Always looking on the bright side of life
After 2 years of research and development, I am pleased to announce that we are launching CallGenie, the “Skype for the Elderly” solution that plugs into a television. Continue reading “CallGenie – “Skype for the Elderly””
In this post I explain the importance of computer backups and disaster recovery planning in preventing loss of data on a computer or server. In addition, I will describe affordable backup solutions for individual PCs and Macs as well as small business networks.
Continue reading “Computer Backups and Disaster Recovery Planning”
Recently I have been asked by a number of my customers to revive their trusty Mac computers and return them to full health after a malware attack or some type of hardware failure. Continue reading “Preventative Maintenance for Apple Mac”
I’ve been looking for a solution which would enable me to watch live and recorded Freeview HD channels using either a 4th or 5th generation Apple TV. Continue reading “How to watch & record Freeview HD channels on Apple TV”
I’m often asked how you can watch BT Sport on an Apple TV using the BT Sport app on your iPhone or iPad. This post will describe the steps you need to take to achieve this. Continue reading “Watching BT Sport on an Apple TV using AirPlay”
I’ve finally succumbed and installed my first Philips Hue smart light bulbs. The timing was right as I’ve just redecorated our family room and the lighting in that room has always been a bit uninspiring. Continue reading “Philips Hue Lighting, Apple HomeKit and iOS11”
When I heard that Logitech was bringing out a HomeKit-compatible version of its Logitech Pop Smart Button I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. Continue reading “Review of the Logitech Pop Smart Button”
This post describes how to use Homebridge and Home Assistant to extend Apple HomeKit to enable it to support complex automations using motion sensors and switches. These automations create powerful solutions to address security and safety problems in the home. Continue reading “Using Smart Lighting and Motion Sensors to improve safety and security”
If you are a regular reader of this blog you will know that I’ve been trying to automate the Skype Solution for the Elderly that I’ve been building for my elderly mother who has Alzheimers. I want to be able to call her from my own home using Skype and a Mini PC installed in her house will automatically answer the call and switch my mother’s television to the correct HDMI input so that she can see and hear me. Continue reading “Home Assistant and Harmony Hub – the ultimate Skype Solution for the Elderly?”
I recently wrote a post about a trial to automate the Skype Solution for the Elderly that I was building. My aim was to find a solution that enabled a person to make a Skype call to an elderly relative and remotely control their television to play the audio and display the video. The trial was very successful and worked brilliantly for me with my mother who has Alzheimers. However, Continue reading “Automating Skype for the Elderly using Harmony Hub and IFTTT”