Android Community
June 9, 2021
For those who have a lot of smart Samsung things in their home, the SmartThings platform is probably your best friend as it’s the hub that lets you control these devices. The app though is not the most intuitive or has the best user interface. But now, finally we’re getting an update that brings us a new and more organized interface to make managing all your connected smart devices easier. Samsung promises that the transition from the old version to the new one is practically seamless.
The main thing you’ll notice if you’re on the new SmartThings interface is that it’s now organized into five main sections unlike the old one where you see rooms assigned to devices. This time around, you’ll see Favorites, Devices, Life, Automations, and Menu. Not only are things simpler, but the look itself seems to be lighter and easier to navigate. It’s also meant to make it easier to discover and connect devices.
Like Good Lock, SmartThings Labs needs to be available worldwide
A few weeks ago, we talked about the Good Lock app and the fact that Samsung has yet to make it available worldwide, even though certain Good Lock features like Bixby Routines have become a part of the standard One UI experience over time.
Good Lock is an experimental platform that can enrich One UI with new features and in-depth customization options through Good Lock “modules.” It also serves as a way for Samsung to gain customer feedback on experimental features that may later become a part of the standard One UI experience, but unfortunately, Good Lock is only available in a little over a dozen countries.
Home automation is settling into its place in the world, with more and more people embracing it. Predictions have the home automation market hitting 350 million users by 2023.
Samsung today has announced an entirely new, redesigned user interface for it’s SmartThings application. The new interface is available for Android devices starting today, and iOS will follow shortly after, says Samsung. The Samsung SmartThings app lets you control home appliances, light bulbs, and other smart devices inside one simple application.
The new SmartThings app looks more modern and simplified. Samsung points out that the new version was made with customer feedback in mind. The colors are brighter and make it easier to distinguish devices and other elements on the display. The settings and navigation has also received a revamp to make it easier to control the application and to offer a more seamless transition from SmartThings’ previous version.
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Ask Alexa for COVID-19 vaccine information
Amazon’s virtual assistant, Alexa, can help people by answering questions about vaccine availability and eligibility requirements for more than 85 countries, the company said in a blog post, and added that it can also help them find and connect with nearby vaccination sites. People can just say, “Alexa, where can I get tested for COVID-19?” to find their nearest COVID-19 testing locations, or just ask, “Alexa, where can I get a COVID vaccine?” to locate the nearby vaccination sites. They can also say, “Alexa, call the first one,” to connect to a particular site directly. In another update, Amazon launched Fire TV Cube that offers hands-free Alexa voice control in India for ₹12,999.