…LLM was able to generate detailed (accurate) reports on my devices. HA-MCP Server lets my LLMs access different areas, apps, integrations, and even HACS offerings, and Qwen 3.5 was able…
…t as easy to share to different devices. Switching from the Sonnet 4.5 model to Sonnet 4.6 seemed to resolve the issues with dates and missing information, however. Gemini's…
…still plan to keep a few streaming apps around for convenience as I shift to self-hosting. I can just use a relatively powerful device I already have lying around as the…
…Going from a single prebuilt network-attached storage (NAS) device to used enterprise gear and a server cabinet, I learned a lot about how best to configure a smart home and what…
…However, the issue was that I planned to upgrade to a device meant for hardware tinkering and other hobby projects. Meanwhile, I used it in my home lab to run server workloads…
Dhruv Bhutani Apr 29, 2026, 3:30 PM EDT Dhruv Bhutani has been writing about consumer technology since 2008, offering deep insights into the personal technology landscape through features and opinion pieces…
…I’ve tested most of the key players in the consumer home lab ecosystem, and there’s no denying that each platform has its own perks. But I have to hand the…
…After working for an indie game studio and acting as the family's go-to technician for all computer issues, he found his passion for writing and decided to use his skill…
…years of consumer tech journalism experience to the table, with bylines at Android Police and iPhoneHacks. He's written about everything from UI and UX changes across various apps to emerging software…
…OS can be an issue when your smart home projects require minimal latency. However, I rely on ESPHome for my Home Assistant experiments, and this handy app makes tinkering with this microcontroller…