Cortana and IFTT Make It Easier To Talk To Your Smart Home

A new technology is on the horizon that could change the war for control over the thermostat forever, with Microsoft announcing Cortana will now work with more smart home providers through IFTT.

Cortana Connected

Cortana can already be used to manage your smart devices through Samsung, SmartThings, Nest, Philips Hue, Wink, and Insteon. And now Microsoft has announced Cortana can be used to control ecobee, Honeywell Lyric, Honeywell Total Control Comfort, LIFX, TP-Link Kasa, and Geeni. These devices can be controlled through Windows 10, iPhone, Android, and the Harman Kardon Invoke speaker.

Cortana is used with a simple verbal command, “Hey Cortana.” The AI can be used on the go if you think you left on your space heater, to control the lights in any given room — say “Hey Cortana it’s movie time” for some mood lighting — to activate a smart surger to turn off specific lights in your home, and of course adjust the temperature on your smart home thermostat.

IFTT For Free

IFTT is a free platform which helps to connect your apps and services all in one (one remote is the goal!). IFTT works with 600 services from providers in a variety of areas. With the recent marriage between IFTT and Cortana remote multistasking is as easy as talking. For example, when out for a walk, you could post a tweet about what you saw on the way, log into your FitBit to measure your progress, and, if you’re out for longer than you thought, extend the drying cycle on your GE dryer.

Hey… Who?

Cortana positions itself as a player in the Smart Home Hub Boom, facing direct competition from Alibaba, Amazon, Apple, and Google. With the plethora of platforms and devices available to those who want to smarten their homes, it remains to be seen whose name most users will be calling.