowner will want to very carefully perform the process of cutting the fabric role as a mistake could be costly. Finally, Smart home integrators might even consider offering the SwitchBot Roller Shade as an inexpensive option compared to the fully custom smart shades they typically offer." Alternatives Article continues below Graywind Customized Smart Roller Blinds Blackout Tokblind Motorized Roller Blind
