Turning Old Tablets Into Smart Home Remote Devices
A smart home remote is a real lifesaver when you’ve got a home that’s packed with smart devices. Sure, a smartphone is a great option, but there are better alternatives. For example, you may not be able to control the lighting in your home if you’ve accidentally misplaced your phone in a different room.
What you need is a smart home hub that can be paired with you and your guests’ mobile devices, allowing everyone to interact with various devices and settings from any room.
Here’s where that old, unused tablet in your drawer comes in handy. With several tweaks, you can transform it into a smart remote control. A tablet can be used to control your streaming stick or box and more!
Download an Open-Source or Premium Home Automation App
Today, there is a wide variety of home automation apps that can be installed on tablets, such as Amazon Fires, Samsung Galaxy Tab As, and Apple iPads. You can try out various apps and find the one that works for you.
If you’ve got a hub already, like Apple HomeKit or Samsung SmartThings, you’re just steps away from setting up your smart remote. You can control all the apps from a single hub if there is Wi-Fi connectivity. How cool is that?
Other popular smart home hubs include:
In addition, most homeowners install and use dashboards such as Hubitat, SharpTools, and ActionTiles.
Organize and Clear Unwanted Apps
To avoid inconvenience when you’re handling your new smart remote, consider disabling the lock screen on your tablet.
If you are using an Android tablet, its default state may feature bloatware. Remove those unnecessary apps by navigating to your home screen, pressing and holding unwanted app icons, and dragging them to the trashcan icon that automatically comes on screen.
At MBMounts, we can provide customized tablet wall mounts and other device enclosures for the smart home automation market. If you are looking to create custom tablet mounts to be sold under your own brand, we can help.
Feel free to reach out to us. We’re always ready to help!